Keegan Bradley could have called his own number, but chose not to. The Ryder Cup captain announced the six players who will round out the U.S. team on Wednesday. They’ll compete against Europe in the biennial event next month at Bethpage Black golf course in Farmingdale, New York.
Who did Bradley choose instead of himself?
Bradley, a first-time captain, chose veteran PGA stars Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns, along with Ryder Cup rookies Ben Griffin and Cameron Young. Those six will be added to an all-star American roster that includes major champions Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau, who automatically qualified on points during the season.
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Bradley was certainly qualified to be a playing captain on the team. He was the last man left off the 2023 Ryder Cup squad, but he has played in the event twice. He is the 8th-ranked U.S. golfer in the world and 11th on the Ryder Cup points list and has two PGA Tour wins in the last 13 months. The New England native wrestled with the decision after his win at the Travelers in June and said Wednesday that it broke his heart not to be playing.
“I would say there was a point where I was playing,” Bradley said. “All these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way on to this team, and that’s something that I’m really proud of, and something that I really wanted. It was an extremely difficult decision, but one that I’m really happy with. I’m really happy with these six players, and I’m glad it’s over.”
Who was the last playing captain for the US?
Arnold Palmer was the last U.S. playing captain in 1963, and though Bradley said he’s glad the decision is over, the scrutiny is just beginning. The Americans have won only 3 of the 11 Ryder Cup tournaments since 2002, which includes a loss in Rome in 2023. The rivalry between the two sides is at an all-time high, and golf’s latest viewership numbers prove that the game is in a good place.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood’s dramatic season-ending Tour Championship win on Sunday was watched by 4.5 million viewers, an increase of 34% from last year. CBS averaged nearly 3 million viewers each weekend during its season-long coverage, a 17% increase from the same period last year. This year’s Ryder Cup could set viewership records, and Morikawa says the pressure to win for your country is real.
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Golf legend Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup. The U.S. team won over Great Britain 23-9, one of the largest margins of victory in history by a U.S. team.
“We always talk about pressure being a privilege, and I think all 12 of us are going to be ready to step on that tee,” Morikawa said. “It’s how we take that into our hands and look at pressure as something that we can overcome, and we’re going to use that as a positive. Obviously, being at home is going to be as helpful as you could ask.”
Who was left off the team?
Bradley’s decisions consumed the golf world for the better part of two months.
Asked why it drew so much attention, he said, “I guess the Ryder Cup is a big deal.”
“The Ryder Cup at Bethpage is going to sort of transcend the golf world,” Bradley said. “I think it’s going to become an iconic North American sporting event. Anytime you play for your country in New York, it’s extra special. Especially at a place like Bethpage Black, that’s a public golf course that the local people play, that is affordable. We have an extreme obligation to defend their course. And I think this is a great opportunity to grow the game. I think that’ll happen naturally with how great this event will be.”
Bradley said the phone calls to players who didn’t make the team, like Maverick McNealy, Chris Gotterup and Brian Harman, were tougher than leaving himself out of the playing rotation. He knows how it feels. He was heartbroken not to receive a captain’s pick for the 2023 event in Italy, which was captured and documented by the Netflix documentary “Full Swing.”
All the drama will be worth it, Bradley said, if the U.S. can win back the cup on its home turf. European captain Luke Donald will make his six picks Monday, rounding out all 24 players who will tee it up starting Sept. 23.
