No McIlroy-Reed, but Luke Donald, Henrik Stenson grouped for Round 3 in Dubai

Prior to being officially named Henrik Stenson’s replacement as European Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald had this to say about a potential appointment to lead the home side in Rome this September.

“If I got this captaincy, I would live up to my word and see it through,” Donald said. “Let me put it that way. I wouldn’t be doing a Henrik.”

Stenson, of course, forfeited his captaincy by signing with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf last summer. Soon after, the five-time Ryder Cupper from Sweden was replaced by the Englishman Donald, who has four Ryder Cups under his belt as a player. Donald and Stenson were teammates as players once, in 2006. The two also have served concurrently as vice captains each of the past two Cups.

On Sunday, Donald and Stenson will be together again. They are grouped together for the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Full-field scores from the Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Many golf fans were hoping to get Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed, tied for seventh at 8 under, in the same threesome for Round 3 at Emirates Golf Club, but they’ll have to settle for Donald and Stenson, who both made the cut on the number.

Tyrrell Hatton, who likely will be on this year’s European team, will round out the group as the third member.

Hatton took to Twitter after the tee sheet was release, responding to a side-by-side video of Hatton and Homer Simpson backing into shrubs, a common meme for someone looking to avoid a situation.

“If the Ryder Cup is mentioned in my group tomorrow morning…,” Hatton wrote, followed by the two-eye emoji and awkward-face emoji.