Luke Donald joked about the vastly different bar bills racked up by US and European teams as he opened up on boozy Ryder Cup celebrations.
The European captain - who has been tasked with reclaiming the Ryder Cup in Rome next year - won all four editions of the biennial showdown that he played in. Donald debuted in Europe's victory at Oakland Hills in 2004 and was part of the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012. Such memorable triumphs on away soil go down as two highlights of the former world no.1's career.
The celebrations that go with victory in the prestigious team event are just as unforgettable - as players get a rare chance to celebrate an achievement with players they share close bonds with. And Donald has revealed a brilliant story of how the European team made the most of their 18 1/2 - 9 1/12 thrashing of the US team at Oakland Hills in Michigan. He recalls being told the huge bill that his team amassed, in stark contrast to a modest US sum.
"I went back to Oakland Hills for the first time a few months ago, I had a corporate day there. I was playing with one of the members," he recalled on Andrew Johnston's Beef Golf podcast.
"Apparently this is folklore within the membership at Oakland Hills. So the bar bill for the US at the end of the Ryder Cup was $600. I said 'what was the European bill?' He said '$30,000!' We like to have a good time."
Donald also lifted the lid on how his teammates celebrated wildly after such an impressive victory almost two decades ago, with Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke enjoying a day-long drinking session.
"All the parties have been fun," Donald said. "I've been lucky to play on four and win on four too. So those are fun, in 2004 we closed down an Irish bar just outside of Detriot till about five in the morning," Donald said.
"I think Darren Clarke went straight from the bar, packed his bag, went on the plane and went straight to the bar on the Virgin plane too. He did about 30 hours straight of boozing on that Ryder Cup.
"In 2006 at the K Club, David Howell was ripping his shirt off singing 'We are the Champions', some of the US guys came in so he stopped for a minute. He thinks 'is this right?' then carries on singing. Stuff like that is just immense."
Donald must overcome a huge challenge if such delirious European celebrations are to be repeated at the Marco Simone course in next year's joust.
The Englishman replaced Henrik Stenson as skipper in unprecedented circumstances after the Swede defected to LIV Golf, and uncertainty still reigns over the Ryder Cup involvement of European players who have joined the Saudi-backed rebel series.
The US team humiliated Europe 19-9 at Whistling Straights last year, but they have not won on European soil in 30 years and their team will look significantly different without LIV Golf rebels such as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
