European captain Luke Donald agrees to Ryder Cup rules change
According to a report by Telegraph Sport on Monday, Team Europe captain Luke Donald has agreed to extricate his counterpart Keegan Bradley from a potentially sticky situation.
It was assumed that when Bradley was named Team USA captain, he would serve in the traditional manner. However, the 39-year-old has all but assured himself a spot inside the ropes — complete with clubs and caddie — given his brilliant play in 2025.
However, the Ryder Cup rules state that only the captain is permitted to provide advice to players during the competition. Should Bradley be competing in a session, he would not be able to communicate with the squad.
But Donald agreed to change the rule to allow one of the American vice captains to assume Bradley's advisory duties.
"Keegan can only change the overarching contract with Luke and Ryder Cup Europe's approval," a source told Telegraph Sport. "The contract between the teams includes things like how many vice-captains a team can have, etc. That is used year on year and captains rarely change that. But Keegan went to Luke with this clause and Luke generously agreed."
The USA vice captains are Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker and Gary Woodland. Furyk, the team captain in the 2018 European win in Paris, could be equipped to assume the role.
Bradley was the 2011 PGA Champion, then won only twice on the PGA Tour over the next 10-plus years. But he captured the BMW Championship during the 2024 FedEx Cup playoffs, then won his second Travelers Championship title in three years one month ago.
He stands 10th in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings (the top six automatically qualify), but his world ranking has risen to No. 7. With other prominent American players like Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Speith slumping and the selections coming in four weeks, Bradley seems preparing to put himself on the team.
The last playing captain for Team USA in a Ryder Cup was Arnold Palmer in 1963.
The 2026 Ryder Cup takes place at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from Sept. 26 to 28. Team Europe is attempting to become the first away side to win (or retain) the cup in 13 years. It rallied for a 14.5-13.5 win at Medinah (Ill.) in 2012.
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