Keegan Bradley opens up on the PGA Tour winner he hated leaving off the Ryder Cup team

Maverick McNealy was one of the players who missed out on a spot, and Bradley addressed that shortly after announcing his selections.

He said: “Very, very difficult call to Mav. Incredible kid, played well all year long. I was very upfront with the guys that hadn’t made the team.

“You really have to make the team on points in your first team, it’s really difficult to get a pick in your first team event.

“I made that very clear to him and he still played great. I played with him a bunch of times this year and I was really impressed with his game.

“I told him it’s okay to be angry, I left these calls really angry most times. You can use this as fuel. I said please be angry with me and make the next team. Make Brandt’s [Snedeker] Presidents Cup team.

“I used it as fuel for most my career and I advised Mav to do the same thing because he made a great run at making this team and ultimately that was a really tough decision.”

Maverick McNealy’s PGA Tour form in 2025

McNealy had the Ryder Cup on his radar throughout the season, but fell just short of earning a place under Bradley.

The 29-year-old has one PGA Tour win to his name, having taken The RSM Classic title in 2024.

He nearly added another this year, finishing runner-up at The Genesis Invitational.

Ludvig Aberg ended up taking the win at Torrey Pines, edging out McNealy by just one stroke.

McNealy’s exclusion from this year’s team, as Bradley pointed out, could motivate him to strive for future selections.

Next month, the Ryder Cup returns to New York, with the hosts looking to reclaim the trophy from Team Europe. McNealy finished 10th in American qualification, ahead of Bradley.