Golf Dec 07, 2025

Tommy Fleetwood backs Luke Donald to return as Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain for 2027 contest at Adare Manor

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Tommy Fleetwood backs Luke Donald to return as Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain for 2027 contest at Adare Manor

Tommy Fleetwood has backed Luke Donald to take on another stint as Ryder Cup captain and believes Team Europe 'would love’ to see him in the role again for the 2027 contest.

Donald became just the second European captain in history to claim back-to-back victories over the United States, leading them to a 16.5-11.5 win in Rome before completing a famous title defence at Bethpage Black in September.

, held at Adare Manor in Ireland in September 2027, with Fleetwood hoping to see Donald return to the role and help Europe's push for a Ryder Cup three-peat.

"I think all of us, as players and as a team, would love Luke to stay on," Fleetwood told the SportNews Golf podcast.

"He has been an unbelievable captain and an unbelievable leader.

"I would class Luke as a very close friend and to watch how he has grown as a leader over this period, all the way through his captaincy in Rome to now, to watch him grow into it has been amazing.

"I think we would love him all to stay on and continue. I feel like the story has got a little bit to go, so I would love him to do that, but it's completely his choice.

"With the captain he has been, he has earned the right to decide what he wants to do. We will see. He has been amazing and we will wait to see what Luke Donald wants to do next."

Fleetwood finished Europe's top scorer during the 15-13 win in New York, where he won each of his first four matches to help take a historic lead into the final-day singles.

"I would say we're all very proud to have gone there as a team, and as a family, and represented Team Europe the way that we did," Fleetwood added. "For all of us, that will be some of the most memorable moments of our career - whatever happens in the future.

"I actually love the Christmas period because that's when the programmes come out and the re-runs of the Ryder Cup come back, so I'll look forward to watching them back!

"We were confident as a team, we were very well prepared. To have that Friday and Saturday was like dream stuff - you couldn't have written it any better for us.

"The Saturday evening at the golf course was honestly one of the most special atmospheres I've ever seen. The team we had behind us, the planning that had gone into it and then for us to execute it in the way that we did was amazing."

Fleetwood was speaking ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, where the Englishman looks to complete a career-changing year by winning the season finale for the first time.

He ended his wait for a maiden PGA Tour title by claiming FedEx Cup glory at the Tour Championship, the month before his Ryder Cup success for Team Europe, then added the DP World India Championship in October.

Fleetwood narrowly missed out on Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship victory, losing to Aaron Rai in a play-off, with compatriot Laurie Canter backing the eight-time DP World Tour winner to keep enjoying more success.

"The golf sickos out there would tell you Tommy's the second-best player in the world this year," Canter told the SportNews Golf podcast. "Statistically, what he's doing stacks up [with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy].

"He doesn't have the major record of those two, obviously, but he will have. I think it's inevitable he will do that and I think he'll get a couple. He looks to me more comfortable, he's got a huge CV of wins and it's just that next phase.

"He seems to have a great team behind him, Butch Harmon and all the like, so I would back him to have a pretty nice little spell of golf the next decade if he stays fit."

Andrew Coltart, Wayne Riley and Laurie Canter joined Jamie Weir for the latest episode of the SportNews Golf Podcast, recorded in Dubai ahead of the DP World Tour Championship.

They discuss the finale to the Race to Dubai, with McIlroy best-placed to seal the title, plus chat about the players who could seal their PGA Tour cards and dual membership for next season. Subscribe now on , or , while vodcast editions can be found on the .

Can Rory McIlroy win the Race to Dubai again? Watch the DP World Tour Championship live on SportNews. Live coverage begins Thursday from 7am on SportNews Golf. .

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