Former European player and captain Colin Montgomerie has given Luke Donald his backing to continue as Ryder Cup captain as Europe eyes a historic third-straight win at Adare Manor in 2027.
Donald reinforced his Ryder Cup legacy by guiding Team Europe to a 15-13 victory over the USA in September, joining Tony Jacklin as the only European captains to win successive Ryder Cups. With successes in Rome in 2023 and at Bethpage Black in 2025, Donald could become the first three-time captain since Bernard Gallacher (1991, 1995, 1997) and the first to steer Europe to three consecutive wins.
“Three out of three would be extraordinary,” Montgomerie told Sky Sports. He praised Donald’s courage in taking the role a second time in New York, saying the team spirit from Rome had earned him the opportunity to repeat the job. “If he was brave enough to do New York, then I’m convinced that he’s brave enough to do a third term and win again at home,” Montgomerie added, noting Europe’s strong home record — their last home defeat came in 1993.
Montgomerie said he would vote for Donald to lead Europe again and called it “history in the making.” Donald has not ruled out a third stint for the Ryder Cup centenary in 2027, but if he declines, Montgomerie warned Europe may lack alternativas. He suggested Justin Rose would be an obvious next choice but ruled him out because Rose wants to keep playing and is likely to be part of Europe’s top 12.
Montgomerie also reflected on how LIV Golf affected Europe’s captaincy pipeline, saying: “We lost a lot of our potential captains when they went to LIV — [Ian] Poulter, [Lee] Westwood, [Henrik] Stenson, [Graeme] McDowell. These guys were potential Ryder Cup captains of the future but decided to go another route.”
On the hostility some European players faced from American fans at Bethpage Black, Montgomerie — who experienced similar behaviour at Brookline in 1999 — said it made the win “even sweeter.” He welcomed the PGA of America’s apology to Rory McIlroy after McIlroy and his wife were subjected to abuse and said the intense atmosphere only heightened the achievement given Europe did not “just win at the golf.”
Montgomerie made his comments ahead of representing Team Europe in the Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s from December 4-7, a global team event featuring Team USA, Team International and Team Europe.