Luke Donald completes Ryder Cup team with “shock” vice-captain pick
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Luke Donald has finalized his Ryder Cup backroom team with an unexpected fifth vice-captain – a recent tour winner who knows what it takes to beat the USA.
Luke Donald was criticized by some for his predictable Ryder Cup player picks, but the European captain has sprung a surprise with his final vice-captain selection – and it’s one that even the man himself didn’t see coming.
The European captain had already assembled a heavyweight line-up of assistants in Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjørn, and José María Olazábal. That quartet boasts Ryder Cup pedigree, tactical nous, and plenty of experience. But Donald’s fifth and final vice-captain is a little different.
He’s a very recent tour winner. He wasn’t a million miles away from being in contention for a playing role. And he admitted his reaction when Donald called was: “It was a big shock. I didn’t expect it at all.”
That man is Alex Noren.
The 43-year-old Swede was part of Europe’s 2018 triumph in Paris, famously draining a 40-foot putt on the last green to beat Bryson DeChambeau in the singles. Now, after 11 DP World Tour victories – including the British Masters just last month – he will be helping guide Europe as they bid to defend the trophy at Bethpage Black.
Donald said he wanted Noren for more than just his playing résumé: “He’s humble, he’s a team man, he prepares as well as anyone, and he’s close with a lot of the guys who’ll be on the team.”
For Noren, the challenge of taking Europe into one of the most hostile Ryder Cup venues of all was part of the appeal: “This Ryder Cup is going to be one of the toughest ones to win because of where it is. It’s going to be a very tough crowd, but I think that can feed our players.”
With his vice-captains now confirmed, Donald has the full team in place as Europe prepare to face the USA in New York from September 26-28, 2025.
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Luke Donald has picked his vice-captains for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
