Keegan Bradley shuts down Rory McIlroy's influence behind his decision to not play at the Ryder Cup

Keegan Bradley dismissed Rory McIlroy’s suggestion that serving as a playing captain at the Ryder Cup was not possible. Speaking in a live stream on Wednesday, August 27, Bradley clarified that his decision to step aside as a player was based solely on what he felt was best for Team USA, not outside opinions.

McIlroy had recently argued that the modern Ryder Cup has become too demanding for anyone to balance both roles. Bradley, however, responded that he wasn’t concerned with what others thought, stressing that his focus was on leading his team effectively. (23:51 onwards)

“I just am not worried at all about what they do or say. I care about our team. I'm not quite sure how he (McIlroy) would know if it's not possible?

He acknowledged that while Arnold Palmer last managed the dual responsibility in 1963, the Ryder Cup today is far more complex.

“No one's ever done it really. So I mean, I sit through this process. I wish I could call on (Arnold) Palmer and get his advice. The simple fact is the Ryder Cup is a completely different animal than it was in the 60s. So even that would be difficult. But, you know, they can make comments on what I can and cannot do."

Keegan Bradley added that he would have relied on his vice captains and teammates if he had chosen to compete as well:

"No one would have known. I was confident that if I did need to play, I had incredible vice captains that I could lean on, an incredible team that I could lean on... I was going to do what I thought was best for the team. And this was the decision that I thought was best.”

The 2025 Ryder Cup is scheduled for September 26-28 at Bethpage Black in New York. Team Europe captain Luke Donald will announce his six wildcard picks on September 1.

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Keegan Bradley reveals captain’s picks after opting against playing role

Keegan Bradley has decided not to select himself for the upcoming Ryder Cup, ending speculation that he might become the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Bradley, who finished 11th in the U.S. standings, admitted it was a difficult choice but said his priority was leading the team as captain.

He explained that stepping aside was “heartbreaking,” as he had always dreamed of competing in the Ryder Cup. (22:42 onwards)

“I grew up wanting to play Ryder Cups. I grew up wanting to fight alongside these guys, and it broke my heart not to play. It really did. Because, you know, you work forever to make these teams, but 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.”

On Wednesday, Keegan Bradley confirmed his six captain’s picks: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns. They will join the six automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau to complete Team USA’s roster for Bethpage Black.