Keegan Bradley reacts to Rory McIlroy’s claims of Team Europe winning the 2025 Ryder Cup trophy

Keegan Bradley has reacted to Rory McIlroy's message about Europe's chances of winning the Ryder Cup. Rory McIlroy had sent a clear message after Europe secured the Ryder Cup following a tense final day at Marco Simone Golf Club in Italy back in October 2023.

Starting the Sunday singles with a five-point advantage, Europe faced a late surge from the Americans, who threatened a dramatic comeback. However, Luke Donald’s team held firm, closing out a 16.5–11.5 victory in Rome and extending the streak of home wins in the event.

Keegan Bradley, during his recent interview, was made to listen to what Rory McIlroy said. After listening to it, the US team captain said:

“The boys have seen that clip a few times, yeah. They may have seen it once or twice, yeah.”

During his interview, Rory McIlroy said:

"So I've said this for the last probably six or seven years to anyone that will listen: I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is winning an away Ryder Cup," McIlroy said. "And that's what we're going to do at Bethpage."

The last time the visiting team lifted the trophy was the Miracle at Medinah in 2012, sparking debate about whether home-course advantage plays too big a role. With eight of the past nine Ryder Cups won by the hosts, McIlroy promised that Europe plans to change that narrative when the competition heads to New York.

Keegan Bradley shares why he chose not to play at the 2025 Ryder Cup

On Wednesday, August 27, Keegan Bradley revealed his captain’s picks for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. When asked during the press conference about his choice to step aside as a player, Bradley stood by his decision, stating:

"Ultimately I was chosen to do a job. I was chosen to be the captain of this team and my ultimate goal to start this whole thing was to be the best captain that I could be. And this is how I felt like I could do this. If we got to this point and I felt like, the team was better with me with me on it, I was going to do that."

Many were surprised when he left himself out of the playing 12, especially after speculation about him possibly taking on both roles began circulating following his Travelers Championship win. Rather than juggling both responsibilities, the eight-time PGA Tour champion decided to focus entirely on leading the team.

Keegan Bradley filled out the roster by selecting six standout players for the 45th edition of the event, joining the six automatic qualifiers already on the squad. This decision ended weeks of debate about whether he would attempt to compete while also managing captaincy duties, ultimately signaling his commitment to giving the U.S. team its best chance at victory.