Bernard Gallacher weighs in on Ryder Cup captaincy conundrum

Bernard Gallacher expects Europe to appoint repeated captains following the exodus of Ryder Cup legends from the DP World Tour.

The three-time captain told the Telegraph that the absence of LIV Golf trio Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter has forced the issue for Team Europe.

Westwood, Garcia and Poulter, all shoo-ins as future Ryder Cup captains, are now ineligible for the biennial battle with the USA after resigning from the European circuit.

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They handed in their cards amid threats of further punishment after the DP World Tour’s sanctions for playing in the opening LIV event in Hemel Hempstead last year were upheld by a sports arbitration panel.

And Gallacher, who led Europe to victory at Oak Hill in 1995, the last showdown not to feature one of Westwood, Garcia or Poulter, has predicted a change to Team Europe’s strategy.

The 74-year-old Scot has tipped current skipper Luke Donald to keep his role beyond this September’s match at the Marco Simone course in Rome.

Gallacher said: “Because we’ve lost the likes of Westwood and co, I think we’ll need to have captains doing home and away matches, maybe starting with Luke now.

“That was what it was like in the old days. Tony Jacklin did it four times, because he was such an outstanding captain. When I took over for the ’91 match, they told me I’d do that one at Kiawah Island and then at the Belfry.”

He added: “I know we’ve had so many big European names who have deserved their chance, but it doesn’t make sense just ditching successful captains after one go.

“The circumstances may now necessitate a change and in Luke we have a decent guy who will do all the preparation required and more.

“I think he’ll do a good job and his quiet but assured personality could be just what is required in the 2025 match, which is at Bethpage in New York and will feature a hostile crowd.”

The long-term future of the European captaincy is now uncertain with current rules stipulating that Westwood, Garcia and Poulter are banned from having any future involvement in the contest.

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Fellow LIV golfer Henrik Stenson joined his former teammates in giving up his card, but forgave his own chance to ever lead team Europe when he was removed as captain last July following his switch to the Saudi-backed league.

And while Gallacher is “sad” to see some Ryder Cup greats accept their fate, he has no sympathy for those who jumped ship for LIV because “they must have known this was going to happen.”

“They’ve done it for money and that is understandable, but they can’t really moan because unless there was an agreement with LIV, this was inevitable,” Gallacher asserted.

“And when the DP World Tour signed that ‘strategic alliance’ with the PGA Tour and effectively jumped into bed with them, any agreement was impossible.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.