Henrik Stenson and Luke Donald are the main contenders for captain Europe in the 2023 Ryder Cup, with Lee Westwood’s decision to remove his name from the race leaving the European Tour in a decision that is far from straightforward .

Sources close to the European camp believe Stenson is the obvious favorite to succeed Pádraig Harrington for the biennial event if he wishes to lead Europe in Italy. Speaking this week at the Hero World Challenge, Stenson suggested he hasn’t made up his mind yet.

“Like a lot of people, I thought Lee would be next on the list,” Stenson said. “But I heard he now wanted to focus on his own game and felt like it would be too many clashes at this point in his career and on the schedule.

“We’ll see what happens, but I certainly have some experience as a vice-captain [at Whistling Straits this year] and we’ll see if we have to put on the big shoes in the future. It’s still early to tell, but it’s good to be part of the conversation.

However, there are complications. Stenson, 45, may well choose to continue devoting time to his playing career. “I feel like if I can get to where I want it to be and where it can be, I can have another Ryder Cup in me,” he admitted.

The fact that Stenson’s name appears on the list of players in the 2022 Saudi International, the European Tour‘s pet peeve, is also a problem.

“There are obviously different wills and Saudi International has been a European tour event for three years,” Stenson said. “A lot of the players you’ve seen announced had agreements to come back and play before we even knew it would be the same week as a European Tour event. You have players who signed up for several years or so about a year ago. year and who have committed to go back and play.

“It’s one of those situations and I can only say I had an arrangement to come back and play. It was a good tournament in the schedule and it got back into my schedule. I will fill my schedule. commitment to go and play there and what’s going on touring, who knows? I believe there is a European tour event in Ras al Khaimah in the same week. The other was planned before that one and you can’t be in two places at the same time, I discovered it a long time ago.

Nonetheless, with confirmation from the European Ryder Cup captain at the start of the new year, Stenson’s Saudi connection inevitably raises eyebrows. Westwood, who took a hit on the European Tour, is also in the Saudi peloton.

Donald would, in theory, be a simpler sale although his reputation in the game is not as strong as Stenson’s. A former world No.1 Donald has competed in four Ryder Cups and was part of the winning team every time. Still only 43 years old, the Englishman’s playing career has suffered in recent times, but he served as the Ryder Cup vice-captain in 2018 and 2021. This element of succession planning will inevitably appeal to the European. Tower.

Moreover, for now less likely, options for Europe include looking to Graeme McDowell or even asking Thomas Bjørn to repeat his success from Paris in 2018. Anyone who sets out to become European captain must also balance the chances of success with the strength of a boastful American team. to a record 19-9 win over Wisconsin. Ian Poulter is believed to have his sights set on captaining Europe at Bethpage in 2025.

Stenson’s late defense of the Hero World Challenge opened with a low-key 72 to Albany. Rory McIlroy, Abraham Ancer and Daniel Berger took the lead with 66 seconds. McIlroy recovered impressively from a double bogey seven in the 9th, his second shot having landed in the water. “I was proud of myself playing the back nine in five under was a good response,” said McIlroy. “I’m right in the tournament.

“I wish it had been another time of year in the way I played, but there’s no reason I couldn’t pick up in January and keep playing the way I play. I’m happy with where my game is. I really took a step forward after the Ryder Cup.

Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Webb Simpson are under five.