“I mean you're all going to see this” - Keegan Bradley opens up about ‘emotional’ Ryder Cup snub phone call filmed by Netflix
Keegan Bradley was one of the biggest snubs for the Team USA Ryder Cup squad. He was not selected as a captain's choice despite being in good form and ranking ahead of a few players that made the team on points.
The decisions were set to be made on a Monday, as captain Zach Johnson said on Sunday night that he would call everyone and speak to them the following morning. He was expecting another nervous night when Netflix called.
He said via Golf Monthly:
"I got a text from Zach, saying hey you guys I'm going to be calling everyone tomorrow morning. I thought I've 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've got a camera crew five minutes from your house.'"
He was sorely confused by this. He admitted that he didn't think Netflix, which produces the Full Swing documentary on the world of golf, would want to film him unless they had advanced intel that Bradley was making the team. That was a moment they'd want to capture, so he let himself think he'd made it.
His demeanor changed as soon he got the call, which held an unexpected message:
"And as soon as I picked up the phone he was like 'hey Keegan...' one of those and I look over at Jill a second into the call and go 'no'. He was really nice and hung up the phone and, I mean you're all going to see this. This is all real life, no one's ever seen this call before. It was devastating."
The Netflix crew captured the moment, which was ultimately raw and revealing. When the next season of Full Swing is released, the world will see what Keegan Bradley went through that day.
Keegan Bradley vowed to never be snubbed again
The golfer admitted recently that he'd been banking on a captain's choice. He tried to befriend and cozy up to those involved and those who would be on the team. He further added:
“I’ve always been an outsider in the sport but I have tried to get closer to the guys I thought would be on the team. I feel like moving forward I’m going to have to automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup.”
The first six players in the standings automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup and these were those players:
- Scottie Scheffler (qualifier)
- Wyndham Clark (qualifier)
- Brian Harman (qualifier)
- Patrick Cantlay (qualifier)
- Max Homa (qualifier)
- Xander Schauffele (qualifier)
If that same logic had been applied to captain's choice, then Brooks Koepka (7), Jordan Spieth (8), Cameron Young (9), Collin Morikawa (10), Bradley (11) and Sam Burns (12) would have made the squad.
Instead, these players were picked:
- Brooks Koepka (7)
- Jordan Spieth (8)
- Collin Morikawa (10)
- Sam Burns (12)
- Rickie Fowler (13)
- Justin Thomas (15)
Keegan Bradley vowed to never let himself be snubbed again. He decided to be an automatic qualifier and not leave it to chance in the future.