Major champion offers dismal verdict of Ryder Cup captaincy chances

Major champion offers dismal verdict of Ryder Cup captaincy chances

Former Open champion Henrik Stenson seems convinced that his chance to captain the European Ryder Cup team is gone for good. The Swedish golfer, a key figure in multiple Ryder Cup tournaments, built a strong career record of 10-7-2 across several biennial contests.

Stenson previously served as a vice-captain under Padraig Harrington at the 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin before earning the captaincy himself. However, his decision to join LIV Golf in 2022 caused significant controversy within the sport and resulted in him losing the captaincy position entirely.

Luke Donald, once ranked as the world’s top player, replaced Stenson and has since been praised as one of Europe’s finest captains. Following Europe’s victory over the United States in September, Donald became only the second leader in history to guide Europe to both home and away triumphs, a feat previously accomplished by Tony Jacklin in 1985 and 1987.

Recently, discussions have intensified regarding whether Donald will continue as captain for a third term when the event moves to Ireland in 2027. Reports suggest he has been granted some time to finalize his decision.

If Donald decides not to return, speculation points toward Francesco Molinari, another former Open champion and older brother of Europe’s performance analyst Edoardo Molinari, as the likely successor.

“His move to LIV Golf in 2022 sent shockwaves through the sport and led to Stenson being stripped of the captaincy altogether.”
Author’s Summary

Henrik Stenson accepts that his chance to lead Team Europe in the Ryder Cup is gone, while attention now turns to whether Luke Donald or Francesco Molinari will guide the team in 2027.

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GolfMagic GolfMagic — 2025-11-04

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