“Things are definitely amping up”: Keegan Bradley gets honest about Ryder Cup Captain Duties

Keegan Bradley recently spoke about his duties as the captain for Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup. He was named the captain in July 2024, becoming the youngest American Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

Following his recent victory at the 2025 Travelers Championship, Bradley jumped to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Rankings and currently sits ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup points list. If he finishes inside the top six in points by late August, Bradley would automatically qualify as a player. Despite previously stating that he wouldn’t pick himself as a captain’s selection, his strong form this season has put him in real contention to make the team as a player.

Speaking about his duties, Keegan Bradley said he’s able to switch focus between playing and captain duties (via Sky Sports Golf).

"The only time I can escape the Ryder Cup thoughts are when I'm inside the ropes...When I leave those ropes, like when I go this afternoon, I have some Ryder Cup stuff I have to do, but I've been doing a pretty good job this year of, when I have to tee it up in the tournament, of being a player first," Bradley said on Wednesday.

He also admitted that as the Ryder Cup gets closer, his captaincy workload is increasing.

"It doesn't take away anything from my preparation and my play, you know, I'm doing all this stuff when I'm home, but as we get closer to the Ryder Cup, things are amping up, certainly, for sure. But every day we're working, we're on the chat with the vice captains, and now the team is really starting to take shape, and we know a handful of guys that are pretty close to a mathematical lock on the team. We start thinking about partners and formats, and things are definitely amping up."

Bradley is set to play next at the Rocket Classic, which starts on June 26 at the Detroit Golf Club in Michigan.

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What does Keegan Bradley expect from Team USA players at the 2025 Ryder Cup?

Keegan Bradley has given a clearer picture of the standards he’s setting while picking players for Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show (via the mirror), Bradley said it’s not just about playing well, but also about handling the pressure that comes with competing at Bethpage Black.

Keegan Bradley is currently ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, three spots away from automatic qualification. He has repeatedly said he will only play if he makes the top six and won’t use a captain’s pick on himself.

“I was never going to pick myself if I hadn’t won. I’ve been saying the whole time, ‘I got to be in the top six to play,’ but I’m gonna do whatever I think is best for the team.

Keegan Bradley also stressed that Bethpage will bring a loud and challenging atmosphere. He said players need to be mentally tough to deal with the New York crowd.

"In picking the team, we’re going to go with who’s playing the best but also who we know who can handle the situation. Playing a Ryder Cup at Bethpage is going to be extreme," he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of excited fans, and there’s definitely players that we know who can handle that atmosphere, but we also want to take the guys that are playing the best. We got a lot of guys that haven't played Ryder Cups who are playing incredible golf - and we want them on our team,” he added.

The 2025 Ryder Cup will be held from September 25-28 at Bethpage Black in New York.