“It’s still sinking in” - Luke Donald shares special moment as Jose Mourinho congratulates him on Ryder Cup triumph
Luke Donald's selection as Team Europe's captain for the Ryder Cup came after Henrik Stensen joined the LIV Golf League. The Englishman replaced the latter to lead their team at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
His European team sealed a dominating victory over the visiting American side by a score of 16.5-11.5. After the tournament, Donald spoke with Sky Sports Golf and talked about the feeling of winning the prestigious biennial event in Rome.
Luke Donald said that he was still processing the win and added that it had been a long journey for him and his team. He called it a "fun week" and shared that the memories would stay with him forever.
"It's still sinking in. This has been a long process, a long journey. I'm so glad it ended up like it did. It was just an amazing week sharing this with my team-mates, the staff, the families, the wives, partners and everyone. It was just a really, really fun week," Donald said.
All the European players must have received texts from multiple fans, various other fellow golfers and celebrities. Speaking of that, Luke Donald shared that he received a text from Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Associazione Sportiva Roma, after their five-point victory.
He added that his phone was blowing up and had not even looked at any of the text but would surely do so later.
"Lots from friends and family, past captains and players. I got one from Jose Mourinho. He had a nice victory last night in Rome. Just amazing. My phone was blowing up! I haven't even looked at all of them, to be honest. I wanted to enjoy the night and I'll certainly get back to replying to those," Donald said.
"I would consider it" - Luke Donald on captaining the European Ryder Cup team again in the future
The victory at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome proved the leadership skills that the Englishman possesses. Luke Donald's first assignment as Team Europe's captain was a huge success as they defended their fortress for 30 straight years against the visitors.
Speaking of the captaincy role, Donald said that it was a "big responsibility" to be in charge of 12 players. He added that it was an honor and a big privilege to lead the team at the Ryder Cup.
After Team Europe's victory, players were heard chanting "Two more years" for Donald to remain with the European side at the next event in Bethpage. Speaking of captaining the team again, he said that he would give it a "real thought" but would take time and enjoy the present.
"I appreciate that from the players. We had a great week together. This is not an easy job and I certainly haven't given it any real thought yet. It's something I would have to sit down and think about, but, of course, I would consider it," Donald said.
Luke Donald shared that being a captain is very different from being a player. He explained that players would "sort of" remain in their own bubble and have their own mindset. But as a captain, he needed to maintain a stress-free environment in the team.