Luke Donald to run it back as European Ryder Cup captain for 2025

Luke Donald will return as Team Europe captain at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, Ryder Cup Europe announced Wednesday morning.

Donald led Team Europe to a convincing 16.5-11.5 victory over the U.S. at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy, earlier this fall. He will be the first multiple-time Ryder Cup captain for the Europeans since Bernard Gallacher captained three consecutive teams from 1991-95.

Donald received universal praise among the European players for his leadership in Italy, which spurred immediate speculation that a return could be viable.

“I think everyone sitting here would be very happy to have him again,” Rory McIlroy said during Europe’s celebratory press conference on Sunday night of the Ryder Cup.

Donald will aim to become only the second captain to lead Europe to home and away victories, following Tony Jacklin in 1987.

“He demonstrated clear, calm and meticulous leadership skills in Rome, and all those qualities will be big assets again for Luke and Team Europe as they take on the considerable challenge of trying to retain the Ryder Cup against a strong U.S. Team backed by passionate support in New York,” Guy Kinnings, executive director of Ryder Cup Europe, said in a statement.

“Two more years, anyone?” Donald wrote in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It’s going to be an honour to lead this amazing team once again in New York.”

The U.S. Team has yet to name a captain for 2025. On Tuesday, Tiger Woods shot down speculation that he could be chosen for the role at Bethpage Black. Woods, a newly tabbed PGA TOUR Policy Board member, cited his desire to finalize a Definitive Agreement for the TOUR before considering anything else.

“Right now there's too much at stake with our tour to think about a Ryder Cup right now,” Woods said. “We have to get this done and we have to be focused on this right now.”

Regardless of the U.S. captain, Donald and Team Europe likely face a stiffer test this time around on American soil. The home team has won eight of the last nine Ryder Cups. The only exception – the 2012 “Miracle at Medinah,” where Europe overcame a four-point deficit on Sunday to win 14.5-13.5. Donald was a player on that team and went 2-2-0 for the week, including a pivotal Sunday Singles victory to help spur the comeback. Still, the last time the Ryder Cup was held in the U.S., the Americans won 19-9, the largest margin of victory since the points structure changed in 1979.

“I’ve said this for the last probably six or seven years to anyone that will listen: I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is winning an away Ryder Cup. And that’s what we’re going to do at Bethpage,” McIlroy said.

And they’ll attempt to back up McIlroy’s statement with Donald at the helm.