Luke Donald breaks silence on Ryder Cup return vs Woods after McIlroy support

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Luke Donald has been backed to return as Ryder Cup captain (Image: PGA of America via Getty Images)
Luke Donald has been backed to return as Ryder Cup captain (Image: PGA of America via Getty Images)

Luke Donald has discussed the chances of him returning as European Ryder Cup captain in 2025, after the Englishman led his team to a 16.5-11.5 victory over the Americans earlier this month.

Donald's European team regained the Ryder Cup two years after losing it to their U.S. rivals, thanks to a dominant performance at Marco Simone in Rome. Attention has already turned to the 2025 event in the weeks after, with Europe set the tough task of defending their title on American soil.

Typically the Ryder Cup captaincy has changed every two years over the past three decades, but Donald has been backed to make history and lead his continent once more at Bethpage Black.

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Discussing a potential back-to-back captaincy, Donald told The Times : "When you’re part of something so memorable like that, you don’t want it to end." A return is one heavily backed by his players, after the European stars led chants of 'two more years!' when the Englishman was giving his victory speech in Rome.

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Thankful for the support, he added: "It was certainly very gratifying to hear the players shouting, ‘two more years,’ afterwards and it would be an amazing challenge, but I still need to sit down with my family and decide because it’s a big ask."

Luke Donald breaks silence on Ryder Cup return vs Woods after McIlroy supportRory McIlroy has backed Luke Donald to return (Getty Images)

If Donald was to return he could well face off against arguably golf's greatest player, with 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods well-backed to lead the American team in 2025. One man who knows both Woods and Donald well is Rory McIlroy, and the Northern Irishman was the man leading the chant for his captain to return in two years.

McIlroy himself proved to be a star man for Donald, winning four out of five points - more than any other player - across the three days at Marco Simone on the way to the European victory. Whether Donald does return or not, one man who will no doubt be on the plane to New York (barring injury) is four-time major champion McIlroy.

And the Northern Irishman had a strong warning for his American rivals on the back of Team Europe's crowning earlier this month. As confident as ever, McIlroy claimed: "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.”

Joshua Lees

Golf, Ryder Cup, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Marco Simone, Team Europe

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