From the moment Shane Lowry holed the putt at Bethpage Black that ensured the Ryder Cup was staying in European hands, captain Luke Donald must have been anticipating what followed.
It came later on while sitting alongside his team in the post Ryder Cup press conference – a chant that had become familiar at Marco Simone in 2023 rang out again: “Two more years! Two more years!”
Donald impressed with his leadership in Italy, bringing class and dignity befitting of the role, while it was well documented that he left no stone unturned in his preparations.
The result was clear for all to see – a 16.5-11.5 win that, if anything, didn’t quite do justice to the extent to which the hosts had largely dominated proceedings from the first morning.
The score may have been closer two years later, with Team Europe scrambling to a 15-13 victory after a frenetic Sunday singles session, but if anything, it was an even more impressive victory.
Luke Donald was impressive in his maiden Ryder Cup as captain
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Neither team had won away since the Europeans last managed it in 2012 thanks to a comeback for the ages that became known as the Miracle of Medinah.
To do it in New York amid crowd behaviour that frequently strayed beyond the pale was nothing short of historic.
While the players will long be remembered for their brilliance over the first two days to put Europe into a commanding position, the success was once again heavily dependent on Donald’s remarkable captaincy.
Like two years ago, the team arrived early at the venue to prepare, while the smaller details that can make a big difference were all accounted for, from better-smelling shampoo to covering the cracks of the hotel room doors to block out the light.
Is there any wonder that the team was unanimous that Donald is the man to lead them for the third straight edition at Adare Manor in 2027?
Even though Donald refused to indicate whether he would stay on, when asked about the chances, he had a smile on his face: “My answer is I’m going to enjoy tonight,” he said.
He was more open about the all-consuming nature of the role, describing how it led to the former World No.1 taking his eye off his own playing career in pursuit of perfection.
Luke Donald has the backing of the…
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