(Reuters) – Former world number one Luke Donald has been named captain of Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup to replace Henrik Stenson, who was stripped of the role before he joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
“We’re delighted to announce @LukeDonald as 2023 European Ryder Cup captain,” Ryder Cup Europe wrote on Twitter on Monday.
Stenson was removed as captain last month, hours before the Swede announced he was joining the lucrative Saudi-backed series and Englishman Donald later told Golf Week he would love to take over.
The 44-year-old has never finished on the losing side as a player in four Ryder Cup appearances, winning 10-1/2 points from his 15 matches. He served as vice-captain when Europe regained the Ryder Cup by beating the United States in 2018.
“So excited and truly honoured to be named European Ryder Cup Captain. I’m really looking forward to the next 14 months and getting my team ready for Rome,” Donald said in a tweet.
Donald previously said he had not been approached to play in the LIV Series, but added he had turned down a broadcast role with the breakaway league.
Stenson won his first start on the LIV Series on Sunday in New Jersey.
The Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy will host the next edition of the biennial Ryder Cup starting in late September next year.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Christian Radnedge)
