Luke Donald will undertake reconnaissance mission to the notoriously brutal 2025 Ryder Cup venue in New York next month... as Tiger Woods continues to mull over US team captaincy decision

Luke Donald will undertake a reconnaissance mission to the 2025 Ryder Cup venue in New York next month.

At a time when the PGA of America is yet to finalise who will even lead their team, with Tiger Woods mulling over the US captaincy, European preparations are gaining pace.

Mail Sport understands that will include Donald’s trip to Bethpage Black in May to monitor alterations being made to the notoriously brutal course.

No team has won away in the Cup since Europe’s victory in Medinah in 2012 and Donald’s task will be fiendishly difficult in front of what will certainly be a raucous, one-sided crowd. 

His successful first cycle as captain was characterised by a meticulous approach and that seems to have carried through, with Donald having already named Edoardo Molinari as a vice-captain.

Luke Donald will undertake a reconnaissance mission to the 2025 Ryder Cup venue 

The tournament will be hosted at the Bethpage Black course in New York next year 

Tiger Woods, meanwhile, continues to mull over a decision to become the US team's captain

That would seem to have given Europe an early edge on the US, who are currently drifting in the midst of a waiting game with Woods. 

The 15-time major winner has effectively been told the captaincy is his to turn down and revealed on Tuesday that he will finally hold direct talks about the position next week.

Bethpage Black is renowned for being one of the most difficult courses in the world 

It features a trecherous rough and a variety of tricky bunkers that are dotted around the course

Donald's successful first cycle as captain was characterised by a meticulous approach

He has also already named Edoardo Molinari as his vice-captain for the tournament

The delay in crystalising the US situation has also had a bearing on Europe’s preparations as there is a desire behind the scenes for the two captains to strike an early agreement around what to do around the eligibility of golfers who departed to the LIV circuit. 

With Europe at risk of losing Jon Rahm, Donald’s need would seem to be more pressing.