Keegan Bradley named U.S. Ryder Cup captain in shock announcement

Simply as all of us predicted, the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce might be captained at Bethpage Black by a beloved character who guarantees to inject some critical power into the Lengthy Island devoted.

And simply as exactly none of us predicted, that captain will not be Tiger Woods.

After months of hypothesis surrounding Woods’ candidacy for the Ryder Cup slot, Keegan Bradley will as an alternative captain the U.S. facet at Bethpage, the U.S. Ryder Cup committee stated on Monday, ending a multi-month flirtation with the lead gig from golf’s preeminent celebrity. The information is predicted to be finalized with an announcement on the NASDAQ in New York at midday on Tuesday.

Woods, a 15-time main champ and eight-time Ryder Cup competitor, marks a shock “no” for Bethpage. Woods had been the open favourite for the lead place for months after the American beatdown in Rome, even going so far as to remark about “discussions” with then-PGA of America commissioner Seth Waugh.

“We’re nonetheless speaking about it,” he stated with a smile on the Masters in April, a degree that Waugh reiterated on the PGA Championship in Might.

However Woods’ schedule posed an existential challenge for the captaincy: After accepting an elevated position as a Participant Director on the PGA Tour’s coverage board final August, Woods had obligations surrounding a sophisticated merger settlement with the Tour and Saudi PIF that might preempt his Ryder Cup captaincy work, which is often a two-year place starting within the months following the earlier cup. The PGA of America held out naming a captain for months within the hopes that an settlement between the 2 events could be reached, clearing the runway for Woods to function captain, even naming former caddie and NBC Sports activities analyst John Wooden as “workforce supervisor” within the hopes of supplementing a number of the captain’s workload. However because the calendar flipped to July, no such progress had been made, and Woods was pressured to show down the captaincy, although he may nonetheless theoretically compete on the workforce by way of captain’s choice or vice-captaincy.

The captaincy thrusts Bradley, a latest supply of very public Ryder Cup heartache, into the lead position for the U.S. facet in a pivotal second for the Individuals, a shock alternative that might have downstream reverberations all through the U.S. facet. Although Bradley, 38, is a proud New Englander, he has deep ties at Bethpage Black, having performed his faculty golf at St. Johns College in Queens only a quick drive away. The Johnnies hosted a match annually at Bethpage, and Bradley has returned to the realm typically in his years on the PGA Tour.

“I’m extremely honored to simply accept this chance to Captain the USA Group on the 2025 Ryder Cup,” Bradley stated in a launch. “My ardour and appreciation for golf’s biggest workforce occasion have by no means been stronger. The Ryder Cup is not like some other competitors in our sport, and this version will undoubtedly be significantly particular given the wealthy historical past and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look ahead to starting preparations for 2025.”

The Individuals need to bounce again from a devastating loss on the ’23 Cup in Rome, a Ryder Cup the place Bradley was famously the final man out after a profession season. Followers criticized then-captain Zach Johnson’s choice to go away Bradley off the workforce as proof of U.S. management taking part in favorites in its workforce development — a cost that, whereas not unlawful, was solely amplified within the wake of a historic European victory in Rome.

Bradley was largely lauded for his dealing with of the roster state of affairs, and even invited Netflix cameras into his house to observe him cheer on the U.S. facet together with his sons. An episode devoted to Bradley’s Ryder Cup heartbreak confirmed that he nonetheless has his suitcase from the 2012 “Miracle at Medinah” packed in his storage, which Bradley swears he won’t open till he has been a part of a victorious American facet.

Now he may have the possibility to take action in entrance of a traditionally rowdy American crowd on the “Individuals’s Nation Membership,” even perhaps as a playing-captain.

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is a information and options editor at GOLF, writing tales for the web site and journal. He manages the Scorching Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and makes use of his on-camera expertise throughout the model’s platforms. Previous to becoming a member of GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse College, throughout which era he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Lengthy Island, the place he’s from. He might be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.