“I struggle with that” - Keegan Bradley reflects on Ryder Cup snub and hopes to make a difference in the future

Keegan Bradley's name has endlessly echoed throughout the Ryder Cup. The American was one of the fans' and media's favorites for captain Zach Johnson's selection. The decision not to call him up was one of the most discussed before, during, and after the event.

Bradley, for his part, has not stopped thinking about the matter. In an interview for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the 2011 PGA Championship winner said he could have performed well at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

"I struggle with that," he said.

This was part of what Keegan Bradley had to say on the subject to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette:

“I struggle with that, because in my head, my ego says, ‘Of course, I could,’ but then I think that’s a selfish thing to say because of how good these players are. But I think I’m a good teammate, and I would have helped the team.”

Bradley also addressed the issue of having to watch the event in the role of a fan after coming so close to being called up. He also said that he has not lost his intention to make the team in the future.

Here is how he put it:

“It was pretty difficult. First and foremost, I’m a fan of Team USA, so I was watching as a fan, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I could have made a difference. It was tough. It was tougher to watch this one because I was so close to making the team, but it’s motivation to try to make the team in the future.”

Why was Keegan Bradley selected for the Ryder Cup?

Keegan Bradley had an excellent 2022-23 season, much better than several of the players who received one of the captain's picks.

This is best illustrated by the fact that Bradley was ranked 18th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) at the time of the selections. He was ahead of Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, and Sam Burns.

Keegan Bradley, 2023 Travellers Championship (Image via Getty).

The highlights of the season for Keegan Bradley were his two wins (ZOZO Championship and Travelers Championship). Bradley also tied for second once, finished in the top 10 in three other tournaments and finished in the top 25 in four others.

Bradley made just five cuts in 23 events during the season. The last of those came at The Open Championship, after which he finished strong with three good places in the FedEx Cup playoffs (T43, T29, and T9). His results have earned him $8.8 million.

Bradley has had a successful career in professional golf, despite some ups and downs in his results. He has played 330 tournaments on the PGA Tour with six wins, nine runner-up finishes, 42 top 10s, and 251 cuts made.