Luke Donald reveals the toughest phone call he had to make after Ryder Cup picks
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Europe’s Ryder Cup captain admits finalising his 12-man team for Bethpage brought one particularly painful moment.
Luke Donald has opened up about the emotional side of finalising his European team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
While the captain was delighted with his selections, he admits that making some of the follow-up phone calls was far from easy.
One call, in particular, stood out as especially tough – coming just minutes after the player in question had given an emotional interview about his Ryder Cup dreams.
The European captain confirmed his picks for Bethpage Black earlier today, completing a side that includes 11 players from the team that triumphed in Rome. But away from the press conferences and excitement, Donald had to deliver news that would break some hearts.
Each call was tough, he admitted, yet one stood out as particularly painful. It came just minutes after a tearful interview, when the reality of missing out on golf’s biggest stage hit home for a player who had pushed desperately to be part of Donald’s plans.
“They’re all very difficult for different reasons,” Donald explained. “But honestly, I called him probably 10 or 15 minutes after that emotional interview he did, and I felt very emotional for him. It just shows to me what the Ryder Cup means to these guys, how they’re trying desperately to make the team and be a part of it.”
That player was Matt Wallace. The Englishman has made no secret of his Ryder Cup dream, and his tearful interview at the European Masters – where a T2 finish was expected not to be enough to convince Donald he deserved a pick – captured just how much the biennial clash means to Europe’s golfers.
“Matt has come very close a number of times,” Donald added. “That call was tough, but to be honest, they’re all pretty tough. These guys all really wanted to be on that team.”
Donald now turns his attention fully to preparing his 12 for the unique challenge of Bethpage Black. The Englishman says experience was key in his selections, with players who have proven themselves in America picked to handle the intensity of a New York Ryder Cup.
“We understand what’s going to happen to us,” he said. “It’s how we react to it that’s really important. These guys are top athletes – they know how to walk towards that fear.”
The Wallace call, though, serves as a reminder of the other side of Ryder Cup captaincy: the raw emotion, the personal bonds, and the tough moments that come before the first tee shot is even struck.
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Luke Donald has admitted the hardest phone call he faced after naming his Ryder Cup wildcard picks
