US captain Bradley open to Ryder Cup playing role
US captain Keegan Bradley says he will have a "hard look" at whether he should play in September's Ryder Cup after his dramatic one-shot victory in the Travelers Championship on Sunday.
Bradley, 39, birdied the last hole of his final round in Connecticut to deny England's Tommy Fleetwood his first PGA Tour title.
Advertisement
Victory moved him seventh in the world rankings and ninth in the American Ryder Cup qualification standings. The top six in the latter qualify automatically for the event in Bethpage, New York, with another six players given captain's picks.
Arnold Palmer was the Ryder Cup's last playing captain, when he led the US team aged 34 in 1963.
"It's still June so we have got a long way to go [but] this definitely changes things a little bit," said Bradley - the youngest captain since Palmer.
"This definitely opens the door to play. I don't know if I'm going to do it or not but I certainly have to take a pretty hard look at what's best for the team.
Advertisement
"Every year I was out here, I wanted to play on the Ryder Cup team, and then this would be the first year where maybe I didn't want to. I just wanted to be the captain and, of course, this is what happens."
Bradley's most recent Ryder Cup appearance was in the defeat at Gleneagles in 2014, having also played on the losing side two years earlier.
He missed out on a place in 2023 when Justin Thomas, who was below him on the points list and struggling for form, was preferred by captain Zach Johnson
Bradley was named captain this time after Tiger Woods turned down the opportunity.
He insisted he would not give up the captaincy if he did make the team but could take on a dual role with the help of vice-captains Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner and Jim Furyk.
Advertisement
"I never really planned on playing," he said. "Now, with the amazing vice-captains I have, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route.
"I had this epiphany at the PGA Championship when I was getting these loud 'USA' cheers.
"I don't think any player in the history of the game has experienced what I'm experiencing in that I'm a Ryder Cup captain, in my eyes still one of the best players in the world trying to win majors and tournaments, coming down the stretch of a tournament."
Bradley said when he was asked to be captain, the first thing the PGA of America told him was they wanted him to be the first playing captain since Palmer.
Advertisement
"My head was spinning," he said. "I didn't know what they were talking about, but they knew that was a possibility and that we would have things in place for that.
"A year ago I don't know if I would have thought I would be seventh in the world but I certainly thought I would be contending in tournaments."
How can Bradley play at the Ryder Cup?
The top six players following the BMW Championship on 17 August 2025 will automatically qualify for the US team.
World number four Justin Thomas is sixth in the US Ryder Cup rankings on 9,997.69 points, with Bradley ninth on 7845.22.
Advertisement
Bradley has the opportunity to boost his rankings with 10 more tournaments to be held before the deadline, including the year's final major - The Open at Portrush.
Players making the cut receive one point per $1,000 earned at Tour events, which rises to 1.5 points per $1,000 earned at the Open.
The other six players in the US Ryder Cup team will be chosen by Bradley as captains' pick. These are announced in August following the Tour Championship, which finishes on 24 August.
If Bradley does not qualify automatically, he could in theory pick himself.
Captain's picks were introduced for Team Europe in 1979 and for the US in 1989.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
25 minutes ago
- CBS News
Diamond Run's 15th hole is part of a 4-hole stretch that mixes challenge with scenery
The 15th hole at Diamond Run Golf Club is one of the best in the Pittsburgh area and is part of a 4-hole stretch that mixes challenge with amazing scenery. You won't find many better golf holes in western Pennsylvania than the Par 4 15th hole at Diamond Run. It's easy on the eyes, but don't let that fool you. "The no. 1 handicap hole here," said Diamond Run head golf professional Adam Morrison. "Probably one of the hardest holes on the golf course for sure." Hard is an understatement and there's even a plaque on the course before the tee box that warns you of the challenge ahead for the final four holes at Diamond Run. The 15th hole at Diamond Run Golf Club is part of a 4-hole stretch that's considered to be the most challenging and scenic in all of the Pittsburgh area. KDKA Drone Team / KDKA Photojournalist Ian Smith "So it's 460 all the way from the back," Morrison said. "Ttoday when it's wet from all the rain we've had, it plays long. You're not gonna get a lot of carry here." Fairway bunkers on both the left and the right can come into play off of the tee, which will essentially eliminate your chances of getting to the green in two shots and putting for birdie. A good drive from the tee on the hole will leave you an approach shot from around 150 yards with water on the left of the green and two bunkers behind it. "It's gonna funnel left, but it's also gonna hit that green and just release pretty hard," Morrison said. Once you make it to the green, that's when the fun begins with a slick putting surface. From the tee to the green, the challenges on the 15th at Diamond Run definitely make it one of western Pennsylvania's gems. The Elite 18 Diamond Run Golf Club Founded: 1992 Public or Private: Private Location: 132 Laurel Oak Drive, Sewickley, PA 15143 Phone Number: 412-741-2020 Website: Course Designer: Gary Player Par: 70/72 Yardages, Course Rating, and Slope Rating: Black - 6,805 yards - 73.3/137 (Par 70) Blue - 6,490 yards - 72.0/133 White - 6,091 yards - 70.7/132 Gold - 5,527 yards - 67.4/122 Silver - 5,005 yards - 64.7/115
