Exclusive:'Part of his DNA' - Luke Donald addresses Bob MacIntyre question ahead of 2027 Ryder Cup

MacIntyre has played in both Donald’s triumphant teams in the biennial contest, making his debut in Rome in 2023 then qualifying under his own steam again for last year’s match in New York.

The 30-year-old now has his sights set on helping Donald create history in the centenary edition at Adare Manor in Ireland next September by becoming the first captain on either team to win three times.

Speaking at the County Limerick venue, the Englishman said he’d enjoyed watching MacIntyre progress from a raw Ryder Cup player in Italy to someone who already looks as though he is comfortable on one of the biggest stages in golf.

“Yeah, I think he's evolved as a player, and I hope some of that was through his experiences in Ryder Cups,” Donald, who will be up against Jim Furyk on this occasion, told The Scotsman in a sitdown at the exclusive venue owned by JP McManus.

“You know, when you go through tough moments, tough experiences, challenging times, that's where you really feel that growth and understand how much better player you can be.

“Bob's talked about how nervous he was that first tee shot (at Marco Simone Golf Club) and he just seems a lot more comfortable in his own skin and his own game. And his belief in himself.

“He likes to grind it out and he has the knowledge that he can perform in one of the toughest environments in golf. I think that's so great for anyone's confidence, and that must help him as an individual as well.”

MacIntyre spoke at last week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship about how he “plays golf on the edge” and he also opened up during the recent BMW PGA Championship about how he can be “volatile”.

After the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie last Thursday, he was spoken to by a rules official after blowing his top over a drone flying above him, having been irked by the same thing en route to winning the RBC Canadian Open in 2024.

“Part of my job is to create a team culture, but I’ve also got to understand the individual mindsets,” added Donald in reply to being asked about how the Scot can blow hot and cold at times.

“You know what makes them great, and you'd never want to change people. And I think you lean into what they're good at. You find the little things that try and get them to tick, and things that motivate them.

“And, you know, Bob's no different. He likes to win. Doesn't like to play badly. He beats himself up sometimes. He can get annoyed at certain things from time to time. But you know, I think that's all part of his DNA. What makes him great.”