In the last week of September, Europe hopes to win the first Ryder Cup victory since 2012, with all eyes focused on Luke Donald’s leadership in New York.
There, he is the main player in singles, and he will start his comeback with a 2-1 win over Bubba Watson, and this year he will be the first back-to-back captain since Bernard Gallacher in 1995.
born?
Donald was born on December 7, 1977 at Hemel Hempstead, so he will be eligible for the Senior Tour which will begin the 2028 season. At the age of 15, he won the club championship at Beaconsfield.
Turn around?
In 2001, he achieved a lot in his amateur competitions. He played on both sides of the two winning Walker Cups, contributed 7/8 points, and won the NCAA Class I men’s golf championship in 1999, beating Tiger Woods’ score record at Northwestern University. He also became the first amateur to win the Chicago Open in 2000.
The first winner?
Donald won the 2002 PGA Tour card through Q School and won his first victory in the Southern Farm Inning Classic in November of that year.
He will birdie on Saturday, 15, 16 and 17, take a 67 lead on Deane Pappas before dropping the final round. He is just the 11th-place rookie in PGA Tour history, earning over $1 million in his first season.
Married?
He met Diane Antonopoulos in the northwest and married in Santorini in 2007. They have three daughters and they reportedly have homes in Jupiter, both in Illinois and Florida.
car?
The British man is said to have driven the BMW M4, unlike many of his peers, he doesn’t seem to have the top-notch motors hiding at home.
Favorite sports team? Donald has been a big fan of Tottenham Hotspurs and is associated with his birthplace. Despite being a loyal sports fan, few people mention Donald as a fan of any Chicago team in the United States.
income?
His career PGA Tour revenue is currently only $38 million. In Europe, this figure is only less than €17 million. Then, you have reached a series of sponsorship agreements over the years.
Former World No. 1 has always been with Mizun. It is reported that he once received $1 million for wearing a logo on the sun visor, and he previously served at Royal Bank of Canada, Zurich Insurance Company and Polo Ralph Lauren.
In recent years, he has been with Jordan Shoes and Greyson Clothiers. Donald’s appearance has always been more of a look and prefers classic and traditional.
device?
Donald did have a Ben Hogan visor early in the tour, but by 2003 he had been in Mizuno and he’s been the same ever since.
The British has been known as a great wedge and iron player until 2023 when he will sign his third deal with the Japanese manufacturer.
He looks like he has reached a deal with 10 clubs in the year, meaning he is free to use other drivers, and he has been associated with Odyssey White Hot #7 putts.
Then there is the trademark sun visor.
The biggest achievement?
Donald, who has four leads in the world’s No. 1 race for a total of 56 weeks, last maintained a coveted position in mid-2012. Only two men and one golfer failed to win the major, Donald and Lee Westwood were two.
Donald was never a prolific winner. With only five wins on the PGA Tour, the WGC schedule played a brilliant highlight, and in Europe he won two wins at Wentworth. But even with the prejudice in recent years, his captain of the Ryder Cup in 2023 is better than anything.
He will take over the captain in a unique situation with Henrik Stenson, from where he never missed any rhythm. If he could repeat Bethpage Black’s trick in late September, it would outperform everything.
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