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Luke Donald has named Paul McGinley as Strategic Adviser to the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, adding invaluable behind-the-scenes experience to Europe’s bid to retain the trophy at Bethpage Black next year.

Having already named re-appointed Thomas Bjørn and Edoardo Molinari as vice captains, Donald’s appointment of McGinley adds considerable additional know-how and understanding of the Ryder Cup arena to Europe’s build-up and preparation.

The Irishman led Europe to victory in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland, having previously featured on three winning teams as a player, and twice more as a vice-captain.

Since 2019, the 57-year-old Dubliner has also been part of the Ryder Cup Advisory Committee which was set up to maximise the commercial impact of the contest. He will continue in that role, alongside chair Sir Damon Buffini, Ian Ritchie and Richard Scudamore.

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“It is clear we have built a very strong template for winning at home in Ryder Cups,” said McGinley. “But I see my job as helping Luke, his vice Ccaptains and his backroom team to look at an away match differently to how we’ve looked at it before.

“I would say that the first important step we made in that regard was to reappoint Luke as captain. He has the most recent experience of anyone in that role and we should look to utilise that experience and harness his knowledge.

“In addition to advising strategically on an away match, I see this role as two-fold for me. Firstly, I will be very much in the background as an independent sounding board for Luke and his vice-captains, someone they can confide in, converse with and bounce ideas off.

“Secondly, I will provide an important link between Luke and the Advisory Committee so that not only are they aware of team plans, but also to ensure we are all pulling in the same direction.”

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Donald added: “Paul is someone whose thoughts and opinions on golf I have always respected. We have talked a lot over the past few years and those conversations are always stimulating and challenging.

“He is someone that you have to listen to when talk turns to the Ryder Cup. Naturally, I am delighted to have him formally involved with the 2025 team.

“I personally got a lot of sound guidance from Paul in the build up to Rome which was a massive help to me. Myself and Paul, as well as my two vice-captains, Edoardo and Thomas, all have similar beliefs as to what it means to represent Team Europe and what we expect from our players.”

McGinley’s appointment comes just a week after John Wood was named Team Manager of the US Ryder Cup team. The United States has still to appoint a captain for next year’s match, with Tiger Woods understand to be the preferred candidate.

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