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Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship 2025 on Sunday and the appeals for him to be playing captain for the US Ryder Cup team is at an all-time high. Interestingly, the 39-year-old, who beat European rival Tommy Fleetwood to the win, said he was initially offered the dual role for the Bethpage competition despite not wanting it.
According to Bradley, the former PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh wanted him as the playing captain for the upcoming Ryder Cup. The one-time major champion claimed that the ex-chief of tour, who stepped down from the role in June 2024 after six years in service, communicated the wish during the initial call offering him the skipper’s role. He said the official wanted him to be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. He added that former Ryder Cup skipper Zach Johnson was also on the call.
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The eight-time PGA Tour winner dubbed himself ‘fortunate’ to get the offer at a ‘younger age’ as compared to golfing legends Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Keegan Bradley said in his post win presser on Sunday, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“Well, when the PGA of America called me, and Zach Johnson was on the call, and Seth Waugh was the person who called me. And he mentioned that he wanted me to be - because when I get the call I'm thinking I really want to be on the team. And the first thing he said was, ‘We want you to be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer,’ which is a heavy burden…
But, you know, I'm also fortunate, if Tiger (Woods) or Phil (Mickelson) or these guys got a captaincy at my age they would have done it the same way. I've just been lucky enough to be asked to do this at a younger age.”
Keegan Bradley reveal initial reaction to being offered playing captain Ryder Cup role
Keegan Bradley’s ‘head was spinning’ when Seth Waugh and Zach Johnson offered him the playing captain role for the Ryder Cup 2025. However, he was less confident at the time. Following the Travelers Championship on Sunday, the ace golfer instilled more confidence in the notion as he made a big leap in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) to sit at a career-best seventh in the rankings.
Keegan Bradley said:
“It’s the lowest I've ever been in the world. When they (Waugh and Johnson) called me and told me that I was being the Ryder Cup captain, the first thing they said was, ‘We want you to be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1962.’ And I mean my head was spinning, I didn't know what they were talking about, but they knew that that was a possibility and that we would have things in place for that.”
Furthermore, Bradley claimed that he “never really planned on playing” at Bethpage. However, the skipper, who carded a 2-under 68 to win at TPC River highlands, added that the Travelers Championship win “definitely opens the door.” The 39-year-old reiterated that he currently sits ninth on the US Ryder Cup player list, just three spots off automatic qualification.
