Luke Donald will be back to captain Team Europe for a third time when they head to Ireland next year for the Ryder Cup.
After leading Europe to two thrilling wins in a row, Donald will be looking to make it a hattrick at Adare Manor in 2027 to become the first captain to win three consecutive Ryder Cups.
Over the past few days, Rahm has rejected the DP World Tour’s deal to put an end to his fines and insists he is not willing to play the six events they are demanding of him.
That decision could harm Rahm’s chances of playing in the Ryder Cup. Someone is going to have to give in, but for Donald, it’s not an issue he’s tackling just yet.
Speaking to the press after confirming he will retain his captaincy, Donald was asked whether he has spoken to Rahm about the issue.
He replied: “Well, first day on the job, so I haven’t talked to him yet but obviously I will talk to Jon. We have a great relationship, and he’s been a tremendous teammate and player for me the last two Ryder Cups.
“It’s great to see the clarity amongst the other players that have signed the conditional releases and understand that they are available.
“Obviously, I haven’t talked to Jon so I don’t really want to comment on that yet. I know he has his own reasons. But I look forward to catching up with him and really hope that he’s available.
“There’s plenty of time… There’s always challenges to overcome. So it’s never a smooth road. There’s always bumps in the road. Obviously my plan and my hope is that Jon is available for that team.”
When quizzed further as to whether this matter had impacted his decision-making regarding the role, Donald played this down.
“That wasn’t a factor in my decision. My decision was having the backing of players and the backing of my family, and the opportunity,” he added.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Explaining why he agreed to the opportunity, Donald was clear about the motivations and how positive his experience has been with Team Europe.
He said: “The last two…
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