Golf insider dubs Keegan Bradley’s move of not playing at the Ryder Cup ‘smart’

USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has formally decided not to name himself as a player for the upcoming Ryder Cup, focusing on his role as captain. He finished 11th in the qualification standings after a strong summer, which gave him the theoretical option to select himself as a captain’s pick.

Had he done so, Bradley would have become the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963. The golf world was divided after this decision, as some of them took his side. Golf insider Shane Bacon was one of them. He took to his official X account after the decision, and wrote:

"The smart move by Keegan was not to pick himself - there were always seven names vying for six spots. Keegan knows what it feels like to be left off a team he should have been on, so the mature move ... the captain-y move ... was to fall on the sword. Good on him."

The 39-year-old, who previously represented the United States in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cup editions, ultimately chose not to pursue that path. Instead, he announced six captain’s picks to complete the 12-player roster: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns. These six join the automatic qualifiers, which include Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau.

Keegan Bradley’s decision allowed him to dedicate all of his energy to strategizing for Team USA, analyzing matchups, and preparing game plans. With Europe holding the Ryder Cup after their victory in Rome in 2023, his priority will be to ensure that the American side is in the strongest position to reclaim the trophy.

By stepping back from playing, Bradley can focus exclusively on leadership, pairing decisions, and tactical planning for the September matches at Bethpage Black.

Phil Mickelson sides with Keegan Bradley's decision

Phil Mickelson has expressed his support for Keegan Bradley after the U.S. Ryder Cup captain announced that he would not play in the 2025 edition at Bethpage Black. The six-time major champion, who has competed in 12 Ryder Cup tournaments, commended Bradley for prioritizing the team over himself.

On Wednesday, Mickelson shared PGA Tour professional Mark Baldwin’s post on X, which emphasized Arnold Palmer’s principle of never placing oneself above the team. He wrote:

“Keegan did a great job today and was as classy as the king. He’s leading by example and is showing why he’s a great choice to lead this team."

Keegan Bradley's year included six top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and a victory at the Travelers Championship. The captain acknowledged that the choice was not easy but stressed that it was necessary to focus entirely on guiding Team USA and ensuring the team’s best chance of success in the Ryder Cup.