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Why Keegan Bradley Refused to Be the U.S. Ryder Cup Playing-Captain

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Ajayi Segun | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 4:49 PM ET

U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley has revealed the real reason he decided not to pick himself as playing captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. He admitted it was a “tough decision” to leave himself out of the team, but he said that trying to balance both roles would have been unfair to the players and to the event.

Bradley Made the Decision Not to Play a While Ago

Bradley entered the summer playing some of the best golf of his career . He won the Travelers Championship in June and posted several strong finishes that pushed him up to 11th in the world rankings. He was also 11th in the Ryder Cup points standings, meaning he had every right to put himself on the team. Many expected he might even make history as the first U.S. playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

The 39-year-old chose Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns as his captain’s picks. They joined automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau to complete the 12-man U.S. team.

“If I felt I needed to play in this team to help the team win, I would have,” Bradley said. “The decision was made a while ago that I wasn’t playing. The last 48 hours we had the team set. We weren’t scrambling at all…This was a really tough decision. I would say there was a point this year where I was playing, a while ago, and all these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way on to this team. That’s something that I’m really proud of and something that I really wanted. I grew up wanting to play Ryder Cups. I grew up wanting to fight alongside these guys and it broke my heart not to play. It really did… but ultimately I was chosen to do a job. I was chosen to be a captain.”

Bradley Admits This Was Probably His Best Chance

Bradley’s choice not to pick himself came after long talks with his assistants, including Jim Furyk. Furyk, who has captained before, reminded him of the heavy responsibility that comes with the role. Bradley admitted that advice helped him realize that being both captain and player would divide his focus at a time when the team needs complete commitment.

“This probably was my best chance if I was being honest. Who knows? I thought that Rome was going to be my best chance as well. I’m certainly not trying to slow down, I truly feel from the bottom of my heart this is the best golf I’ve ever played. I don’t plan on stopping any time soon, it’s going to be more and more difficult making this team, but I’d give it a shot.

Bradley’s decision is harder to understand without noting how well he has played in 2024 and 2025. He entered the year with confidence and carried it through the season, regularly contending in big events. His world ranking alone would have justified his spot as the U.S. team tries to reclaim the Ryder Cup after losing 16.5–11.5 in Rome in 2023.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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