Luke Donald Named European Ryder Cup Vice Captain

The Englishman will take up the role for the second consecutive match at Whistling Straits

Luke Donald Named European Ryder Cup Vice Captain
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Englishman will take up the role for the second consecutive match at Whistling Straits

Luke Donald Named European Ryder Cup Vice Captain

Luke Donald has been named as one of Padraig Harrington's vice captains for Team Europe at Whistling Straits.

The Englishman will take up the role for the second time after being a vice captain for Thomas Bjorn in Europe's 17.5 - 10.5 victory at Le Golf National in 2018.

The four-time Ryder Cup player and former World No.1 joins Robert Karlsson in the role.

We're not sure when Donald would have been announced to the public in his role, but Padraig Harrington accidentally revealing it live on Sky Sports certainly sped up the process.

Harrington was chatting on the Golf Show when he revealed he had just had a phonecall with "one of my lu- vice captains."

"Woah I nearly said the word. I possibly did say the word there, one of my vice captains," Harrington continued.

Harrington then asked, "Is this live?"

Watch the funny clip below:

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Donald commented on the video, "I thought this was supposed to be a secret."

The 2020 Ryder Cup is still due to take place between 25th-27th September although it is now becoming increasingly likely that fans will not be able to attend.

Harrington admitted on Sky Sports that the Ryder Cup might have to 'take one for the team' and play without fans.

“None of the players want a Ryder Cup without the fans," he said.

"The reason we play the Ryder Cup is for the glory of being out there, we get the opportunity of being like a footballer out in the middle of a stadium with people cheering.

“No one wants to play behind closed door, but they [PGA of America, Ryder Cup organisers] are keeping a prudent eye on it and they know if the PGA Tour events in June go off well behind closed doors it’s a possibility.

“The players don’t want it but we might have to take one for the world of team sport and put an event on that people can watch. It wouldn’t be the same for us but we’re craving sport on TV.”

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV