Keegan Bradley stuck with the job he was assigned, resisting the role he dreamed of, and will not be a playing captain at the Ryder Cup next month.
Bradley, 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking, announced Wednesday the six captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup to complete his 12-man roster for the 2025 event at Bethpage Black. Despite a ranking ahead of captain’s picks Ben Griffin (17th), Bryson DeChambeau (18th), Cam Young (20th), Patrick Cantlay (21st) and Sam Burns (22nd).
“The decision was made a while ago that I wasn’t playing,” Bradley said. “This was a really tough decision. All of these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way onto the team. It was an extremely difficult decision, but one I’m really happy with. I’m really happy with these six players. I’m glad it’s over.”
Bradley said he didn’t take comments from Rory McIlroy to heart because no one alive has ever done it. Bradley said McIlroy’s assertion it wouldn’t be possible to be effective as a player and captain was never discussed with U.S. vice captains or automatic qualifiers.
“I grew up wanting to play Ryder Cups. I grew up wanting to fight alongside these guys. It broke my heart not to play. It really did,” Bradley said. “You work forever to make these teams. But ultimately I was chosen to do a job. I was chosen to be the captain of this team. My ultimate goal to start this thing was to be the best captain I could be. This is how I felt like I could do this. If it got to this point and it felt like the team was better with me on it, I was going to do that. I know 100 percent certain this was the right choice. These six guys, again, played so incredibly coming down the stretch here and made my decision a lot easier.”
Ryder Cup veteran Justin Thomas said he knows Bradley, 39, is “gutted” but took his pledge seriously to serve as the best captain above other duties.
“Keegan said it perfectly,” Thomas said. “It’s going to be said so many times between now and the Ryder Cup, Keegan did and will do whatever he needs to do with the team.”
Bradley said it’s “strange” his play-or-captain call received so much “hype, but the Ryder Cup is a big deal, apparently.”
