Henrik Stenson claims role in Ryder Cup success

Luke Donald’s work as Team Europe captain earned him the Ryder Cup armband in 2025, but the success stretched further.

The Englishman replaced Henrik Stenson, who was axed following his move to LIV Golf, and now the Swede reckons the success was no surprise.

He claims that was largely due to the Open champion’s plans before being sacked.

“Quite a lot of that was carrying on from the work that we started a year out,” Stenson told The Standard.

“All the changes on the golf course, and quite a few of the people who were involved with the team.

“Some of those things were put in place a while back – I knew how the golf bags were looking, I knew what fairways and bunkers were put in place, and who was in charge of the analytics on the team with Edoardo [Molinari].

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“There weren’t too many surprises with what was going on.”

Stenson, who admitted to only watching ‘some’ of the Ryder Cup, had long since been stripped of the captaincy as Donald and Team Europe hoisted the trophy.

The 47-year-old was only in charge of the Rory McIlroy-led side for 127 days, missing out on chants of ‘two more years’ that boosted Donald’s return hopes.

Stenson was told by Ryder Cup Europe that he would “not be able to fulfil certain contractual obligations.”

And after Donald stepped in, he was praised for the environment he created on route to Europe’s seventh consecutive home success, particularly amid a change of the guard.

Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were out of the mix, giving way to a new crop of players and staff, to which Stenson did credit.

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“Clearly the boys did a phenomenal job and racked up a big lead,” he said.

“On Sunday, as there always is, one team rallies back a little bit and at one point it looked tighter. It ended up with a European win as you thought it would after two days.

“All the plans put in place worked out and paid dividends on home soil.”

Meanwhile, Stenson argues Jon Rahm, who went unbeaten in Rome last September, has given LIV “great momentum” heading into the season, with hope eligibility with the Ryder Cup, PGA Tour and DP World Tour can be resolved.

McIlroy insisted Rahm must be selected for the 2025 match in New York and Stenson added: “If Rory has come to other insights and conclusions now than he had before, that’s up to him.

“I’ve had some conversations with Rory between him and I about a different thing about a month ago, and that’s kind of behind me at this point.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.