The PGA of America has chosen Keegan Bradley as the U.S. Ryder Cup team’s first alternate playing captain. He’ll be the captain when the Americans play the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black in New York. Having previously spent concessions or transit dollars to fund his transit, Bradley has achieved a significant career milestone. He’ll be the youngest American captain ever, since Arnold Palmer accepted the post in 1963. Bradley is the No. 9 player in the Ryder Cup standings. In short, he wants to bring a new way of thinking and a whole new level of care for players to his team.
That’s particularly notable because Bradley has won two PGA Tour events over the last year, more than any other American aside from Scottie Scheffler. Next, he’ll get to announce six captain’s choices for the Ryder Cup team. In addition to his unique skills, his recent success on the tour has earned him the respect of the other top players. He’s now 6th in points. He was awarded this honor after surviving a major defeat. He was passed over for the 2023 squad in favor of Justin Thomas, and that omission stung badly.
I never really planned on playing. I did want to be only the captain, though. Bradley added, putting the spotlight on the very reason he’s come to leadership. He expressed a willingness to adapt, saying, “Now, with the amazing vice captains that I have, and I have a better perspective of playing in the Presidents Cup and being around a lot of the guys, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route.”
Only Xander Schauffele and J.J. Spaun have him ahead in the Ryder Cup standings. Both players are incredibly talented and they’re fighting tooth and nail for very important spots on the team. Giant killers notable by the names of Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Harris English, Maverick McNealy and Brian Harman recently nipped at their heels. They are all passionately competing to win their seats!
Bradley’s path to becoming a professional golfer began at St. John’s University, where he honed his craft and grew as an individual. He then went on to an acclaimed career, where he made his Ryder Cup debut at Medinah in 2012 and again at Gleneagles in 2014. His personal arc has been incredible, soaring to a career-high of No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
As captain, Bradley is focused on continuing to serve his teammates and create that competitive team brotherhood. “I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys. They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities,” he stated.
Leave a Reply