Molinari an option as Donald mulls Adare captaincy

Luke Donald is clearly the players' choice, but it remains to be seen if he will become the first three-time European captain since Bernard Gallacher when Adare Manor hosts the Ryder Cup 2027.

While Justin Rose was considered Donald's likely successor in Co. Limerick, the Englishman's impressive performance at Bethpage Black gave Tommy Fleetwood the impression he's "going to be playing in the Ryder Cup when he's 102 years old."

Italy's Francesco Molinari looks the likely alternative to Donald, who said, "My answer is I'm going to enjoy tonight," as his players chanted "two more years" on Sunday night.

Just four of Donald's triumphant European team are in action in this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre and Matt Fitzpatrick join Pádraig Harrington at Carnoustie today, while Conor Purcell, who needs a big week as he battles for his card, plays at Kingsbarns.

Skippering Europe for the third time in a row would be a major commitment for Donald, but Fleetwood and Hatton made no secret of their admiration yesterday for a captain Shane Lowry described on Sunday as "the greatest captain I think that's ever lived."

"We'll see what happens," Fleetwood said. "I think the ball is probably in Luke's court, and I think he's earned that.

"Justin is going to be playing in the Ryder Cup when he's 102 years old, maybe. We might have to wait a while for Justin to be a captain.

"And Francesco, I spoke to Francesco about it numerous times. I think the respect he has for his peers and the players, his accomplishments and his experience, I think goes a long way to being a Ryder Cup captain.

"It's up to the individual if they want to put their names forward and see where it goes from there.

"Whether it's Luke or anybody else, I think we have an amazing blueprint as Team Europe, and I think we have amazing captains lying in wait that will do an amazing job.

"We'll see where we go in the future. But I think we are in good hands for a long time."

Hatton clinched the half point that gave Europe overall victory and while he was reluctant to put pressure on Donald, he made his feelings clear yesterday.

"Well, I mean, Luke's done an incredible job the last three-and-a-half years," Hatton said. "The amount of time, dedication that him and -- to have him put into that was amazing.

"Yeah, they have got a lot of stats to digest, but in terms of Ryder Cup Captain for Ireland, I don't know.

"It will be interesting to see who it is, but I don't want to sort of make a comment on any of that other than just saying I think we all know what an amazing job Luke's done."

As for the insults he received, Hatton joked they were "around height or hair line or weight", some of which I pretty much said to myself anyway, so it wasn't like anything new."

Meanwhile, Ireland got off to a slow start in the World Amateur Team Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy in Singapore.

Aine Donegan and Emma Fleming shot two-over 74s and Beth Coulter a discarded 77 to leave them in joint 20th on four-over, 12 strokes behind the USA.