SECOND TIME AROUND

Rolex Testimonee Luke Donald returns to captain Team Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup. The former world number one shares his thoughts about what it means to him.

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Q: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ROLEX?

LD: Luke Donald (LD): I've been a Rolex Testimonee since 2006, and have been associated with Rolex throughout some of the best moments of my career, including being World Number One, winning the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic and, of course, in The Ryder Cup, both as a player and now as captain. So it is a relationship that means a lot to me.

Q: AS A ROLEX TESTIMONEE, HOW DOES YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BRAND INFLUENCE OR ALIGN WITH YOUR APPROACH TO EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP?

LD: I like to think my own approach shares some of the values that are synonymous with Rolex, such as precision and attention to detail. Rolex also place a lot of emphasis on legacy and inspiring future generations, which is similarly what we strive to do with Team Europe.

Q: HOW HAS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE RYDER CUP EVOLVED FROM PLAYER TO CAPTAIN?

LD: What perhaps has changed is my appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes. Being captain, I've seen the amount of work that enables that to happen and I have personally had much greater involvement in that process.

Q: HOW DO THE ROLEX QUALITIES OF EXCELLENCE AND PRECISION MANIFEST IN YOUR OWN APPROACH TO THE GAME AND LEADERSHIP?

LD: I was never the longest hitter, so I worked hard to ensure that I achieved excellence and precision in other areas of my game, particularly my irons and my short game. My stats when I reached World Number One were certainly reflective of that, and that work ethic and attention to detail is something I've taken forward into my captaincy. I've tried to be meticulous in my preparation to create an environment so that the players can compete to the best of their abilities.

Q: HOW DID YOUR 2023 EXPERIENCE SHAPE YOUR PREPARATIONS FOR 2025?