Luke Donald, the 2023 and 2025 European Ryder Cup captain, was forced to withdraw from the PGA Tour’s 2024 World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico on Saturday due to a back injury.
Donald shot rounds of 72-69 to turn in a two-day total of 3 under, a shot better than the 36-hole cut of 2 under. During the third round, the Englishman was even par through 13 holes — he started his day on hole No. 10 — with three birdies, a bogey and double bogey on the card before calling it a tournament.
In just six previous 2024 starts, Donald’s T-68 finish at the PGA Championship was his only made cut.
On Thursday, some of the biggest names in golf joined in on the Halloween festivities and showed off their awesome costumes. There were some notable ones, including Rory McIlroy as Super Mario and world No. 1 Nelly Korda as Master Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Some of the other players who posted photos of their Halloween costumes were Tony Finau, Gary Woodland, Sam Burns and Billy Horschel.
Bradley and Donald both said they would like their teams to bond ahead of the Ryder Cup next year.
European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald is playing the underdog card.
Donald is back for a second tour of duty, but this time he faces the unenviable task of attempting to win on the road when the biennial competition resumes Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black in Farmington, New York.
The home team has won the last five editions of the Ryder Cup, which is why Donald claims one of the hardest things to do is win an away Ryder Cup and his side – despite winning 10 of the last 14 matches – will be the underdog.
“When you’re playing an away Ryder Cup, I think you have to be the underdog,” said Donald, who was a competitor in 2012, the last time Europe won on foreign soil, during a press conference on Tuesday in New York. “Just looking historically, Whistling Straits, the result there was very one-sided, Hazeltine was pretty one-sided, Valhalla. We were fortunate to come back at Medinah but the last few times we’ve played away the results have been pretty one-sided towards the U.S., so, yes, in a tough environment we will be the underdogs.”
U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley wasn’t buying that line of thinking.
“These guys really love playing for Luke, and they’re going to love coming into Bethpage and try to shut up the fans. It’s a very unifying thing to be on a team and come into a hostile environment,” said Bradley, who won the clinching point on foreign soil recently at the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal in Canada. “We know how tough they are, we know how great of match play players they are and how much they care about the Ryder Cup. The home team has a bit of an advantage but they get to come in us against the world and that’s always tough to play against.”
US team captain Keegan Bradley, left, and Europe team captain Luke Donald speak during a press conference at Times Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
Both captains addressed the possibility of a “hostile environment” in New York crossing the line into inappropriate and unruly behavior. Bradley dubbed the fans as “part of the team” and expects them to be “loud and proud” and passionate supporters, but also respectful to the other team. He noted precautions will be in place with decorum monitors inside the ropes who will remove any bad apples from the crowd.
“Listen, you come into Yankee Stadium, you come into Madison Square Garden, you come into these places, it’s a tough place to play and Luke and the boys know that,” Bradley said. “I have totally faith in the fans. They’re going to be loud and they’re going to be passionate and PGA of America is going to do a great job to make sure everything is right.”
“The Ryder Cup is special because it is spirited, passions are high, energy is high,” Donald said. “You don’t want to see the spirit of the Ryder Cup endangered…we’re looking forward to playing in front of a New York crowd. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be feisty, it’s going to be spirited.”
“It’s really important to us, the U.S. side, that it is a fair place to play for both teams,” Bradley added. “Nobody on either team wants this to get uncomfortable or weird out there.”
There wasn’t much news shared by either captain. Bradley did confirm he will be keeping the same point system in place for the six automatic qualifiers and he will stick with six captain’s picks. He also reiterated he will have to make the top six in order to be a playing captain.
“It’s always a goal of mine to play on the Ryder Cup teams. It’s so far off now that I’m not going to worry about it. Once we get closer to the tournament and I’m up there on the points list, we’ll start to think about it. I’m focused now on being the captain of the team, and that’s it,” Bradley said.
