‘Luke Donald: Cool Hand Luke’ – New documentary about Europe’s Ryder Cup captain on Sky Sports | Golf News

‘Luke Donald: Cool Hand Captain’ is a special new 30-minute documentary on Sky Sports Golf, reflecting on his Ryder Cup career and looking ahead to the former world No 1 captaining Team Europe in Rome this September

Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald admits that being around a record-breaking defeat at Whistling Straits has made him determined to lead Team Europe to victory in this year’s contest in Rome.

Donald was on the winning side in all four of his Ryder Cup appearances as a player, scoring 10.5 points from 15 matches, before serving as a vice-captain for Thomas Bjorn in Europe’s impressive 2018 success at Le Golf National.

The Englishman returned to the role as part of Padraig Harrington’s backroom team in the 2020 contest, postponed to the following year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, where Europe were thrashed 19-9 by Steve Stricker’s dominant American team.

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A look at best of the action from the final day of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

“It hurt a lot,” Donald said in ‘Cool Hand Captain’, available on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports On Demand from Saturday. “I’ve been part of six Ryder Cups and that was the only one I’ve ever experienced being on the losing side.

“We were beaten pretty heavily and it wasn’t fun at all, but from losing you learn in a way as you have to experience that to know you don’t want to experience it again.

“You feel a little bit like you don’t have control as a vice-captain, watching the guys, but you feel bad for them and you don’t want that to happen again. Our guys have a lot of pride and there’s nothing wrong in losing sometimes, as long as you learn from it.”

Team USA have been unable to win on European soil since 1993, when Tom Watson led them to a 15-13 triumph at The Belfry, although Donald still considers them favourites when the two teams meet at Marco Simone GC in Rome from September 29-October 1, live on Sky Sports.

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Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald explains why the return of the Hero Cup will help with Ryder Cup preparations.

“The US are going to be very strong and I still think we will be underdogs,” Donald added. “Just look at how strong they are in terms of world ranking, plus they’re high on confidence.

“They will be coming in very excited but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been underdogs before and victorious, so we’ll be prepared and ready.

“It [winning] would mean everything and I am obviously doing this job to win. I want to enjoy the journey, but the goal is to win and it will be disappointing if we don’t.”

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Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald explains why the return of the Hero Cup will help with Ryder Cup preparations.

What else is in “Luke Donald: Cool Hand Captain”?

The special 30-minute documentary shares Donald’s early Ryder Cup memories and his rise through the amateur ranks to the top of the professional game, including his experiences of featuring in four Ryder Cup victories as a player.

Donald shares stories of former Ryder Cup team-mates and past captains, plus reflects on an epic unbeaten week at the K Club in 2006 and his role in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ success of 2012 among other winning moments.

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We look back at the best bits from the Miracle at Medinah Watchalong on Sky Sports, featuring, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and many other European players.

The 45-year-old reveals what he has learned from his past Ryder Cup roles and the type of captain he hopes to be at Marco Simone GC this September, as well as talking through other key moments in his successful career so far.

The documentary on Saturday February 11 at 3.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, with the programme repeated on February 12 at 2pm, February 13 at 5.30pm and February 19 at 1.30pm and also available via Sky Sports On Demand.

Watch “Luke Donald: Cool Hand Captain” this February live on Sky Sports! The Ryder Cup from September 29-October 1 is exclusively live on Sky Sports Golf.