For two days of the 2025 Ryder Cup, Europe dominated the Americans but, on Sunday, they almost saw their seven point advantage disappear, as a spirited fightback from the home team came up just short.
Claiming 8.5 points from the 12 singles matches, USA fought back to a 15-13 result in the Europeans favor, with Luke Donald becoming the first captain since Tony Jacklin to claim back-to-back Ryder Cups.
Going back to March 2022, former Major winner Henrik Stenson was announced as the European captain for 2023, with the side looking to avenge their 19-9 pummeling defeat at Whistling Straits.
Beating Donald to the position, The Iceman was now at the helm; however, just four months later, Stenson was stripped of the captaincy after joining the controversial start-up LIV Golf circuit.
He wasn’t the only one affected. Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and other European legends had all-but been a shoe-in to captain a Ryder Cup in their lifetime, but a move to LIV Golf meant their chances of that occurring had faded.
Speaking at the time, Stenson stated in a lengthy social media post: “After much consideration I have decided to join several of my fellow professionals and play in the LIV invitational series.
“Unfortunately my decision to play in LIV events [means] it is not possible for me to continue in my role as Ryder Cup captain. This is despite me making specific arrangements with LIV golf, to ensure I could fulfil the obligations of the captaincy.
“While I disagree with this decision, for now it is a decision that I accept.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With just over 12 months to go to the biggest golf event on the planet, Team Europe didn’t have a captain after a record defeat last time.
Many wondered what was going to occur now that Stenson wasn’t in the picture.
Step forward four-time Ryder Cupper Donald, who was announced as captain on August 1st 2022.
Retaining Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari as vice captains, Donald then named Nicolas Colsaerts, José María Olazábal and Francesco Molinari as his remaining vices, putting a…
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