Luke Donald on finding 'the edge' to win against Team US at the 2025 Ryder Cup
Luke Donald is the captain for the European side at the Ryder Cup. He was given that role in 2023 after Henrik Stenson left for LIV Golf, and Donald turned in a dominant performance over the Americans at Marco Simone. As a result, he is back as captain again while the USA has a new one.
The Europeans can't rest on their laurels, though. Donald said in his press conference that he likes a challenge, fully acknowledging that two consecutive wins over Team USA will not be easy.
Donald said:
"Golf is very much like life. It can be difficult. There's lots of ups and downs, lots of challenges. Certainly, from my individual standpoint and in my career, I'm most proud of getting to world number one when very few people thought that I had the game to do that."
He continued, saying that he was always dissecting the game and trying to find out every little thing he could get better at:
"That's kind of how I've tried to approach the captaincy as well. Trying to find ways to give ourself and our team just the little bit of edge because the teams are so finely matched on paper."
He praised the Americans as "very strong" and said it would be an "uphill battle" to defeat them on home turf in 2025. He believes he needs to do everything possible to get his team on the right level for the Ryder Cup.
Luke Donald, Keegan Bradley in agreement on LIV at Ryder Cup
There are certain qualifications that all golfers have to meet to play in the Ryder Cup, whether for the European side or the American one. LIV Golf players have a tougher time meeting the criteria, but they're not barred from competition.
Both Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald, who will likely need some of the players to get that edge he referenced, agree on using LIV players in 2025. Donald was plain via the Independent:
“If you fulfill the regulations and the rules that the DP World Tour set, then you’re eligible. There’s a bunch of LIV guys that play on LIV that they are eligible now; so I can pick them at will.”
Bradley said he would take the 12 best players regardless of where they come from. As long as he can pick them, he's going to take whoever he feels makes his team better. That could include LIV Golfers.
Donald mentioned that Sergio Garcia, Europe's all-time leading scorer in the Ryder Cup, has expressed a desire to come back and is willing to regain his DP World Tour Membership to do it.
Additionally, both Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, two standout European golfers, have been working with the DP World Tour to play enough events to remain eligible this year.