Luke Donald has opened up on the potential of facing off with Tiger Woods at the 2025 Ryder Cup, after the former world No. 1 was reappointed captain of Team Europe.
Donald was recalled as European skipper on Wednesday after leading his continent to a dominant 16.5-11.5 victory at Marco Simone in Rome. And on the back of the win the Englishman has opted to make a return in 2025, becoming the first back-to-back European captain since Bernard Gallacher in 1995.
Whilst Donald was able to kick off his captaincy spell by winning the Ryder Cup, his second attempt will no doubt prove a tougher test, with the Europeans taking on their American rivals on away soil.
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Team USA will also be keen to bounce back from their dismal defeat under Zach Johnson, and one man who has been tipped to lead the resurgence is Woods. Discussing the prospect of taking on the 15-time major champion, Donald said: "Tiger has been mentioned as a possible candidate and we'll have to wait and see.
“You would think he was going to be a Ryder Cup captain at some point and if it's this time, great, if it's another time, great. I've got to play a lot of times with Tiger in my career. I have great admiration for what he's done, what he's done in the game.
“It's something a little bit out of my control so I'm not really trying to think about it. Once it happens, then we'll address it. But if it's Tiger or someone else I'm looking forward to the challenge of being captain once more. The desire to win, whoever the US captain is, is strong.”
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There is no doubt an American team lead by 82-time PGA Tour winner would make the already uphill task of winning an away Ryder Cup even harder, but on the back of victory in the Italian capital last month Donald is more than ready for the challenge. “There is no question that being a captain away from home is a tough task," he commented.
"But I have never shied away from challenges throughout my career and it is precisely the kind of thing that motivates me. I can’t wait to get another 12-strong team to Bethpage in 2025.” One man who will be delighted to see the Englishman return is Rory McIlroy, who led chants of 'two more years' towards Donald among his fellow players following the win in Rome.
McIlroy proved to be the talisman for Donald's European setup in 2023, and it seems the Northern Irishman has plans to go back-to-back after issuing a strong warning to his American rivals last month. “I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is winning an away Ryder Cup,” McIlroy said. "And that's what we're going to do at Bethpage.”