Farmingdale, NY – Standing in the center of the amphitheater surrounding Beth Page Black’s 17th green, the European Ryder Cup team experienced a different sensation for the first time in a week. After two days of dream golf in the ropes in the nightmare situations outside, the blue and gold boys were able to feel the ground begin to collapse from below.
A group of players stares at the large scoreboard above it, noting that only one of the 12 single matches is painted blue, while the other 11 are covered in red or gray. The US comeback bid was officially launched and it was genuine.
The panic look has been exchanged…until Captain Luke Donald stepped in and was collected with one foot on the other, cool, calm, and as if there were no scenarios he hadn’t prepared –
Originally expected to become a Blud that leads to the Corner Ceremony, it was transformed into a Battle Royale on Sunday at Beth Page Black. Europe entered the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup with a rather 7-point edge Just enough With the sun set on Long Island, I skirted past the desperate American side and won the 15-13 Ryder Cup.
Europe won 1 The singles were matched in the final session, and edited 1-6-4 records containing so-called “envelope rules” calls before play began. Viktor Hovland exacerbated his neck injury Saturday morning. Unable to play on Sunday, the single match against Harris English was cancelled, each awarded half points.
What was originally considered a heavily contested event was to take a walk in Sunday’s history books as Europe became the first team to win since 2012 and was the fifth in history to win in American soil.
With the victory, Donald won Captain Europe as the second man over Tony Jacklyn. Unlike Jacquelin, who was at the helm of four different editions of the competition, Donald stayed perfectly when paired with a Roman masterclass two years ago.
Donald’s record is up 7-1, across the eight Ryder Cups he took part as a player, vice captain and captain.
In the main role, Donald’s team is 8-2 in 10 play sessions and never lasts in the competition. As long as the Ryder Cup experience can go to the skipper, Donald’s first nine sessions were as stressful as they could hope for.
More than made up for it Sunday, but in the process, we added another layer of context when reviewing Donald’s captain. Never go out with a sense of doubt in his skis or in his heart. The British remained unstable and unstable when mounted around his team.
“The level of professionalism he has shown us over the past four years, his attention to detail in his posts, his knowledge of the Ryder Cup and games, and what we do on the Kanday golf course day, made these last two Ryder Cups possible,” John Rahm said. “He was the captain of this ship, and he led us better than the one who guides us lead us. He set it very high for the future captain.”
The details will vary depending on how Donald had the greatest impact, but it is clear that his presence gives Europe the advantage of victory. Whether it’s lineup composition, analysis, reliance on scouting trips, or hundreds of other small, unforgettable acts Donald describes, the British don’t turn the stones over. That accountability creates a calm, universal sense of self-awareness under pressure.
“My job is to literally give these people a better chance to win,” Donald said. “It’s as simple as a very small one. Just give an example. In a hotel room, the door to the hotel room had a big crack that covered the light. We brought something that covered the light.
“They’re just a bit of a thing. I really go into small details.”
“If anyone wonders, LuLab,” laughs Rory McIlroy, who admits to replacing shampoo. “Really, really good.”
Donald has spoken out that such details will not be discovered without the contributions from the 12 players and support staff behind the scenes. Those participating are the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Larm and McIlroy. The Ryder Cup journey along with Donald goes back 15 years as a teammate in Selterman’s debut.
Two years later, in 2012, Donald was the world’s top European player and best player in Medina. It turned out to be his last Ryder Cup. He only rocked the club and strengthened the connection between the captain and his best players, embracing the empty McIlroy.
“Rolly has no worries about how important the Ryder Cup is to him. I think it inspires me. It inspires his team,” Donald said. “It may not be on the same level as winning the Grand Slam and Masters, but it’s pretty close, and it really is.
“He’s spoke to me many times, and he talks about how he wants to win the Away Ryder Cup and how difficult it is. It’s exciting for the team to get someone from Rory’s caliber to fight hard.
Donald’s captaincy wouldn’t have been like this without McIlroy, and certainly McIlroy’s Ryder Cup revival would not have been possible without Donald.
7-2-1 in Donald’s last two Ryder Cups under his careful eyes, McIlroy led the Rome Ryder Cup pioneering after being beaten on the Wisconsin coast in 2021 at a record margin.
“The Ryder Cup week is the best week of our lives,” Donald said. “We always talk about this. Those individual admiration is fun. We want to achieve as much as possible, individually. Rory has achieved a lot in the game.
“But I think the weeks we spend together are the things we remember most and what we cherish most for the time we spend with each other, and that is, the majority of my captains are creating an environment where these people have the best weeks of their lives.
“We always remember this. We always leave history. We talk about all the people who have come before us. Now, future generations will talk about this team tonight.
Donald and McIlroy are linked by the colour they wear, more than they share. They move in unison as Europe’s best captains and Europe’s best players and graced the game.
In the entire European way, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, but the location of Donald and McIlroy in the equation creates an exponential advantage.
It becomes a fiery desire to win regardless of the culture of victory, acquisition teams and circumstances, despite the whims of a professional golf schedule. It becomes a pair of leaders. One calls inside the line where you hit the shot, and the other calls outside the line. It would be another European Ryder Cup victory.
Brotherhood and Badge are linked, and Donald and McIlroy are independent as great duoes of captain players in history.
