After considerable angst, Keegan Bradley decided to stick to his duties as captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team and pass on the opportunity to play in the matches against Europe next month at Bethpage Black.
Bradley made the announcement Wednesday in a news conference at PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Texas, where he named Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cam Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns to fill out his 12-man team.
The eight-time PGA Tour winner who was infamously left off the squad that eventually was trounced in Rome two years ago, had a compelling case to pick himself but ultimately opted against the challenging situation of being in charge of the team while playing on it.
Related: Here's are the six picks the SI Golf team would've made
Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau had earned the six automatic qualifying places that were determined via a two-year points process that concluded on Aug. 17 at the BMW Championship.
“It’s going to be said so many times between now and the end of the Ryder Cup: he did and will continue to do whatever he feels is best for the team,” said Thomas, who finished seventh in points and was the first player named by Bradley. “And that’s what he did. It’s been a really, really cool process to be part of it.
“The communication and how transparent Keegan has been isn’t something we have experienced before. Probably guys heard things they wouldn’t be expecting to hear. Brutally honest, if you will. I think that’s just how he’s approached the entire captaincy. He wants to do as well as he possibly can. At the same time leading us to a victory will be a cooler than any experience he can have as a player.”
The Americans are looking to extend their home winning streak to three straight when the event takes place Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black on Long Island.
Bradley was the surprise choice to lead the U.S. team when the PGA of America announced the decision in July of 2024 after Tiger Woods turned down the job. At the time, Bradley said it was unlikely he would play, a stance he wavered on in recent months.
“I’m not going to pick myself,” he said then. “The only way that would happen is if the team was insisting on it. But if they did, I don’t see it happening. I want to make the team on points, otherwise I’m going to be the captain.”
But after winning the Travelers Championship in June, giving him two victories in the past 13 months, Bradley said: “This changes the story a little bit.”
Many of his potential teammates and assistant captains had lobbied him to play. And the decision as to whether he would or would not ended up dominating the discourse for the last several weeks.
“It’s really strange,” Bradley said. “This whole year has been really strange, to be honest. I’ve been really surprised at the attention this has gotten. I understand the weight and the history and all that comes with it. I was really focused on being the captain all year. I never really considered playing until after the Travelers. It was on the table for a while. I was really wanting to be the best captain I can be. I really feel like this is the best decision that was made. Strange it got so much hype. But the Ryder Cup is a big deal, apparently.”
A much bigger deal than in 1963, the last time the U.S. had a playing captain. That was Arnold Palmer, who was 34 at the time, playing in just his second Ryder Cup, and chosen as captain only a few months prior. The U.S. won easily at a time when it was expected.
Bradley said he wished he could have called Palmer—who passed away in 2016—for advice, but also acknowledged that the Ryder Cup, the captaincy, the entire mood around the event is a far bigger deal than it was 62 years ago.
Although he never climbed higher than ninth in the Ryder Cup points race, and finished 11th, it is fair to argue that Bradley is among the top 12 Americans. He is 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking and the eighth-highest ranked American. According to Data Golf, he is the 10th-best American.
But he will lead the team instead of play on it, a decision that is likely to be debated but one that he argued was in the best interest of the U.S. team.
“It's been the most incredible year of my life,” Bradley said before announcing his picks. “My favorite year as a professional. We went through so much this pat year. The thing I cherish the most is the support I got from the fans. People at tournaments, at restaurants, at gas stations. Never thought of that when I was named captain. It’s been the biggest thrill of my life.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Keegan Bradley Makes Six Picks for U.S. Ryder Cup Team and Passes on Selecting Himself.
