Keegan Bradley’s ‘really wise’ move could pay off for the US at the Ryder Cup

On the Golf Channel’s Rex and Lav podcast, Ryan Lavner and Rex Hoggard shared their thoughts on Bradley’s decision to name Woodland vice-captain. Hoggard kicked off the discussion by praising the move.

“I think so. Gary is respected in the team room. He is respected as a player, he is still very much an active player so he will be able to add a lot to those conversations about who you would pair him with,“ he said.

“Also the health issues Gary has come through. Everyone respects what he has overcome, how he continues to play and how he continues to be on the PGA Tour. And given the fact that Keegan Bradley seems to be trending more and more towards a player than a captain, I think all of the vice captains will have a lot of voice.“

Then Lavner weighed in on the debate.

“I think it is an interesting choice. On my shortlist of favourites I don’t think I would have put him there. I think I would have put Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar ahead of him.

“But when I thought about it, I think it’s a really wise choice by Keegan Bradley. He’s still in his early 40s, he’s a beloved player, a lot of South Florida ties which is obviously what the majority of this US Ryder Cup team is going to be.

“Although he has been in only one US team previously, that was the 2019 Presidents Cup, the one that traveled to Australia with playing captain Tiger Woods, the guy absolutely bleeds red, white and blue. And let’s be honest here Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker, regardless of what Keegan Bradley ends up doing as a potential playing captain, they are going to be doing the heavy lifting.

“This is an opportunity for Gary Woodland to plug some holes and I foresee him doing so quite well.“

Keegan Bradley as playing captain raises doubts among some fans

Jamie Weir of Sky Sports believes that Bradley acting as a playing captain at the Ryder Cup wouldn’t be a smart choice, even though it seems the most likely scenario right now.

“I found it startling that after the Travelers, he came out at that press conference and revealed the fact that Seth Waugh called him up and said we want you to do both.

“That was the first time I had heard him admit that and I was like really why? I just don’t think in this day and age it is possible to do both.

“I think there are so many demands as a captain and so many things you need to A) have in place beforehand, which you can still do I suppose. But B) you need to be thinking on the hoof.

“If plan A is not working you need to have a plan B, C and D ready to go and the captain needs to make calls and the captain might be out on the golf course playing Rory McIlroy at the time.

“I think it is very difficult in this day and age. In fact, I think it’s impossible. But he is clearly one of the 12 best American golfers, that is unquestionable.

“Whether he still will be come September, who knows. I think he is in a situation now where his duty as a captain is to assemble the best 12 players, so he is letting his team down if he does not pick himself.

“It’s a very confusing situation. I don’t really know how they have got into this situation but the one man who will be smiling from ear to ear is the man who has been in his role for three years straight and has all his ducks in a row and has his backroom team assembled, and is probably going to have a very similar looking team to what he did in Rome, and that’s Luke Donald.

If Bradley does play at the Ryder Cup, his public confidence, magnetic personality and team leadership could be strengths for the Americans.

But trying to carry the torch for the fans while also captaining the side could backfire – especially with an experienced European side led by Luke Donald.

With the 2025 Ryder Cup still several months away, there’s still time for new storylines to develop and for plans to shift. We’ll just have to wait and see if Bradley is still playing both roles when September arrives.