Keegan Bradley has expressed his desire to be a playing captain at the Ryder Cup after the 38-year-old was announced as the man to lead Team USA into next year’s event at Bethpage Black.
Bradley was officially unveiled as the new United States Ryder Cup captain by the PGA of America at a press conference on Tuesday.
The 2011 PGA Championship winner, who narrowly missed out on a wildcard spot in last year’s US Ryder Cup team, said he still feels in the prime of his career and wants to “play on the team” when the event returns to America next year.
“One thing that is important to me is I want to play on the team,” said Bradley, who has played in two Ryder Cups. “I feel as though I'm still in the prime of my career and can make this team.”
However, he will have to do so by making the team on points and won’t choose himself as a captain’s pick.
“I'm not going to pick myself,” he said. ”The only way that would happen is if the team was insisting on it. But even if they did, I don't see that happening. I want to make the team on points, otherwise I'm going to be the captain.”
Bradley was a surprise pick for the role, given his age, lack of experience as a vice-captain and having played in only two Ryder Cups.
The six-time PGA Tour winner got the job after the US Ryder Cup committee’s first choice, Tiger Woods, declined the role due to his commitments as player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board.
Bradley admitted that he was as surprised as anyone else when he was first offered the job two weeks ago, revealing that previous US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson broke the news to him.
“Zach Johnson is the one who told me that I was going to be a Ryder Cup captain in 2025. I think it just speaks to what kind of man and person Zach Johnson is. Just such respect for him. He was one of the idols that I looked up to when I first came up on the tour.
“I feel terrible for what he's had to go through and I'm so honored that he was the one who called me. I'm going to represent this decision to the best of my abilities and I'm really excited.”
Despite his relative inexperience compared to past captains, Bradley said he believes he can offer something new to the role.
“I would say I'm going to take a fresh look at my vice-captains. They're going to be a lot younger, closer to playing. I'm going to be out there with the guys. I'm going to be playing in the same tournaments they're going to be playing in. I'm going to be playing in Majors with them.
“I'm going to be playing week-to-week alongside these guys, in the locker room, practice rounds, dinners. As opposed to in the past at Ryder Cups, they've got to fly in, they've got to schedule all these things. I'm going to have a year of being with the guys as a peer.
“It's a great honor that my peers chose me to do this. I don't have the experience that a lot of the other captains had, but I know these guys really well. I'm connected to these guys and I see them every week.”
He also opened the door for LIV Golf players to be included in his team: “I’m going to have the 12 best players on the team. I don’t care where they play.”
Ultimately, Bradley said he believes he is capable of leading Team USA to victory at Bethpage Black next year.
“The dream of being a Ryder Cup captain is something that a lot of us don't even think about because it's such a prestigious honor. I never knew if I would get this opportunity. I always felt like this is something that I would love to do and be able to handle.
“I'm so honored to be able to be the leader of this team. I'm going to Bethpage to win the Ryder Cup back for America.”
