Keegan Bradley expresses wish to be playing captain for the Ryder Cup, says Tiger Woods would have wanted the same
Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on Sunday. The 38-year-old’s win came just weeks after he was unveiled as the new US Ryder Cup team captain. Following this, he reiterated his wish to be a playing captain at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Bradley, the youngest US Ryder Cup team captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963, said being a playing captain is a realistic alternative. Replying to a media query on whether his current form would help the notion, the seven-time PGA Tour winner stated that no other player had the ‘opportunity’ that he has.
However, he noted that the officials weren’t appointing him as a player captain straightaway and made his role clear ahead of his unveiling. Interestingly, the 2011 PGA Championship even claimed that players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson would’ve played in their teams if they were made captains at his age.
Keegan Bradley said in the 2024 BMW Championship winner’s press conference, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“I'm proud to be the Ryder Cup captain… I would love to be a playing captain. I know it's never -- no one has really had the opportunity that I've had. I think you could have given Phil (Mickelson) or Tiger (Woods) a chance to be captain at my age and they would have played on the teams. But it's never really had a chance to happen.”
However, Bradley added that he would not pick himself as a captain's pick and would try to automatically qualify for the competition. The in-form golfer stated that it was “going to be really hard” for him as well.
He added:
“It's going to be really hard for me to make that team, but if I make the team, I'll play. I don't see myself being a captain's pick. But I'll be proud to just be the captain… If I have to go out there and play, I'd love to do that, too.”
It is pertinent to note that Keegan Bradley was announced as the new US Ryder Cup team captain in July. The surprise unveiling came months after speculations of Tiger Woods becoming the new skipper surfaced online.
However, the PGA of America picked Bradley, who has played in only two editions of the competition and never was an assistant captain, as the candidate to lead the 2025 matches in New York.
Keegan Bradley discusses his responsibilities as the new Ryder Cup captain
Keegan Bradley stated that he has an “obligation to some of the younger players” to mentor them ahead of the tournament next year. He said it wasn’t “work by any means,” hinting at casual meetings amid the ongoing FedExCup Playoffs. The veteran PGA Tour star dubbed it ‘fun to get to know’ players like Sahith Theegala and Cameron Young.
Talking about trying to balance Ryder Cup responsibilities and playing, Keegan Bradley said at Castle Pines, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“Well, I just feel like I have an obligation to some of the younger players to talk to them, get to know them a little more. Nothing that has been work by any means. It's actually been fun for me to get to know Sahith (Theegala) and some of these younger guys that have just gotten out here. A guy like Cameron Young, you think he's been out here forever, this is only his third Playoffs.”
Bradley reiterated it wasn’t “not hard work” and he simply discussed subjects like “picking out the golf bag and stuff.” However, he revealed plans to further ‘ramp up’ the process. Furthermore, he said having veterans like Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson to help with the process has ‘been great.’