Report: Luke Donald to replace Henrik Stenson as Ryder Cup captain
Luke Donald is expected to replace Henrik Stenson as the European Ryder Cup captain for 2023, according to James Corrigan of The Telegraph.
Stenson was originally named captain in mid-March, but Ryder Cup Europe announced July 20 that his tenure had ended early.
On the same day, Stenson announced he'd joined Greg Norman's Saudi-backed LIV Golf, a move he said "triggered" Ryder Cup Europe's decision to take away his captaincy.
Stenson joins past European Ryder Cup players like Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter at LIV Golf.
Donald has played on the European Ryder Cup team on four occasions (2004, 2006, 2010, and 2012). The Englishman has five victories on the PGA TOUR and six more on the DP World Tour.
Prior to the end of his tenure as captain, Stenson named Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari as his vice-captains. They'll remain in their roles, according to Corrigan.
The Ryder Cup is set for late September 2023 in Rome, Italy.
Stenson will play in the LIV Golf event in New Jersey this Friday, while Donald is playing in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which started Thursday in Detroit, on the PGA TOUR.
Following his round on Thursday, Donald spoke about the recent report that he'd been named Ryder Cup captain.
"There's nothing official to report," Donald said, according to Golfweek's Adam Schupak. "I have been in talks with Guy (Guy Kinnings, the Ryder Cup director) at the European Tour. And that's all I know right now. I know I have a very good chance, Thomas Bjorn and a couple other guys are under consideration."
While Donald said he had not been offered to play in the LIV Golf series, he said he had been asked to join the broadcast team, which he turned down.
In addition to playing in four Ryder Cups, the 44-year-old has acted as a vice captain to Team Europe in the past two Ryder Cups.
"If I got this captaincy I would live up to my word and see it through," Donald said. "Let me put it that way. I wouldn't be doing a Henrik."
Donald said that from what he knows, the official announcement of Stenson's replacement will be announced early next week, according to Schupak.