So, did he put himself on the team? Keegan Bradley names Ryder Cup captain’s picks
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Which way did Keegan Bradley go with his huge Ryder Cup dilemma? All can now be revealed as the Team USA captain’s picks are confirmed…
With the six automatic qualifiers confirmed following the conclusion of the BMW Championship, attention turned to Keegan Bradley’s Team USA captain’s picks.
So who will be joining Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau in the squad that will head to Bethpage?
The big talking point, of course, has been whether or not Bradley would pick himself.
The New Englander was left heartbroken by his predecessor, Zach Johnson, ahead of the 2023 matches in Rome. He had just finished in the top 10 at the Tour Championship to round off his first two-win season since 2011 and was considered a shoo-in for a ticket to Italy.
Even the Netflix cameras thought so, with the Full Swing documentarians catching the awful moment when he found out he’d been left out in favor of Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, and Justin Thomas – all of whom had finished below Bradley in the qualification process.
Then, in a bizarre and almost certainly guilt-ridden move, the PGA of America’s selection committee – which included Johnson – gave Bradley a surprise phone call to lead the team in his native North East for the 45th Ryder Cup.
The problem? Bradley is still in the form of his life. Since being appointed, he has won two more titles – a FedEx Cup Playoffs event and a Signature Event, no less – and finished 11th in the qualification standings.
It’s been the biggest topic of discussion as the build-up to Bethpage intensifies. Even European skipper Luke Donald agreed to a change of the rules to accommodate it. And it’s left Bradley in an unenviable position.
Is Bradley one of the best 12 American players at the moment. Absolutely.
Should he pick himself? That’s subjective.
Has he picked himself? Let’s find out…
Team USA captain’s picks
In order of how they were revealed, Keegan’s Bradley’s six picks are…
1. Justin Thomas
Qualifying position: 7th
Ryder Cup appearances: 3
Ryder Cup record: 7-4-2
Zach Johnson’s mate was a contentious pick last time, but JT is a no-brainer for Bradley. His Ryder Cup record is solid, he ended his three-year wait for a PGA Tour title earlier this season, and the first player outside the automatic picks should always go, shouldn’t he?
Bradley on Thomas: “He’s the heartbeat of our team. He had an amazing win at RBC this year. He’s the fifth-ranked player in the world. This guy was born to play Ryder Cups and more specifically at Bethpage Black.”
2. Collin Morikawa
Qualifying position: 8th
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Ryder Cup record: 4-3-1
If social media is anything to go by, Morikawa has torn the red, white, and blue in two. On one hand, he has experience and a decent record. On the other, he hasn’t won in forever and the data nerds say he’s the 15th highest-placed American in Strokes Gained over the past three months. Well, at least half of the fanbase will be happy.
Bradley on Morikawa: “He’s one of the most genuine and thoughtful people I’ve ever met. He’s an incredible teammate, an incredible ball-striker, and his golf resume speaks for itself. But, more importantly, he’ll do whatever it takes to help our team win. He brings so much to our team, and I’m really proud to have him.”
3. Ben Griffin
Qualifying position: 9th
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
Griffin has been a breakout star in 2025, winning twice at the Zurich Classic and Charles Schwab Challenge as well as a top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Bradley on Griffin: “He’s an extremely confident and exciting player. He’s burst onto the scene this year with 10 top-10s – second only to Scottie [Scheffler] on our team – and two wins, including at the Zurich Classic which plays the same format as the Ryder Cup. I’m really proud of this player making this team, because he had to show all year that he could play at this level. We’re really lucky to have him on the team.”
4. Cameron Young
Qualifying position: 14th
Ryder Cup appearances: Rookie
Along with Bradley, Young was another fall guy in 2023, having finished 9th in the qualification process. Now, though, he’s finally got that PGA Tour victory, and the stats say he has been the fourth-best American player over the summer period. Oh, and the New Yorker also once tied the course record at Bethpage to become the first amateur to win the State Open.
Bradley on Young: “He’s been one of the most consistent players on tour the last four or five years. He broke through with that amazing win at the Wyndham Championship that he’s been fighting so hard for. Cameron pounds the golf ball and he’s putting as good as he’s ever putted in his career. Nine top-12 finishes show how consistent he’s been. We’re very proud to have a New Yorker on the team and represent his country at Bethpage Black.”
5. Patrick Cantlay
Qualifying position: 15th
Ryder Cup appearances: 2
Ryder Cup record: 5-2-1
His putting is a concern, but his Ryder Cup record is not. Five-and-a-half points from a possible eight is not to be sniffed at, and it’s seen him sneak onto the team despite finishing 15th in qualifying.
Bradley on Cantlay: One of the greatest pleasures of the last year and being the Ryder Cup captain has been getting to know Patrick better. He’s got a 15-6-1 record in team events, he’s a leader of our team, when he speaks, people listen. Quite simply, Patrick was born for the Ryder Cup. This is where he thrives, this is where we need him. He’s someone we’re going to rely on heavily at Bethpage.”
6. Sam Burns
Qualifying position: 16th
Ryder Cup appearances: 1
Ryder Cup record: 1-2-0
There were rumors doing the rounds in the lead-up to the Ryder Cup that Burns had got the nod due to his form since he challenged for the US Open. Top-10 finishes in the last two Playoffs may have just sealed the deal.
Bradley on Burns: “Sam is an incredibly passionate golfer, he’s the best putter on the planet, he has won the Match Play Championship, he has an extreme competitive fire in his belly. I have a lot of respect for him for the way he came on at the end of the season to make this team. His back was against the wall, and he played well every week at the end of the season. I’ve been in that position, and the hardest time to play good golf is when you’re trying to make the Ryder Cup team. I can’t wait to see him out there.”
Who missed out?
Able to consider themselves unlucky are Maverick McNealy, Brian Harman and Andrew Novak, who finished 10th, 12th and 13th in the qualification process.
As for the man who finished 11th…
Why did Keegan Bradley not pick himself for the Ryder Cup?
Keegan Bradley has decided he will NOT make a third playing appearance at the Ryder Cup, instead choosing to concentrate on the captaincy.
“The decision was made a while ago that I wasn’t playing,” he explained after announcing his six picks. “The last 48 hours we had the team set.
“This was a really tough decision. I would say there was a point this year where I was playing – a while ago – but all these guys stepped up in a big way to make this team.
“I’m really proud of these six players. Really happy with these six players. And I’m glad it’s all over.
“It broke my heart not to play – it really did. You work forever to make these teams. But my ultimate goal was to be the best captain I could be and this is how I could do that. If I felt that this team was better with me on it, then I would do that.
“These six guys played so incredibly coming down the stretch and made my decision a lot easier.”
On the decision, Thomas added: “Keegan said it perfectly. It’s going to be said so many times between now and the end of the Ryder Cup, that Keegan will do whatever he thinks is best for the team, and that’s what he did.”
