AR
Keegan Bradley has made his six captain’s picks, and he is not one of them.
The idea of the first Ryder Cup playing captain since 1963 has been a prospect for Bradley ever since he was unexpectedly named head of the United States team last summer, a proposal that crept toward reality as Bradley played his way onto the 2024 Presidents Cup team and turned in strong performances across 2025. When Bradley won the Travelers Championship in June, the idea of the captain being inside the ropes and out seemed like a foregone conclusion. When Bradley spoke to Golf Digest last month for the latest magazine cover, Bradley asserted that being playing captain was manageable.
“When I first started, I didn’t have my five vice captains (Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Gary Woodland), so I didn’t have that support system,” Bradley said. “Now that I have these five guys that each bring unique perspectives, opinions and capabilities to the team, it seems much more manageable now. I still think [being a playing captain] would be very challenging if that’s what happens, but I think it’s much more manageable now with these five guys behind me.”
Bradley reached as high as No. 7 in the World Ranking and is currently No. 11 in the standings. He also finished in the top 12 of the Ryder Cup points system. However, Bradley’s play somewhat plateaued over the next few months as other American players—specifically Cam Young, Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay—elevated their performances over the second half of the summer. Coupled with the responsibilities that come with the captain role, Bradley ultimately decided the best move for America’s chances at Bethpage Black are best served with him solely in the captain’s role.
“This was a really tough decision. I would say there was a point this year where I was playing, a while ago, and all these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way onto this team,” Bradley said Wednesday from the PGA of America headquarters. “I’m really happy with these six players, and I’m glad it’s over.”
Although Bradley had hinted at the Tour Championship last week that he could still be in the mix for a spot, he said on Wednesday that “the decision was made a while ago that I wasn’t playing.”
“I’m 100 percent certain this is the right choice,” Bradley said. “I want to be the best captain I can be.”
The European team will announce its six captain’s picks next week.
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