A man who, as captain, can seemingly do no wrong. Luke Donald did the merry-go-round of media duties in the grand ballroom of Adare Manor – the magnificent Murano crystal chandeliers overhead casting him in a glowing light wherever he went – as part of the Ryder Cup’s year-to-go countdown, impressively delivering the kind of calm, authoritative messaging that has formed part of his successful captaincies in Rome in 2023 and Bethpage in 2025.
Next year’s Ryder Cup, in the splendid setting of Adare Manor alongside the river Maigue, will be special for the fact it is the centenary edition – 100 years since the first match in Massachusetts in 1927 – but also for Donald’s attempt to become the first European captain to win three straight matches.
And while the Englishman played the Irish card in terms of how the crowd can act as an extra man for whatever 12 players actually make up the team for the defence of the famous trophy against the US side on September 13th-19th, 2027, Donald insisted there would be no “favouritism” shown should it be needed when it comes time to dispense his six wild cards.
Clearly, Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion and world number two, and Shane Lowry, who showed nerves of steel in ensuring Europe retained the trophy in New York before Tyrrell Hatton guaranteed victory, are primed to continue their great association with the match that each holds dear to their hearts.
But Donald said: “Every person’s going to have to earn their way; there’s no favouritism from me. They’re going to have to perform at a high level. I think one of the big advantages of playing at home is the support [of] the home crowd and using that energy in a positive way. I think, we saw, the US tried to use it to try and put us off [in New York] but we asked our fans to get behind us and use that energy to push us, and that can be very strong and very beneficial.”
Lowry’s runaway win in last month’s Amgen Irish Open at Doonbeg got him off to a flying start in the Europe team qualifying, which finishes at next year’s British Masters on August 22nd, 2027, when the leading six players on those standings will earn their places.
Of that win feeding Lowry’s confidence, especially following tough finishes with the winning posts in sight in Dubai and the Cognizant in Florida earlier in the season, Donald remarked: “I think it was so important for him. He certainly had a few doubts [during the season]; you could see even just in his language that he used to the media, and he knew he’d let some go and probably held on to those [losses] a little bit too long. But this [Irish Open win] was important and, to play well and just to gallop away from the field, it was so impressive.”
Shane Lowry celebrates as he walks up to the 18th green at the Amgen Irish Open in Doonbeg. Photograph: Dan Clohessy/Inpho
Lowry – who is currently fourth in the rankings, which are led by Matt Fitzpatrick at this early stage – has played in three Ryder Cups so far, including those wins in Rome and Bethpage, with Donald observing how he has matured in the environment.
“I just think he’s gotten more comfortable. His love for team sports has always been there, but it just grows every time. The Ryder Cup means everything to him; it means so much. And in terms of being someone with a great vibe, a great energy, he brings that to the team. He’s upbeat. He’s up for the challenge. He puts his arm around team-mates, and he’s just very engaged. I think obviously with the Ryder Cup being here in Ireland, he’s very motivated to try and make the team.”
As for McIlroy? Well, his name can be put on the team now, unquestionably.
And Donald has witnessed first-hand the evolution of McIlroy and the Ryder Cup, from being a team-mate at Celtic Manor in 2012 to being his captain for the past two victories in 2023 and 2025.
“Rory’s role has evolved from saying it was an exhibition to understanding quite quickly that this was more than an exhibition; it was something very worthwhile … he’s certainly gone from someone that would be listening in the team room to now feeling the responsibility to speak up and say things when he feels that he needs to say things.
“What makes Rory good is that he understands that, you know, what makes a great player isn’t necessarily just putting three or four points, or five points, on the board; it’s making your team-mates a little bit better, and he is good at that. He’s a very nice asset to have on your team.”