He also said with the Presidents Cup behind him, he would be announcing his remaining vice captains in the coming month, and didn’t dispel the notion of taking either winning Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk or 2019 Presidents Cup captain Tiger Woods.
US team captain Keegan Bradley, left, and Europe team captain Luke Donald speak at a press conference at Times Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
When asked about choosing LIV players, Bradley repeated his usual line that he wants “the 12 best players” on his team. Donald said any players will have to adhere to the DP Tour’s rules. He has been in constant contact with the likes of Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Sergio Garcia and that as long as they follow the rules in place for DP World Tour members, he will consider them for the team. Garcia, for one, would need to rejoin the circuit to garner consideration. Of Rahm, who played in the Spanish Open recently and lost in a playoff, Donald said, “It was great to see him do what he needed to do to remain eligible.”
Bradley and Donald both said they would like their teams to bond ahead of the Ryder Cup next year. Many of the members of the U.S. team came into the last Ryder Cup in Italy rusty with too long of a layoff between the conclusion of the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup.
“We’re talking all options with the guys. I’m not going to tell a grown man what they have to do and what they don’t have to do, but the boys are really interested in coming in prepared,” Bradley said. “There are a couple of options for that. One is going to play, one is all getting together and having some matches but we’re going to take some measures to be prepared to play.”
‘I know the whole club is hurting. I know all the members are going to miss him.’
JUPITER, Fla. — The guilt, even for casual friends, can be overwhelming when someone takes their life.
What could I have done? What could I have said? Could I have in some way prevented this tragedy?
This is what PGA Tour professional and Jupiter residentDaniel Bergeris feeling today, since learning fellow professional golferGrayson Murray died by suicide May 25.
Berger had lunch with Murray at Colonial Country Club on the Tuesday before the Charles Schwab Challenge. Two days later, they each played their first round of the tournament in Texas.
On the following Saturday, Murray was back at his home in Palm Beach Gardens after withdrawing from the event the day before. That morning, he took his life.
Now Berger, who is 31 and was born the same year as Murray, wonders if there is anything he could have done to help Murray.
“What if I could have said one thing,” Berger said Monday at the Bear’s Club after qualifying for next week’s U.S. Open. “If I asked him is there anything you needed. Maybe that could have made a difference.”
Daniel Berger at the 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)
Murray was a member atDye Preserve Golf Clubin Jupiter. Dye’s roster includes several professionals who live in the area, like Berger.
Several of Murray’s peers from Dye and from the area played Monday’s final qualifying at Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Club and remembered their friend.
Luke Donald,who lives in Jupiter, was one of the first to react to the news on social media, saying how devastated he was and how Murray recently asked him for advice on how to play Augusta National, site of the Masters.
Donald said Monday that conversation was at Dye Preserve.
“He came over and just started asking me,” Donald said. “It was his first Masters and it was a few week before Augusta. He wanted to know a lot about how I prepared and what I did, what’s the secret to be successful around there. I shared some of the stuff I thought was helpful.
“He looked like he was in a good spot.”
Dean Burmester, the LIV golfer who lives in Jupiter, met Murray at Torrey Pines when they were playing on the Korn Ferry Tour. He describes Murray as “a grinder.”
“It’s tough,” said Burmester, a Dye Preserve member who also qualified Monday for the U.S. Open. “You miss seeing him on the range. He was a grinder. He found a way to practice pretty often. I know the whole club is hurting. I know all the members are going to miss him and all the pros are going to miss him a lot.”
Dye member Joaquin Niemann from North Palm Beach had not practiced with Murray at the course, but spoke with him a few weeks ago at the PGA Championship in Louisville.
“It’s a big loss,” Niemann said. “It’s kind of like a weird feeling. You know someone, you saw him there, you competed against him and all of a sudden you see the news. It’s super sad.”
Murray was open about his mental health issues, revealing in 2021 his struggles with anxiety, depression and alcohol. His peers were aware of his past, but some said he appeared to have overcome those issues in recent months.
