The next Ryder Cup takes place at Adare Manor, Ireland in 2027 and Luke Donald will lead the home challenge.
The Englishman has led Europe to sensational victories in Rome and New York in 2023 and 2025, and now he has the opportunity to chase a remarkable hat trick.
But where does he fit among the other men who have led Europe in the Ryder Cup since 1979?
Let’s take a look.
1. Luke Donald 2023/25
When Europe lost the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits conventional wisdom didn’t just suggest, it demanded, that the tide had turned and that America was about to enter a sustained period of Ryder Cup dominance.
In one sense, the fact Europe has won the last two matches is not down to Donald because that American generation has gone missing. But the former World No. 1, who stepped up to the role when Henrik Stenson joined LIV, has been a revelation.
Like Michael Caine in The Italian Job he took a team of disparate talents to a great Italian city and grabbed the prize (thankfully they flew home rather than taking a coach). And then he completed a Fairytale in New York.
How does he do it? He is meticulous himself, his stats man Edoardo Molinari’s database is his secret weapon, and the team adores and trusts him.
2. Tony Jacklin 1983/85/87/89
Jacklin took on the role in 1983 when America was ludicrously dominant, losing just once since the Second World War (with one draw). Despite big hopes, the extension of the GB&I team to Europe had made no difference.
The players were lost and Jacklin began the role needing to convince Seve Ballesteros to rejoin the team having fallen foul of selection protocol in a row in 1981. He achieved that coup, made sure the team was treated as equals to the Americans, and made the most of a generation of golden talent.
Europe nearly won in 1983 on Jacklin’s debut. They won at the Belfry in 1985, won again in 1987 (inflicting the USA’s first defeat on home soil), and a tie in 1989 meant Europe retained the trophy.
Jacklin was Europe’s Ryder Cup renaissance man.
3. Bernard Langer 2004
The German was everything as a captain that he was as a player: quiet, meticulous, well-planned, unperturbed.
He was fortunate to go up against Hal Sutton, who captaincy style owed something to Deputy Dawg, but Langer was ruthless.
His team led by five after day one, by six after day two and they won by nine – all on away soil.
4. Paul McGinley 2014
The Irishman was the first of the modern day Ryder Cup captains. If Langer was magnificent at on-course and on-range detail, McGinley added off-the-course qualities which meant inspirational words on the locker room wall, goldfish in the team room, and subtle management of Victor Dubuisson.
The Frenchman was an enigma, but McGinley had a long-term plan which involved caring for Dubuisson’s welfare and partnering him with Graeme McDowell.
At Gleneagles, America won the first session but McGinley and his team didn’t panic, eventually winning by five.
5. Thomas Bjorn 2018
With a short fuse and poor media relations there were some concerns about the big Dane. Others quibbled with his wildcard selections when he ignored youngsters in form, preferring veterans with average recent results.
But – critically – he selected veterans who could add presence to the team room and he also came up trumps with a stats team that was the first to impact on course set-up and partnerships.
When Europe trailed 3-1 after the first session Bjorn was tested. He stuck with the plans, the team won 4-0 in the afternoon, were never behind after that, and won by seven.
6. Sam Torrance 2002
The Scotsman holed the putt that turned the Ryder Cup tide in 1985 and 17 years later he needed to cope with two big events: the rancour of the previous Ryder Cup in 1999 and the delay to the 2001 match caused by 9/11.
He coped admirably, and his standout moment was when he sent Colin Montgomerie out first in the singles. Monty’s chest expanded and American hopes shrank.
7. Bernard Gallacher 1991/93/95
Gallacher had a tough job to follow Jacklin. He was beaten in the bile-tinged War on the Shore in 1991, beaten at the Belfry in 1993, but bounced back with a superb win at Oak Hill in 1995.
8. Seve Ballesteros 1997
Ballesteros was the on-course leader Europe needed in the 1980s but his captaincy was chaotic. Ultimately his team won for him and in spite of him rather than because of him.
9. Ian Woosnam 2006
The Welshman was lucky. His team were up against the likes of Brett Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor and JJ Henry. But they also did an absolute job on the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, as well. You can’t discount a nine point win.
10. Colin Montgomerie 2010
Monty’s biggest difficulty was working out how to play the match when the rain never stopped and the mud rose to absurd levels. The format was tweaked and it cannily helped the Europeans. They squeaked home by a point.
11. Jose Maria Olazabal 2012
A little like his great friend Ballesteros, Olazabal won the Miracle of Medinah because of his reputation (and Seve’s) rather than any great leadership.
12. Mark James 1999
The Englishman gambled. Three of his players didn’t play until the singles and seven played all five sessions. It came close to working, but ultimately failed.
13. John Jacobs 1979/81
Jacobs skippered the first European team and was then unfortunate to go up against perhaps the best American team ever in 1981.
14. Darren Clarke 2016
Clarke did nothing especially wrong, but nothing notably shrewd either. His team was under-powered and never looked like winning.
15. Padraig Harrington 2021
Leading an away team in the post-COVID era was always going to be difficult and Harrington found it so, losing 19-9.
16. Nick Faldo 2008
Faldo was up against a good foe in Paul Azinger, but the Englishman didn’t slip on banana skins as much as go looking for them.
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Article Link: Best European Ryder Cup captains: Where Luke Donald ranks amongst the greats