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Former Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson is intrigued by the idea of Keegan Bradley becoming a playing captain at the Bethpage Black Course in September. The 49-year-old, while addressing the possibility, lauded Bradley’s form at the moment and dubbed him a ‘stalwart’ of the game.
Johnson, who led the US team at the 2023 Ryder Cup, said he wasn’t playing near Bradley’s ‘level’ to consider being a playing captain in Rome. He dubbed the situation a “massive hypothetical” but added that “no one is surprised” by the talks of the latter playing at Bethpage. Furthermore, he added that the stakeholders have ‘difficult choices’ to make regarding the 39-year-old’s role.
Johnson confessed that he would have found it challenging to juggle the two roles. However, he announced his full trust in the calls made by the US Team in this regard.
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Speaking about the playing captain role at Ryder Cup, Zach Johnson told The Golf Channel:
“I mean, obviously, that's a massive hypothetical. I could not, personally, but I wasn't playing at near the level that Keegan (Bradley) was playing then or now. No one's surprised by that level, I mean, we're talking about a stalwart in our game…
No, I cannot, but I say that, it's hypothetical. I don't know what would have transpired if that were the case. This year, they're going to have difficult choices regardless, whether he's playing or not. Ultimately, I firmly trust any and all decisions that they'll be making.”
It is pertinent to note that Bradley is currently ranked seventh in the world. The talks surrounding him being a playing skipper peaked after he won the Travelers Championship. The ace golfer is currently being considered to become the first playing captain of the US Ryder Cup team since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Keegan Bradley says he never planned to play the Ryder Cup
Johnson’s comments come just weeks after Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship 2025. Following his win at TPC River Highlands, the 39-year-old addressed the talk around him being a playing skipper at Bethpage and reiterated that it wasn’t always the plan. The 2011 PGA Championship said he “never really planned on playing” and was focused on ‘serving’ the team in the captain role.
Speaking to the media after his Travelers Championship win in June, Keegan Bradley said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“So, I got the call at 8 o'clock tonight, a year ago today. So, I've been getting these questions for a year. Whether I play well or play poorly, it's something that I have become used to. To be honest with you, I never really planned on playing. I really wanted to just be the captain. I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys. They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities.”
However, Bradley didn’t completely squash the idea. The ace golfer hinted at the possibility of taking up the player role if offered by the US Ryder Cup Team. The eight-time PGA Tour winner had earlier stated that he’d only consider the dual role if he managed to qualify for the squad by ranking and would never be a captain’s pick.