“Everybody is fighting their demons,” Niemann said. “He was obviously fighting his demons and he was able to stand up to them. He was able to play good golf and win a golf tournament.”
Murray won his second PGA Tour event in January at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“It looked like he was on a good path,” Donald said.
Andrew Kozan got to know Murray while on the Korn Ferry Tour. The two then started playing rounds together at Dye.
“He was always fantastic to me, always checking to see how I was playing, always wanting me to play if we were in town,” said Kozan, who lives in Jupiter. “I felt like he really cared about me, always cared about others.
“It’s definitely tough. He was a great guy, great friend, great person. Definitely made everyone better around him.”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf writer for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
The European Ryder Cup team continues to run it back.
On Tuesday, Luke Donald named Thomas Bjorn as his second Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York from Sept. 26-28, 2025. Bjorn was a Vice Captain on Donald’s 2023 squad that beat the Americans 16½-11½ in Rome, Italy. It will be his sixth time as a Vice Captain in the biennial contest and 10th time overall he has been a part of Team Europe, including in 2018 when he was the captain for the European victory in Paris.
“It was a natural progression from last time,” Bjorn said. “Luke called me and said he wanted me to carry on into New York, understanding that it’s going to be a completely different Ryder Cup in 2025 at Bethpage. We had some conversations back and forth mostly about how to go from the victory in Rome and into a new set up for New York, debriefing on what happened in Rome and how we carry it forward.”
Bjorn, 53, is Donald’s second selection as Vice Captain. Edoardo Molinari, who was appointed in January, was the first.
“I am very excited to have Thomas back on the team,” Donald said. “Once I was appointed as Captain again, my thoughts quickly went to who I wanted to have in the backroom staff. And Thomas certainly was one of those. He means a lot to me. He’s passed on his knowledge and I’ve had a great relationship with him over the last few years. To have those relationships, to enjoy the people you’re spending time with along that journey is really important.”
As a player, he was part of three European victories in 1997, 2002 and 2014. Now, he’s back on Donald’s squad as the Europeans look to have similar success next year on American soil.
“We had a fantastic environment in Rome,” Bjorn said. “Luke did an amazing job. He was a fantastic leader, not just of 12 players, but of the whole Ryder Cup Europe team that worked so hard behind the scenes. It was amazing for me to be part of that because I knew how all of those things worked from Paris. To see how he added a few extra things in Rome and made it even better was amazing and I was very proud of him. He was exceptional.”
Garcia has been on the winning side six times in 10 Ryder Cup appearances.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Ryder Cup holds a dear place in Sergio Garcia’s heart, and rightfully so. The passionate Spaniard is one of the most decorated players in the history of the competition, starting his career at 19 as the youngest Ryder Cupper ever back in 1999 (a record that still stands) and he’s boasted an outstanding 25-13-7 record in 45 matches.
But Garcia, along with the likes of former European Ryder Cup stalwarts such as Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer, was deemed ineligible to be selected to Luke Donald’s 2025 Euro squad because of the requirements to be a member of the DP World Tour, which runs the European side for the biennial matches. Garcia originally resigned from that tour in May.
The 44-year-old former Masters champion, who has played for LIV Golf since 2022, is intent on getting back onto the DP World Tour, and paid hefty fines of more than $800,000 to make amends. However, Garcia reportedly missed the deadline to apply for 2024 membership and is now hoping that current negotiations with PIF might allow a pathway back into the international competition.
“I look at it two ways. If I’m not able to play anymore it’ll be a little bit sad,” Garcia said while attending a fundraiser for Lions Municipal Golf Course, a municipal course in Austin where he resides with his wife Angela. “But at the same time, I look at it that I’ve played many, many times. I’ve been successful in it both individually and as a team. So that’s what I take from it.”
