Luke Donald insists it’s going to be “very challenging” to complete a historic Ryder Cup threepeat and expects “new blood” in Team Europe at Adare Manor next September.
Donald led Team Europe to a 16.5-11.5 victory in Rome in 2023 and a historic 15-13 success on away soil at Bethpage Black last year, with the former world No 1 now looking to become the first captain to win three consecutive Ryder Cups.
The year-long qualification campaign for the 2027 European Ryder Cup team begins at the Husqvarna British Masters this week, live on Sky Sports, with Donald excited to seeing how his team evolves over the next 12 months.
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“I always feel like when the qualification starts, it’s sort of a reset for some of these players,” Donald said. “Their goals change and suddenly they have an opportunity to earn Ryder Cup points and that’s a pretty motivating thing for a lot of guys.
“Obviously this is my third crack [as captain], so I know a lot of the players. You are always going to have new talent coming up, and it’s important to be around them and show some interest and keep them up-to-date in terms of how I see them playing.
Luke Donald is the first European to be captain in three Ryder Cups since Bernard Gallacher
“If they are playing some really good golf, and they have a chance, then it helps to be around them rather than just sending a text message.”
Donald added in his press conference: “The home Ryder Cups feel more pressure. There’s an expectation that you’re meant to win and that brings its own pressure, then trying to win three in a row brings even more pressure.
“I think it’s going to be a very challenging Ryder Cup, I honestly do. The home gives us a little bit of an advantage but the Americans are always very strong. Winning consistently in any sport, in anything, is very difficult.”
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New faces coming for Europe?
Team Europe took 11 of their 12-man line-up and four of the five vice-captains from their 2023 victory to New York in 2025, with Rasmus Hojgaard replacing twin brother Nicolai as the only player change, but Donald expects differences in the 2027 team.
“I don’t think we had ever had so many pass from one Ryder Cup to the next, same DNA – it was almost the same team,” Donald admitted. “It was almost like 11 and a half people that we had.
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Highlights of the key moments from the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, where Europe held on to retain the trophy
“I expect there to be some new blood this time, and that’s important. We were all rookies at some point as players and it’s important to get out there – it’s always easier a little bit for rookies to be at home. I expect the team to have a few new faces.”
England’s Marco Penge is among those chasing a Ryder Cup debut next September, having narrowly missed out on a captain’s picks last time around despite three DP World Tour wins in 2025.
“I feel like I did as well as I possibly could [to qualify], but maybe experience was against me, which I totally understand why I wasn’t [selected],” Penge said ahead of the British Masters. “Obviously Luke [Donald] made the correct decision with the way the team performed.
Marco Penge
“There’s loads of time to actually qualify and good golf will do the talking at the end of the day – that’s what I’ve got to get back to. It’s exciting to have something in the distance to push for.”
Matt Wallace is another hoping to push for a debut spot, having narrowly missed out on being selected for the 2018 victory in France and a DP World Tour winner during the previous qualification campaign.
“It’s probably my fourth campaign for a Ryder Cup charge,” Wallace told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “I’ve not made one yet but it’s the biggest event I want to play in, outside of trying to win majors.
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“If you make that team, you know you’ve made it properly. The picks nowadays that don’t seem like it’s left-field – it’s people playing well, played well, past winners, major winners and things like that. If you make the team, you deserve to be there. “
Eligible DP World Tour members will be able to earn Ryder Cup points over the next 12 months, with the leading six players from the Ryder Cup Points list next August securing automatic spots. Donald will complete his line-up with six captain’s picks later that month.
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