"THIS ISN'T JUST A TOURNAMENT, THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL"

Golf Monthly editor Neil Tappin sits down with Luke Donald, the 2025 European Ryder Cup captain, to discuss this year's contest in New York and how things might differ away from home

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How much does home advantage count for at the Ryder Cup? As we slowly tiptoe towards the latest instalment of the biennial contest, this particular question will be pondered, cogitated and debated by the world’s golf pundits even more than usual.

The reason for this is that since Great Britain and Ireland became Europe in 1979, there have been 22 contests and only six of those have been won by the away team. What’s more, the last away win was 13 years ago at Medinah.

If winning away is indeed getting harder, then it doesn’t take a genius to work out that Luke Donald’s men will have their work cut out when they arrive in New York for the 45th staging of this great contest. On paper, this makes a European victory seem less likely, but the continent’s best teams have always defied the odds. If Luke Donald is looking for an inspirational team talk, well, here it is.

To be the first Ryder Cup captain to win twice since Tony Jacklin in 1987, Donald will have to overcome a fired-up, feisty opposite number in Keegan Bradley. Having narrowly missed out on selection for Rome last time and been on the wrong end of an impossible European comeback at Medinah in 2012, you get the feeling that the American has a score to settle. Add a raft of American rookies, a spirited US crowd (remember ‘Hatgate’?) and a Rory Mcllroy with the bit between his teeth and you have all the ingredients for something truly remarkable. I sat down with Europe’s captain during this year’s Open at Royal Portrush and what follows is a candid insight into what looks set to be an historic encounter.

Is winning an away Ryder Cup one of the toughest challenges in sport?

It is very difficult, but we’ve had some success in the past. It hasn’t happened too often, but going back to 1987, we have won away four times, so it is possible and I think that’s very motivating for me. Lately, yes, you would say it’s pretty hard.