Medinah is a Ryder Cup that still makes American golf fans shake their heads.
It’s America’s Waterloo, and Davis Love III played the role of Napoleon Bonaparte with his team blowing a four-point lead to a European Team that seemed to struggle in the first two days before catching lightning in a bottle.
The European Captain that week was Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, and his team included Luke Donald, who won his singles match 2 & 1 over Bubba Watson.
The 14.5 to 13.5 European win was the last time a European Team has won on U.S. soil.
Jose Maria Olazabal smiles during the 113th U.S. Open tournament practice round at Merion Golf Club.
John David Mercer-Imagn Images
On Wednesday, Donald named the 2012 Euro Captain Olazabal as his third Vice Captain, joining Dane Thomas Bjorn and Italian Edoardo Molinari to defend the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in September.
The 59-year-old Spaniard was one of Donald’s five Vice Captains in 2023 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club when the U.S. was defeated 16.5 to 11.5.
“He bleeds blue and gold like nobody else, his passion for the Ryder Cup is second to none,” Donald said of the 23-time DP World Tour winner. “He is just an inspiration to so many players, which made such a difference in Rome.”
Since the last putt dropped in Rome, Donald has focused on finding a way to defeat the U.S. on its soil and including the Spainard in the back room should be additive to that goal.
US team captain Keegan Bradley, left, and Europe team captain Luke Donald take a photo with the Ryder Cup after a press conference at Times Center.
Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
“It’s really hard to win away from home in the United States,” Olazabal said. “In New York, we know the crowds are going to be very loud and the golf course will be set up in favor of the US team – we’ll have to handle that, too. I think there is not any bigger challenge for a golfer than facing a Ryder Cup away from home and we have to be mentally prepared for that.”
The naming of Olazabal is focused on finding any benefit that the Europeans can find to beat the U.S.
“It’s also extremely important for us to know we have the last Captain to have won on foreign soil on our side,” Doland said. “I was part of that team as a player and got to witness his never-give-up attitude and the inspiration he drew from Seve that week. There might be some tough times in New York when we all need that experience, that passion, and that mentality.”