Sergio Garcia stands with his wife Angela on the green carpet prior to the Save Muny fundraiser at Austin City Limits Moody Theater. (Photo: Tim Schmitt/Golfweek)
Garcia has been on the winning side six times in 10 Ryder Cup appearances and has the most points (28 ½) of any European player. And Garcia hinted that a resolution to his situation was coming soon.
“Hopefully, things will kind of settle and, you know, we’ll see where everything sits at the end. And hopefully, they just give us the possibility — all of us — to be a part of it again if we’re playing well enough. We’ll see where that settles in the near future.”
Donald will return as the European Captain at Bethpage Black on Long Island, having led Europe to a 16½ – 11½ victory against the United States in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.
He will become Europe’s first repeat captain since Bernard Gallacher performed the role in three consecutive Ryder Cups in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
Donald will aim to become only the second captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Tony Jacklin, who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.
Garcia would be a popular selection, if he found his way back onto the European side. Before he made the jump to LIV Golf, Jon Rahm openly lobbied for his fellow countryman, perhaps in a vice captain’s role.
“I think it would be really stupid of anybody not to lean on Sergio García’s experience in the Ryder Cup,” said Rahm when asked if he would like to see his friend back in the fold. “I mean, he is the best player Europe has ever had, won the most points and has shown it time and time again. If he were able to be a vice captain, I absolutely would lean on him.”
Begay’s audition follows appearances from Kevin Kisner, Brandel Chamblee, Luke Donald and Jim “Bones” Mackay.
Another week on the PGA Tour, another tryout for the open chair calling golf for NBC.
Notah Begay is jumping on the revolving carousel of lead analysts for the network for this week’s 2024 Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort‘s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida. The 51-year-old has done well in his role as an on-course reporter for NBC and Golf Channel since he joined the network more than a decade ago and has taken a stab at commentary in the past.
“I’m excited and nervous,” Begay said to Golf Digest. “If we go back to (Johnny Miller), he made it look so simple and spoke from a strong position of experience. (Paul Azinger) did a wonderful job with his energy, and you could tell he still really loved to watch the game of golf.”
Begay is the latest talking head to throw his hat in the ring after Azinger wasn’t re-signed for the 2024 season, joining the likes of Kevin Kisner, Brandel Chamblee, and Luke Donald. Jim “Bones” Mackay also sat in the chair during the Mexico Open on an off week caddying for Justin Thomas.
“I mean, there’s a definite pressure, but that’s what professional athletes deal with all the time,” he said. “I spent a career dealing with pressure. … It’s a different kind of pressure because you’re being critiqued and evaluated, and that’s OK. We should be scrutinized and called out when we make mistakes because we should be ready for the big moments.”
“You hate to lose at anything,” he added. “You get to the PGA Tour because you don’t like to lose. But these decisions are made in the best interest of the NBC team, so whatever decisions are made, I’ll support it 100 percent. My job at that point, if it isn’t me, is to support whoever’s in there and allow them to be the best they can possibly be.”
Known for his connections to Tiger Woods after the pair were teammates at Stanford, Begay turned pro in 1995 after the Cardinal won the NCAA Championship in 1994. He won four times on the PGA Tour from August 1999-July 2000 and then struggled with injuries and form before he joined the NBC crew in 2012.
The European Ryder Cup captain will get plenty of air time.
In its continued search for a replacement in the broadcast booth, NBC has tabbed Luke Donald for the role of lead analyst for the next two PGA Tour events, the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches and Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The official announcement came as expected on Sunday.
Donald, the victorious 2023 European Ryder Cup captain who again will lead the team in 2025 at Bethpage Black, is the latest in a line of current golfers or commentators to serve as lead analyst on NBC’s coverage of the PGA Tour, as the network continues to look for a full-time replacement for Paul Azinger.
“Merry Christmas from everyone at Ryder Cup Europe,” said captain Luke Donald, “and a happy two more years.”
