Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup captaincy decision leaves fans after snub | Golf | Sport
Keegan Bradley has been named as Team USA captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup, despite missing out as a player last year. Bradley is “honoured” to have been awarded the position and will look to prove his critics wrong after a total snub in 2023.
The 38-year-old was at the centre of an awkward rejection ahead of the previous Ryder Cup, as camera crews picked up his reaction to being left out.
Bradley is ready to write a new chapter in 2025, as he said: “I am incredibly honoured to accept this opportunity to Captain the United States Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup. I would like to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for their trust in me as we embark on this journey to Bethpage Black.
“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”
Bradley’s prior rejection was filmed by Netflix and featured in season two of Full Swing, as former captain Zach Johnson was dealt the difficult task of breaking the news. Bradley admitted that he was tipped off about camera crews arriving at his house which made him assume he would be picked for the Ryder Cup, but that wasn’t the case.
The situation was explained on the ForePlay podcast, as Bradley revealed: “I got a text from Zach, ‘Hey, guys, I’m going to be calling everybody tomorrow morning.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, —-, I got another night now of sweating this out.’
“I wake up, I’m very tired, and I get a call from Netflix and they say, ‘Keegan, we got a camera crew five minutes from your house.’ Why would they be sending a camera crew if I’m not going to get picked?”
Bradley admitted it was “devastating” and fans expressed anger at the time as such a tough moment was made very public by the Netflix crews. “For the first time, I let my brain think I did it. Why would they be rushing a camera crew to my house?” Bradley added. “As soon as I picked up the phone, it was like a ‘Hey, Keegan… ‘ And I look over at Jill a second into the call, and I go like, ‘no’. It was devastating.”
PGA of America President, John Lindert, officially announced the good news on Monday, marking Bradley’s return after 11 years. “I am proud and excited to name Keegan Bradley as Captain of the 2025 United States Ryder Cup Team,” said Lindert.
“Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for this event will prove invaluable as he guides the U.S. Team over the next year and a half. We are confident that with Keegan at the helm, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has defined his career.”
