
Major Ryder Cup rule change as Team Europe captain Luke Donald gives approval to USA request to avoid ‘bad blood'
That is another sign that Europe fancy their chances of becoming the first team to win away from home since they pulled off the Miracle at Medinah 13 years ago if Bradley takes on a dual role.
3
Vice captains are banned from handing out advice or making contact with players during matches under the existing rules.
But European captain Donald is prepared to change that, so one of Bradley's five deputies - Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Gary Woodland and Jim Furyk - could stand in for him if he is on the course.
European insiders have said Donald gave his approval to the American request because he did not want any 'bad blood' between the teams, before they clash at New York's Bethpage Black cauldron in September.
But privately Donald and his team hope Bradley might take his eye off the ball, while juggling his duties as the Ryder Cup's first player-captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Bradley had originally said he would only play if he was one of the six USA players to qualify automatically. He insisted he would not be one of his six captain's picks.
But his stellar form over the last couple of years has seen him climb to seventh in the world rankings.
And even though he slipped from ninth to tenth on the American Ryder Cup list after finishing in a tie for 30th place at the Open, he clearly feels he is playing too well to simply stand aside.
Bradley has also confirmed LIV star Bryson DeChambeau - who won his second US Open title last year - will definitely be on his team at Bethpage, even though he could fail to hold onto an automatic qualifying spot.
DeChambeau is currently fifth on the points list despite playing a limited schedule.
But he will not feature in any more qualifying events because of his LIV duties, and some of his rivals could leapfrog him during the FedEx Cup play-offs.
Bradley told Sports Illustrated: "Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup. He brings so much.
'He brings energy, passion but most importantly, he's one of the best players on the planet."
3

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon in race against time to make Week 1 with foot injury
The Houston Texans have been hit with a major blow after Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon sustained a foot injury that could see him miss the start of the season. The 29-year-old Mixon will miss 'an extended period of time' according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport and has had his foot in a walking boot. But at present, it is unclear how Mixon hurt himself. He is on the 'non-football injury list' because the issue occured in the offseason and was not sustained through playing the game. Mixon is expected to be revealuated closer to Week One, where the Texans start the season in Los Angeles against the Rams. If Mixon is struggling to make the start of the season, it would be another significant loss for the Texans. Wide receiver Tank Dell is expected to miss the entire campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury against Kansas City Chiefs last season that required multiple surgeries.


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Crew acquire striker Wessam Abou Ali as DP
July 26 - The Columbus Crew acquired striker Wessam Abou Ali for an undisclosed transfer fee on Saturday. Multiple reports said the MLS club paid $7.5 million to land the Egyptian Premier League star. Abou Ali, 26, joins the Crew as a designated player and is signed through 2027 with a 2028 club option. "Wessam is a special player whose journey speaks to his resilience, character and tireless work ethic, which are qualities we value at our Club," Crew general manager Issa Tall said. "He is a proven goal-scorer who knows what it takes to help his team win. His clinical finishing, energy and charisma will strengthen our squad, and we are confident that he will thrive within our system." Abou Ali led Al Ahly to consecutive Egyptian Premier League titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and was the league's leading goal scorer (18) in 2023-24. The team also won the Egyptian Super Cup in 2024 and the CAF Champions League in 2023-24. He tallied 38 goals and 10 assists in 60 matches across all competitions with Al Ahly, including a hat trick against FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup on June 23 in East Rutherford, N.J. Abou Alli, who was born in Denmark and competes internationally for Palestine, launched his pro career in 2018 with the Danish side Aalborg BK. --Field Level Media


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
‘Pressure is a privilege' – World Nineball Tour No.1 Fedor Gorst reveals how ChatGPT helped him become world champion
FEDOR GORST is cool, calm and collected as he enjoys his breakfast ahead of the final rounds of the World Pool Championship - and it may all be thanks to ChatGPT. The young world champion, who was born in Russia but represents the USA, last year completed what has become known as the Gorst Slam. 6 6 6 He triumphed in the U.S. Open, the World Pool Masters, and the World Pool Championship - becoming champion again for the first time since 2019. That feat has cemented Gorst's place at the top of the rankings - a spot he could keep for a number of years. Perhaps the only thing standing in Gorst's way is himself, since many believe he is the most skilful player on the World Nineball Tour. He rejects that claim but there is one attribute that puts him above the rest - mentality. Gorst, 25, feels pressure is a privilege and he confesses to using ChatGPT to help him improve the mental side of his game. He told Sun Sport: "The pressure is always there. If there is no pressure I don't feel like I am even trying. So pressure is good. To feel pressure is a privilege. "A lot of it is mental. This sport, the difference between top players if you look at the top eight, skill-wise, the difference does not really matter, the mental side is where the difference is. "I've been working with some technical people, working with ChatGPT as well. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 6 6 "I give it a prompt, 'you're my mental coach, here's how I feel, tell me how I can improve'. "Honestly, I use ChatGPT for everything, for practice. I'm always taking notes, what I need to work on, my memory is not clean. "There's so many things I need to work on, and it's only by going back to see what I was working on that has allowed me to improve." Gorst, nicknamed The Ghost, has won four ranking event titles in his career. And although he does not have any pre-match superstitions, Gorst does go through a meticulous routine that includes stretches in the gym and an omelette for breakfast while in Jeddah. He emphasised the benefit of staying sharp and energised in a week-long tournament, suggesting that it can be the difference needed to claim the title. Gorst continued: "It's very important to stay fresh. That's the thing that separates the winners from those that lose. Those that lose, most of the time, they run out of gas. "Long matches, long races, three-hour matches, it takes a lot of energy out of you, it takes a lot of focus out of you. So it is really, really important to stay fresh throughout the tournament."