Olazábal Returns to Inspire as Donald's Right-Hand Man
Ryder Cup icon brings passion and pedigree back to Team Europe’s corner for Bethpage battle
Chungju, Korea - José María Olazábal, the heartbeat of European Ryder Cup history, will again don the vice captain’s mantle as he rejoins Luke Donald’s trusted inner circle for the 2025 contest at Bethpage Black in New York.
The 59-year-old Spaniard, whose name is etched in Ryder Cup folklore following the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, returns to the fray alongside Thomas Bjørn and Edoardo Molinari—reprising a role he last held in Rome, where Europe triumphed 16½–11½.
“I thought hard about it,” Olazábal admitted. “New York will be loud and intense, but the Ryder Cup is in my blood. It’s a challenge like no other—and I’m ready.”
This marks Olazábal’s fifth vice captaincy, complementing a storied playing career that includes seven Ryder Cups and a glittering partnership with the late Seve Ballesteros—the duo winning 12 points in 15 matches, a record unmatched.
Captain Donald was effusive in praise: “He bleeds blue and gold. His passion, his calm, his experience—it made all the difference in Rome, and it will again in New York.”
Olazábal brings more than just fire to the team room. He is the last European captain to have conquered American soil. That experience could prove invaluable as Team Europe ventures into the lion’s den of Bethpage, where the crowd will be partisan, the setup unforgiving.
“It’s about preparation, mental strength,” he added. “We’ll need to be ready for everything.”
With 33 professional titles and two Green Jackets to his name, Olazábal remains a guiding light. His voice will be steady, his passion unmistakable, and his legacy—still growing.