Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald Discusses Jon Rahm's Eligibility, 'loud' Bethpage Black Crowd

The Ryder Cup was expected to beryllium played astatine Bethpage Black past September, but nan pandemic postponed it a year.

But now, play fans are yet successful countdown mode until Team USA and Team Europe conflict connected Long Island.

While golfers mightiness not turn up needfully wanting to triumph Ryder Cups (it's nan fields that really dress up a legacy), nan emotions travel retired each different September.

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Luke Donald, Captain of Team Europe, lifts nan Ryder Cup trophy pursuing triumph pinch 16 and a half to 11 and a half triumph during nan 2023 Ryder Cup astatine Marco Simone Golf Club connected October 1, 2023, successful Rome, Italy. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

But for Luke Donald, Team Europe's captain, nan Ryder Cup has ever meant something.

"To beryllium honest, erstwhile I was increasing up, 1 of my first memories is watching nan Ryder Cup successful 1987, which was nan first clip Team Europe won connected U.S. soil, truthful it did person a large effect connected maine arsenic a kid," Donald told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview.

"Some of my astir typical memories connected play courses are successful Ryder Cups, because you get to stock it pinch nan guys, it’s specified a nosy week, nan ambiance it creates. People who don’t travel play for illustration to tune into nan Ryder Cup for what it represents. It’s a fierce rivalry, it’s sewage a awesome communicative and history down it, and each nan golfers are motivated and pumped to play because of it. It’s been a immense portion of my life and a monolithic attraction for me, but I really bask nan acquisition of doing that and preparing and trying to springiness nan squad nan champion opportunity for success."

The roadworthy squad person not won a Ryder Cup since Team Europe's Miracle astatine Medinah successful 2012, erstwhile they overcame a 10-4 shortage connected Sunday Singles (USA has not won connected European ungraded since 1993). In 5 Ryder Cups since then, nan location squad has won nan cup, each successful alternatively convincing fashion.

The closest matches successful that span person been nan five-point wins by Europe successful 2014 astatine Gleneagles successful Scotland and nan 2023 triumph successful Rome.

Donald knows that "New York's going to beryllium large and ready," but it's his occupation to combat that.

The Ryder Cup trrophy Bethpage State Park Black Course connected June 6, 2016, successful Farmingdale, New York.  (Gary Kellner/PGA of America)

RYDER CUP CAPTAIN, LPGA STAR TEAM UP TO DELIVER NATIONWIDE TOURNAMENT; GRAND PRIZE IS A 29-NIGHT CRUISE

"The biggest advantage is nan support you get from nan location crowd. We spot it successful each of sports. That was a large advantage successful Rome, and it’ll beryllium a disadvantage successful New York. And I person to effort to travel up pinch ways to dissipate that," he said. 

The champion measurement to do that, of course, is by building nan champion squad possible. And though LIV Golf has forced its wrinkles into nan event, nan scheme is to person nan 2023 Team Europe leader and two-time awesome champion Jon Rahm astatine Bethpage later this year.

"Jon is simply a personnel of nan European Tour, he’s eligible to beryllium picked, and still 1 of our champion players. Unless his shape drastically takes off, I expect him to beryllium location for us," he said.

Brooks Koepka was a captain's prime successful 2023, acknowledgment to his triumph astatine nan PGA Championship and second-place decorativeness astatine nan Masters. He narrowly qualified based connected points alone, which is beautiful impressive, considering LIV players trying for Team USA tin only gain points successful majors. 

Koepka, though, was nan only LIV golfer successful that year's tournament. In fact, Donald became Europe's skipper aft Henrik Stenson was removed from his domiciled by nan European Tour pursuing his defection to LIV.

Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm of Team Europe observe pursuing triumph pinch 16 and a half to 11 and a half triumph pursuing nan Sunday singles matches of nan 2023 Ryder Cup astatine Marco Simone Golf Club connected October 01, 2023 successful Rome, Italy.  (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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LIV players are presently banned from nan Presidents Cup, which is owned and operated by nan PGA Tour. 

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