This year’s winning European Ryder Cup team, captained by Luke Donald, has been voted the recipient of the prestigious Association of Golf Writers Trophy for 2023.
Members of the Association, and in a very close decision, voted with a majority in favour of the European Ryder Cup team, who regained the Ryder Cup with a comprehensive five-point triumph at the Marco Simone G&CC in Rome in October.
This year marks a 73rd straight year members have voted for the award, while the decision also celebrates a seventh occasion since 1985, and a first since 2006, that the European Ryder Cup team has been honoured the AGW’s leading award.
Donald had been a member of both the 2004 and 2006 European winning teams that were honoured with the AGW Golf Writers award, while the AGW members voted in favour of awarding Donald the trophy in 2011 for his outstanding individual golfing efforts in the year when he reached world no.1.
In accepting the award on behalf of his team, Donald said: “I can say that each and every one of us on the European Ryder Cup team is delighted to have been voted as the winners of this year’s AGW Golf Writers Trophy. One of the things I was most proud of at Marco Simone was the culture we created within the group, where everyone was valued and everyone played their part in such a memorable triumph. It is therefore highly appropriate that we have won this as a group too.
“I was honoured to win this prestigious award in the past as part of the successful European Ryder Cup winning teams of both 2004 and 2006, as well as individually in 2011, and I am as grateful now as I was on those occasions.
He added: “Myself and all the players recognise and appreciate the important role the golf writers play in our business, both promoting the sport and telling our stories. These are the people who really know what professional golf is all about, and to be recognised by them makes it doubly special.”
AGW Chairman Phil Reid said: “What a great honour as the new AGW Chairman to advise Luke Donald members of the Association had voted to award the 2023 Golf Writers trophy to the victorious European Ryder Cup team. The European team under Luke’s tremendous leadership and dedication, added yet another memorable chapter in the long history of the Ryder Cup.
“As the award honours the European Ryder Cup team, the Association also congratulates the work of Luke’s own ‘backroom’ team along with the tremendous support of all those at the European Tour. The closeness of the vote among the members of the Association also reflected what a wonderful European golfing year for both the professional and amateur game.”
The 2023 Golf Writers trophy vote was a close decision, with Masters champion Jon Rahm also in the running right up until to the receipt of the last of the votes, while AGW members also recognised the efforts of the European Solheim Cup team in retaining the trophy in Spain; Rory McIlroy’s efforts in winning a fifth Race to Dubai title; and Viktor Hovland ending his PGA Tour season in winning style at the FedEx Cup.
There was also strong support for French golfer Celine Boutier, after a marvellous season that included her maiden major championship triumph on home soil in the Evian Championship, and for Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg, while the AGW recognised the efforts of the European Junior Ryder Cup team, led by Stephen Gallacher, who ended a run of six straight US wins with victory a day prior to the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone in Rome.
The AGW Golf Writers Trophy will be presented to Luke Donald, on behalf of his winning Ryder Cup team, at the 2024 AGW annual dinner at Royal Troon next July.