Phil Mickelson has voiced his support for Keegan Bradley after the U.S. captain confirmed he would not be playing in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. The six-time major winner, who has played in 12 Ryder Cups, praised Bradley for putting the team first.On Wednesday, Mickelson reposted PGA Tour pro Mark Baldwin’s message on X, which highlighted Arnold Palmer’s philosophy of never putting oneself above the team. Mickelson added that Bradley’s choice reflected that same spirit.“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, who is ranked No. 11 in the world, recently confirmed that he would not be competing at Bethpage Black despite a strong 2025 season, which included six top-10 finishes and a win at the Travelers Championship. He admitted the decision was difficult but said it was necessary to give his full attention to leading Team USA.“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,” Bradley explained.Keegan Bradley has played in only two Ryder Cups, while Mickelson is the most experienced American in history with 12 appearances. The pair teamed up at Medinah in 2012, winning all three of their matches, including a 7&6 victory over Lee Westwood and Luke Donald.Keegan Bradley dismisses Rory McIlroy's claim on playing the captain roleKeegan Bradley pushed back against Rory McIlroy’s view that it would be impossible to act as both player and captain at the Ryder Cup. Speaking on a live stream Wednesday, Bradley made it clear that his choice not to play was his own call, rooted in what he believed was best for Team USA.“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?”Bradley admitted that juggling the two roles would have been challenging, noting that Arnold Palmer was the last to do so in 1963. However, he added that the modern Ryder Cup is far more demanding than it was then.“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 concluded that his priority was clear:"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 takes place from September 26–28 at Bethpage Black, with Team Europe captain Luke Donald set to reveal his wildcard selections on September 1.