Luke Donald has opened up on how taking on the European Ryder Cup captaincy has helped 'give him focus' after admitting that he took the role at a time when his 'game was going backwards.'

The British golf star, who has won five times on the PGA Tour, has enjoyed plenty of success during his career, notably also winning the Ryder Cup four times as a player.

The 47-year-old had twice served as a vice-captain before taking over from Henrik Stenson in 2022 after the Swedish star opted to join LIV Golf.

Prior to his appointment in 2022, Donald had been struggling for individual form. He made just two appearances at the majors between 2017 and 2022, missing the cut at the 2017 PGA Championship before finishing T72 at the US Open in 2019.

'I took this role on in kind of a tricky time as an individual in golf,' he told The Sports Agents Podcast.

'My individual game was going the wrong way, I would say.

'And this gave me real focus, a real purpose, to get my teeth into something, be engaged with the players, and do something that I really loved, which is to be a part of the Ryder Cup.'

Only six other players have captained a Ryder Cup team on more than one occasion and following Donald's success guiding the side to glory in 2023, it was announced last year that he will take charge of the side for this year's tournament at Bethpage.

'I've had so many amazing experiences as a player and as a vice-captain. And then to have the honour of being the captain was really, really special,' Donald added.

'I was really fortunate to be able to do it once and to do it twice is really special.'

Discussing his captaincy style, the Englishman added: 'Win, lose or draw, at the end of the week, on Sunday, these guys walk away from the week thinking it was the best week of their lives, and they had a great experience.'

His relationships with the players and style of management has been applauded in the past, with Donald opening up on how he broached the topical subject of pay to players after it was revealed that the US team would be renumerated approximately $400,000 each for playing at this year's tournament.

The subject has been a controversial one, with McIlroy claiming he would 'pay to have the privilege of playing' at the Ryder Cup.

'I heard rumours that the US were maybe going to go down that route [to being paid], and I certainly wanted to get ahead of it,' Donald said. 'And so, I just asked everyone. Overwhelmingly, they were like: "It doesn't matter what they're doing. We have a great purpose; we have a great plan. We love the week, what it represents".'

Donald delved further into why European players have chosen not to receive payments at the biennial tournament.

'We're not getting paid directly, because we feel like the money that is raised is very beneficial to grow in the grassroots of the deeper World Tour,' he added.

'Now, it's at that point right now where we're very satisfied to go out there and give it all we have for that week. Again, we have a strong purpose about why we play the Ryder Cup.'

But while European players won't take outright payments for their performances at the tournament, there is a way that players can be renumerated by playing well at the Ryder Cup in Donald's view.

'We understand that if you play well, that your brand already goes up in value,' he said.

'That's a way to sort of monetise the Ryder Cup, if you want.

'And some people's big club contracts, if they make the Ryder Cup, there's a bonus.

'So I wouldn't say they're not getting paid, but we're not getting paid directly.'