(Reuters) -Justin Rose is one of the leading names in contention to take over the captaincy of Team Europe at the next Ryder Cup should Luke Donald step aside, but the 2013 U.S. Open champion is wary of how the role would impact his playing schedule.
Former world number one Donald steered Europe to victory in Rome in 2023 and a rare away win at Bethpage Black last week, where he became the first repeat captain since Bernard Gallacher coached his third in a row in 1995.
However, he has not yet committed to a third stint as captain at Adare Manor in 2027, with 45-year-old Rose, who was the oldest player for Team Europe this year, among those being mentioned as a potential successor.
"The captaincy would compromise my playing schedule, that's the decision I haven't come to terms with. Or made," Rose told British media.
"I'm not even sure when this decision needs to be made. There's no clear path on this, it's Luke's decision, first and foremost, see what he wants to do, then go from there, it remains to be seen."
Rose has enjoyed a career renaissance in recent years, finishing as runner-up at the British Open in 2024 and the Masters in 2025.
He said he still enjoyed challenging himself as a player.
"A lot of captains have said, take your playing days for as long as you can," he added. "It's not about being on a team, but it's about playing well enough to be useful to that team. That's my goal, I think, going forward."
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
