Luke Donald is set to discuss the possibility of leading Europe as Ryder Cup captain for the third time in 2027 with the DP World Tour in Dubai this week. Shane Lowry, who played a crucial role at Bethpage Black, has encouraged Donald to consider staying on as captain for the upcoming event in Ireland.
The former world No.1 guided Europe to an impressive away victory in Long Island last September, following their success in Rome in 2021. Notably, no European captain has secured three wins, with only Tony Jacklin and Bernard Gallacher achieving the role more than twice.
Donald, aged 48, is participating in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, his first tournament of the year. Alongside his competitive play, he will engage in discussions with DP World CEO Guy Kinnings regarding the Ryder Cup captaincy, as Europe is expected to finalize their decision in the coming months.
Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Donald stated, “I will sit down for a chat with Guy this week just to see where I am. I kinda know what the job entails but just to see what they are looking for. Just a chat. I have got a couple more months to decide. Usually they announce it sometime in March. It is a little bit more work at home.”
Lowry, who secured a crucial half point in New York to retain the Ryder Cup, commented, “I think it’s Luke’s if he wants it. Does he want it or not? It’s a big undertaking for him, and he’s obviously been very successful.”
Acknowledging the support from fellow players, Donald mentioned, “A few of the players have obviously expressed they’d love me to come back. I see Rory (McIlroy), and I see Shane and Fitzy (Matt Fitzpatrick) and some of those guys in Florida, quite a lot. I casually asked: ‘Would you want me to do this the third time?’ And they’re like: ‘Yeah, of course, of course’. So it’s nice to get some of the backing from the players. I think that’s important.”
If Donald opts out of the captaincy, potential candidates like Vice-captain Francesco Molinari or Justin Rose could be considered for the role.
