Luke Donald: Watching US win Ryder Cup from my sofa was agony and I never want to miss it again

Easy Ryder: Davis Love III celebrates his team's comprehensive victory at Hazeltine
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For Luke Donald, the Ryder Cup was agony. Having missed out for the second successive event, the 38-year-old, used to being a mainstay of the European charge, could only watch from the comfort of the sofa of his Florida home as events unfolded.

Resigned to tweeting impassioned support, he mused from “It’s getting spicy” to trying to draw on the Miracle of Medinah with the words, “You’ve done it before, you can do it again! C’mon lads, believe and get stuck in”.

From 2004 to 2012, Luke Donald boasted 10½ points for Europe from a possible total of 15, a record of 70 per cent which is comfortably better than stalwarts such as Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. In fact, of the players to have played more than two Ryder Cups, only Ian Poulter boasts a better winning percentage.

But the dual agony of seeing his former team-mates lose the Ryder Cup and not being involved have added further motivation to raise his game.

Donald, who returns to action on Thursday after a four-week lay-off at the British Masters at The Grove, near Watford, told Standard Sport: “It definitely acts as a big spark of motivation.

“I was sat there thinking I never want to miss one of them and I need to make sure that’s the case — I never miss another one while I’m still playing. I was pretty close to being picked — I was just on the cusp — so in some ways it makes it that bit harder.”

Donald knows he has danced around the cut too often this season — he failed to make the weekend of the US Open, PGA Championship or Players Championship — but showed a return to form as runner-up at August’s Wyndham Championship.

It is a far cry from when he held the No1 spot in world for 40 weeks between May 2011 and March 2012 in a stunning period when he won five tournaments on the PGA and European Tours in the space of just 15 months.

Too laconic to seem unduly concerned about his game, he is adamant he is slowly clawing his way back to where he wants to be.

“My success has always been greatest when I’ve been strong on the greens and around the greens,” said the world No69. “I’ve seen improvement in the last year but I need to consistently work on my weaknesses. When I’m putting and chipping the best I can, I know I’m right up there.”

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Donald will act as both tournament host and hopeful for the British Masters in a week which will, to a certain degree, act as a partial Ryder Cup debrief. Six of the European team are playing in the Hertfordshire event and Donald is yet to properly talk to the members of the team beaten 17-11 by the United States to end a period of European domination. “We’ve got Matt Fitzpatrick, who won this last year, which acted as his breakthrough and his springboard to Ryder Cup qualification,” said Donald. “He’s one of a number of good rookies that were on the team and put up a good fight.

“It’s not easy watching it. You never like to see the guys lose but the US team played very well.

“Obviously, now the momentum is with the US but we’re back to France next and it’s always easier on home soil at a course we’re familiar with from the European Tour. I need to make sure I’m involved.”

He is not critical of Darren Clarke’s captaincy — having not experienced it first hand — but is honest to admit without naming names that not all his Ryder Cup leaders have been inspirational.

“I’ve seen some Ryder Cup captains do a good job and some a not so good job,” he added. “It’s a tough job.”

It is one he is not ashamed to admit he would like to hold in due course.

For now, though, he has his sights set on forcing is way back into the line-up as a player.

To celebrate the work Sky Sports and the European Tour are doing to encourage people — especially children — to play golf, Luke Donald invited 30 children to design the flag for the 16th hole at the British Masters. The winner was nine-year-old Mahi. To find out more about Game Changers, visit www.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/gamechangers

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