Keegan Bradley set to make Ryder Cup history after shock rule change
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Keegan Bradley has spent the past few weeks wrestling with one of the most unexpected and awkward dilemmas in golf: what happens when the Ryder Cup captain is also one of the best players in the country?
In the form of his life and currently ranked No.7 in the world, Keegan Bradley has surged into serious contention for a playing spot at this year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. But there’s just one problem — he’s also the US team captain.
The idea of Bradley picking himself has sparked huge debate across the golf world. Would it be selfish? Would it even work? Would his team suffer from not having a full-time leader when the pressure hits?
Now, a pivotal rule change – negotiated directly between Bradley and Europe’s captain Luke Donald – has cleared the way. Barring a late twist, Bradley looks set to follow in Arnold Palmer’s footsteps as the first Ryder Cup playing captain in over 60 years.
Ryder Cup rule change paves the way for player-captain Bradley
Previously, Ryder Cup protocol stated that only the official team captain could communicate with players during matches. That meant if Bradley was on the course, Team USA would be without a guiding voice – no one to advise on club selection, calm nerves, or inject belief in high-pressure moments.
But Bradley approached Donald and Ryder Cup Europe, asking to rewrite a clause in the rarely-changed “captains’ agreement” that would allow one of his vice-captains to act as a temporary on-course captain whenever he plays.
And Donald agreed.
“Keegan can only change the overarching contract with Luke and Ryder Cup Europe’s approval,” a source told the Daily Telegraph. “The captains’ agreement doesn’t usually get touched. But Keegan made his case and Luke generously agreed. No one wants tension between the teams.”
Rory’s warning: Could this backfire?
Some may feel that Luke Donald is being too generous in allowing Bradley to pick himself without Team USA losing an on-course captain – but there’s a school of thought that Team Europe actually believe the move could do their opponents more harm than good.
At the Scottish Open two weeks ago, Rory McIlroy strongly suggested the job share could hinder Team USA, as Europe attempt to become the first away side to win in 13 years.
“It really feels like it’s a player-led team in America,” he said. “Obviously we have our input as players on the Europe team, but we do have that one figurehead in Luke. I think that’s important. Going back to Rome, when the Americans got off to a pretty rough start, I think because Zach [Johnson, the 2023 US captain] gave the team so much ownership, they had no one to look to.
“They were looking at each other instead of having a focal point – ‘tell us what to do’. That is something that Europe have done very, very well. But also the players have allowed the captain to be a captain as well.”
Jim Furyk tipped to be Bradley’s stand-in
If Bradley does tee it up – and the signs say he will – then Jim Furyk is the likely candidate to step into the on-course leadership role. The veteran was Team USA captain in 2018 and remains one of the most trusted figures in the American setup.
Bradley is currently 10th in the U.S. Ryder Cup points list, with the top six earning automatic spots when qualification closes on August 17. But with key names struggling for form and Bradley continuing to thrive, it looks increasingly hard to leave himself out – even if it means breaking with tradition.
Why Captain Keegs needs to pick himself
The case for Bradley the player gets stronger by the day. After finishing T30 at The Open, he’s among the best Americans on paper – while several big names are sinking.
- Patrick Cantlay is 14th in the points list and out of sorts
- Jordan Spieth is down at 26th
- Collin Morikawa, ranked No.6 in the world, missed the cut at both the Scottish Open and The Open
Bradley has said he’ll only pick himself “if it helps the team,” but it’s hard to imagine a world where leaving out a top-10 player in peak form would be beneficial.
Bryson is in – with Bradley’s full support
While questions still linger around Bradley’s own selection, one thing is confirmed: Bryson DeChambeau will be part of Team USA.
The LIV Golf star shot a final-round 64 – the lowest of the day – to finish T10 at The Open, and Bradley has already made his mind up.
“Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup,” Bradley told SI.com. “He brings energy, passion… he’s one of the best players on the planet.”
Bradley also left personal, motivational notes in the lockers of prospective US players during The Open at Royal Portrush – a gesture that clearly hit home for DeChambeau.
“It meant a lot,” said DeChambeau. “This year’s no joke. We’re tired of it. We’re tired of losing.”
Among the items left was a photo of the infamous 1999 Brookline green invasion – a moment that fired up a teenage Bradley watching from the crowd.
“That changed my life forever,” said Bradley. “I wanted to portray to the boys that this will be them. And they can make a huge impact on people with what they do at Bethpage.”
Europe look calm, settled, and dangerous
While Team USA juggles headaches and selection dilemmas, Luke Donald’s European side looks settled.
Six of his automatic qualifiers are virtually locked in: Rory McIlroy, Bob MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, and Sepp Straka. And the next four – Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and Rasmus Højgaard – appear strong picks.
Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick are also trending in the right direction, the latter notching back-to-back fourth-place finishes at just the right time.
Despite Team USA players dominating the final major of the year – with a podium clean sweep and eight players inside the top 13 – Bradley’s team sheet is littered with tough calls and new territory.
By freeing him up to be player-captain, Europe granted Bradley his wish – but they’ll be hoping it turns into his poison chalice.
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Keegan Bradley gets Ryder Cup rule changed as he eyes historic player-captain role for Team USA at Bethpage.
