Keegan Bradley is making one other Ryder Cup group, this time because the U.S. captain. The PGA of America introduced his choice Monday after months of speaking with Tiger Woods about taking the job.
The PGA of America launched the information on Instagram after phrase started to leak through the day that Bradley, who has performed on solely two Ryder Cup groups and by no means was an assistant captain, was chosen to guide the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black in New York.
Bradley already was in New York going by media coaching, with a information convention to introduce him set for midday Tuesday on the NASDAQ constructing. At age 38, he would be the youngest American captain since Arnold Palmer was a enjoying captain in 1963 at East Lake.
Sports activities Illustrated was first to report that Bradley could be the subsequent captain.
Woods was the primary selection of the Ryder Cup committee and had been in negotiations for months about what the job would entail and whether or not he had time to satisfy the duties, lots of which contain promotion of the occasion.
Whereas he performs solely a restricted schedule, Woods is the vice chairman of the business PGA Tour Enterprises board because it tries to hammer out an funding cope with the Saudi backers of rival LIV Golf.
He was a enjoying captain for the 2019 Presidents Cup when the Individuals gained at Royal Melbourne, and he served as an assistant Ryder Cup captain at Hazeltine in 2016.
“I am dedicating a lot time to what we’re doing with the PGA Tour. I do not wish to not fulfill the position of the captaincy if I am unable to do it,” Woods had stated in Could on the PGA Championship.
As soon as Woods wasn’t an possibility, the PGA of America went for some native taste with Bradley. He’s from New England and performed faculty golf at St. John’s.
“Keegan’s previous Ryder Cup expertise, sturdy relationships and unwavering ardour for this occasion will show invaluable as he guides the U.S. group over the subsequent yr and a half,” PGA of America president John Lindert stated. “We’re assured that with Keegan on the helm, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup group will compete at Bethpage with the identical confidence and dedication that has outlined his profession.”
Bradley has six PGA Tour victories, together with the 2011 PGA Championship. Two of these victories got here final season, and Bradley figured it is perhaps sufficient for him to make one other Ryder Cup group. He was devastated when U.S. captain Zach Johnson ignored him together with his six captain’s picks, going with Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns.
The prototype of Ryder Cup captains usually is a participant simply exterior the prime of his profession, normally in his mid-40s. And ever since gamers gained a stronger voice in choosing captains after the 2014 matches, the mannequin has been for future captains to first function assistants on the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.
The template is also for the instant previous captain — Johnson on this case — to be an assistant on the subsequent Ryder Cup. With a lot outside-the-box considering on the Bradley choice, it was not instantly clear if that was nonetheless true.
Bradley final performed within the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2014, when Tom Watson benched him and Phil Mickelson for each Saturday periods in one other European victory.
Bradley made his Ryder Cup debut in Medinah in 2012, teaming with Mickelson to go 3-0 earlier than shedding to Rory McIlroy in singles in what turned out to be a European victory, the biggest comeback by a visiting group.
He famously didn’t unpack his bag from the 2012 matches and stated he wouldn’t open it till he was on a successful group. Now he would possibly get that likelihood.
“My ardour and appreciation for golf’s biggest group occasion have by no means been stronger,” Bradley stated in a information launch. “The Ryder Cup is not like some other competitors in our sport, and this version will undoubtedly be notably particular given the wealthy historical past and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I stay up for starting preparations for 2025.”
That is the newest the Individuals have chosen a captain in additional than 30 years. It was by no means purported to take this lengthy or be this difficult.
Mickelson had been the logical selection for this Ryder Cup ever since Bethpage Black was introduced because the venue in 2013. New York loves Lefty, and he was the sentimental favourite in two runner-up finishes in U.S. Opens at Bethpage Black.
However he grew to become a chief recruiter for LIV Golf and joined the Saudi league in 2022, falling out of favor with a number of PGA Tour gamers due to his promotion of the rival circuit. Then it fell to Woods, and that did not work out after a number of months of discussions.
Luke Donald solely had 14 months to organize for the 2023 matches exterior Rome when he was picked to guide Europe after Henrik Stenson joined LIV and misplaced the captaincy. Europe gained handily, and Donald was chosen to guide Europe once more at Bethpage Black.