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fever Urged to Make 'Hugely Beneficial' Change for Caitlin Clark After Injury
Fever Urged to Make 'Hugely Beneficial' Change for Caitlin Clark After Injury originally appeared on Athlon Sports. While the biggest hindrance for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever here in 2025 appears to be the star point guard's ability to stay healthy--she has missed seven games with quad and groin injuries--one problem the team has had is finding ways to get her shots that she does not have to create herself. Advertisement The team is lacking in secondary ballhandlers outside of Kelsey Mitchell, but the move this week to waive veteran DeWanna Bonner and bring back point guard Aari McDonald, who filled in for Clark as a hardship signee in May, could help, especially if Fever coach Stephanie White figures out a way to play both McDonald and Clark together. Having watched Clark and the Fever play in their win in Seattle last week, Hall of Fame point guard Sue Bird noted that Indiana needs to find ways to make the game easier for Clark. Caitlin Clark© Grace Smith / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "I got to watch Caitlin play in person against Seattle and one thing I noticed was, it would be really beneficial for her if she had players around her who could create shots for her. Right?" Bird said on her "Bird's-Eye View" podcast. "She has to create a lot of her own shots, but she is also creating for her teammates. There are times where, if she could just get some open looks off other peoples' play, it could be hugely beneficial for her. That's where Aari McDonald might have some impact." Advertisement Bird acknowledged that playing McDonald and Clark together creates some defensive holes (McDonald is 5-foot-6, the smallest player on the Fever roster). But the small-sample numbers are encouraging. "The good news is when Aari was with the team previously, a lineup of her, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Aliyah Boston had a net rating of 53.1. Very small sample size, but just saying," Bird said. "The other thing to note about Indiana is that recently, their small lineup of Kelsey Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham, Lexie Hull, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston is at a 41.7. These numbers are really high. They can spread the floor, Aliyah Boston can go to work. I would not be surprised to see those lineups." Alas, the current challenge, before Tuesday night's Commissioner's Cup battle against the Lynx in Minnesota, is simply to get Clark healthy and back on the floor. She is day-to-day, and listed as "questionable" for the game. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fever's Bonus Money for Upset Win Over Lynx on Tuesday Draws Attention
Fever's Bonus Money for Upset Win Over Lynx on Tuesday Draws Attention originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Fever played without Caitlin Clark on Tuesday against the Minnesota Lynx in the final of the Commissioner's Cup series, and managed to pull off a surprising upset in convincing fashion, 74-59. Advertisement In most sports, players tend to yawn their way through gimmicky in-season tournaments, but in the WNBA, it's a bit more of a big deal. That is because in a league where players typically earn less than $150,000 per season, the $30,000 in bonus money is significant. At The Athletic, the payout for the teams was laid out: "A $500,000 prize pool is awarded to the championship winners, and Coinbase commits an additional $120,000 in cryptocurrency to the prize pool. The respective pools are then split between players on the roster. Indiana has 11 players, and Minnesota has 12. "Players receive more money in bonuses for winning the Commissioner's Cup than for winning the WNBA championship. According to the league's CBA, WNBA champions receive $11,356 bonuses per player, and runners-up receive $5,678 per player." Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) drives to the basket against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half during the Commissioner's Cup final at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images That is, naturally, an oddity--the Fever won more money on Tuesday than they would for winning a title. Additionally, each team plays for a charity. On Tuesday, the league laid out on Twitter/X just how those payouts go for the participants in the Commissioner's Cup final. Advertisement "Here's what the Fever and Lynx are playing for tonight! Fever - Peace Learning Center Lynx - ACLU Minnesota The winner of the Commissioner's Cup Championship presented by @Coinbase will take home an additional $10k for their charity, while the team that comes in 2nd place will take home and additional $5k for theirs." The Fever were led by Natasha Howard, with 16 points and 12 rebounds. She was awarded the game's MVP trophy as she helped wear down a stout Minnesota interior defense, aided by forward Aliyah Boston, who had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The Fever are now 9-8, and the Lynx drop to 14-3. Advertisement Related: Fever Urged to Make 'Hugely Beneficial' Change for Caitlin Clark After Injury This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