When it comes to online content, the DP World Tour has dominated on social media compared to other tours and golf’s governing bodies. That’s why it’s no surprise that Ryder Cup Europe shared a hilarious video on Saturday.
In the video, winning 2023 captain and future 2025 captain Luke Donald is seen polishing one of seven Ryder Cups (most likely to represent the seven victories Team Europe has in the biennial bash against the Americans in the last 20 years).
“Merry Christmas from everyone at Ryder Cup Europe,” Donald said, “and a happy two more years.”
The 2025 event will be held Sept. 25–28 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. As mentioned earlier, Donald will return for two more years as the captain of the Europeans, while the U.S. have yet to announce a captain.
The video paid homage to some of the best chants from the 2023 edition in Italy – where the Europeans dominated – including Team Europe and Rory McIlroy’s celebration song, “the USA is terrified, Europe’s on fire.”
“Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life.”
Luke Donald has been named as the European Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
The 45-year-old Englishman returns to the role having led Europe to a 16½ – 11½ victory against the United States in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, earlier this year.
He will become Europe’s first repeat captain since Bernard Gallacher performed the role in three consecutive Ryder Cups in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
Donald will be aiming to become only the second captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following Tony Jacklin, who achieved the double at Muirfield Village in Ohio in 1987, retaining the Ryder Cup following his team’s victory two years previously at The Belfry, in England, in 1985.
“Great opportunities don’t come along very often in life, and I’m a great believer that when they do, you need to grab them with both hands – this is one of these moments,” Donald said. “I’ve been fortunate as a player to have had many amazing times in the Ryder Cup over the years and so to add being a winning Captain to that, to form bonds with the 12 players like we did in Italy and to get the result we did, was very special indeed.
“The Ryder Cup means so much to me, so to be Captain again and have the chance to create more history by becoming only the second European Captain to win back-to-back is exciting.
Team Europe captain Luke Donald arrives at the first tee during day one foursomes round for the 44th Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
“There is no question that being a Captain away from home is a tough task. But I have never shied away from challenges throughout my career and it is precisely the kind of thing that motivates me. I can’t wait to get another 12-strong team to Bethpage in 2025.”
Initially, Donald was overlooked as 2023 Ryder Cup captain as Europe selected Sweden’s Henrik Stenson for the job, but Stenson was stripped of the honor when he bolted for LIV Golf, the upstart league. Donald was the second choice then, but he’s clearly the first choice now, and Team Europe decided not to wait to see whether any of the European players who departed for LIV and had previously appeared to be in the pipeline for captaincy, such as Lee Westwood or Ian Poulter, would return to the fold.
Donald was a member of the last European Team to win on American soil at Medinah Country Club in 2012, when he led Jose Maria Olazabal’s side out in the singles, securing the first blue point on the board in one of the most famous comebacks in the history of the biennial contest.
During his playing career, he represented Europe in the Ryder Cup four times as a player, being part of a winning team on all four occasions, contributing 10½ points from his 15 matches.
He then served as a vice captain in 2018, under Thomas Bjorn, and Padraig Harrington in 2021, before becoming captain for the first time at the 2023 contest in Rome.
Donald has won five times on the PGA Tour and another eight times on the DP World Tour and ascended to No. 1 in the world for a total of 56 weeks. In 2011, he became the first player in history to top the money lists on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and the PGA Tour in the same year.
“I have had a nice individual career; I have accomplished a significant amount as a player. My most special moments have been in The Ryder Cup editions, and being able to share that in a team atmosphere,” Donald said. “[Being captain] felt like a lifetime achievement award when I found out that I was given the honor and privilege to be nominated as captain. It is something that I do not take lightly. I think about it every day and more specifically around what we can do to give our team the best chance of success and to build that right culture and environment…Everyone knows how special The Ryder Cup has been as part of my career and this is an opportunity of a lifetime. It is a big responsibility but I am going to try and enjoy the journey.”
