English · Nassau, Bahamas · Born 7 December 1977English golfer who became world No.1 in 2011 and later captained Europe to consecutive Ryder Cup victories.
Luke Campbell Donald was born on 7 December 1977 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, to Colin Donald, a pilot and shipping business owner, and Ann Donald, and began playing golf at the local Little Hay par-three course with his father and two brothers. Donald excelled at Northwestern University, becoming a four-time All-American and winning the 1999 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship with a scoring record that surpassed the previous mark set by Tiger Woods, before turning professional in 2001. Donald reached the world No. 1 ranking on 29 May 2011, holding the position for a cumulative 56 weeks, and became just the second player in history, alongside fellow Englishman Lee Westwood, to reach world No. 1 without ever winning a major championship, despite eight top-ten major finishes across his career. Donald represented Europe in four Ryder Cups as a player, winning all four, including a crucial singles victory during the famous "Miracle at Medinah" comeback in 2012, and later captained the European team to victory in both 2023 and 2025, becoming only the second captain in Ryder Cup history, after Tony Jacklin, to win the competition both at home and away.
Reaching World No.1 without a major title; 2023/2025 Ryder Cup winning captain
How They Played
Exceptional short game and putting accuracy
Lasting Impact
First player to top both PGA Tour and European Tour money lists in same year
Career Honours
- World No.1 2011
- PGA Player of the Year 2011
- Ryder Cup winning captain 2023, 2025