Luke Donald is set to discuss the possibility of captaining the Ryder Cup for the third time in 2027 with officials from the DP World Tour in Dubai this week. Shane Lowry, known for his success at Bethpage Black, has voiced his support for Donald to continue leading the team in Ireland.
As the former world No.1, Donald guided Europe to a remarkable away victory in Long Island last September, following their triumph in Rome in 2021. Notably, no European captain has secured three Ryder Cup wins, with only Tony Jacklin and Bernard Gallacher achieving the feat more than twice.
Currently, at 48 years old, Donald is participating in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, marking his first tournament of the year. While in Dubai, he will also engage in discussions with Guy Kinnings, the CEO of DP World, regarding the Ryder Cup captaincy decision that Europe needs to finalize within the next few 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.”
Lowry, who played a crucial role in securing a half point to retain the Ryder Cup in New York, believes that the decision ultimately lies with Donald. He remarked, “I think it’s Luke’s if he wants it. Does he want it or not? I’m not sure. 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.”
In case Donald opts out of captaining the team again, potential candidates like Vice-captain Francesco Molinari or Justin Rose could be considered for the position.