Francesco Molinari Returns as Vice-Captain for 2025 Ryder Cup
In a strategic move ahead of one of golf’s most intense team competitions, Francesco Molinari has been named as a Vice Captain for Team Europe at the 2025 Ryder Cup, which will take place from September 26–28 at the iconic Bethpage Black in New York, USA.
Captain Luke Donald confirmed Molinari as his fourth Vice Captain, joining Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjørn, and José María Olazábal in Europe’s experienced leadership unit. The decision underscores Donald’s emphasis on proven experience, calm temperament, and tactical insight as Europe prepares to defend the Ryder Cup away from home—a feat not achieved since 2012.
This will be Molinari’s second consecutive Vice Captaincy, having served in the same role at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where Team Europe triumphed over the United States with a convincing 16½ – 11½ victory at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
No stranger to Ryder Cup history, Molinari’s playing record is both historic and inspirational. He famously secured the decisive half-point in the final Singles match against Tiger Woods during the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, sealing Europe’s remarkable comeback and outright victory under José María Olazábal’s captaincy.
In 2018, Molinari wrote his name into the Ryder Cup record books again, becoming the first European player ever to win all five of his matches in a single edition as Europe defeated the U.S. 17½ – 10½ at Le Golf National in Paris.
Speaking on his appointment, Molinari expressed his excitement and determination:
“I’m very happy to be part of the team again. Luke is a very smart and switched-on individual. He leads by example, and that passion trickles down to the players. It’s a big challenge at Bethpage—but also a big opportunity. If we manage to win in New York, it will be remembered for a long time.”
He also emphasized the importance of drawing from past experiences, particularly from the 2012 miracle at Medinah, as Team Europe sets out to repeat history in one of the most challenging environments in modern golf.
Captain Luke Donald highlighted Molinari’s invaluable experience and composed demeanor as key assets in the heat of competition:
“He has an amazing amount of Ryder Cup experience—as a rookie in 2010, clinching the winning half point in 2012, and going 5-0 in 2018. I love his demeanor. He never gets too high or too low, which will be crucial in a passionate, high-pressure setting like New York.”
Donald’s confidence in Molinari extends beyond numbers—his ability to quietly command respect, offer thoughtful insight, and connect with both veterans and rookies makes him a pillar of the European camp.
Beyond the Ryder Cup, Molinari has been a standout on both sides of the Atlantic. He became Italy’s first Major Champion by winning The Open Championship in 2018 at Carnoustie, the same year he topped the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai and captured the Quicken Loans National and Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA TOUR.
He has also served as playing captain for Continental Europe in both editions of the Hero Cup and has represented Europe in three Seve Trophy tournaments.
About the DP World Tour
The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf tour of the European Tour group.
As golf’s global tour, we showcase global talent in global destinations and use our platform to build, entertain and connect our global community.
GLOBAL TALENT: We provide pathways and a platform for the leading international talent, bringing together golfing icons, national heroes and emerging stars from around the world.
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Our 2025 Global Schedule features 42 tournaments in 26 different countries and comprises three distinct phases: five ‘Global Swings’, the ‘Back 9’ and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’. It features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour – and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
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The European Tour group administers the DP World Tour, the HotelPlanner Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, as the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, stages golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup, in partnership with the PGA of America.
The European Tour group has Strategic Partnerships with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association (CGA), the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These partnerships provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group which was established in 1972, as well as the HotelPlanner Tour.
