Two weeks into the job, Keegan Bradley was formally unveiled as the following U.S. Ryder Cup captain on Tuesday afternoon in New York Metropolis.
Listed below are just a few revelations from the presser:
An unlikely name
Two Sunday nights in the past, Bradley fielded a telephone name from PGA CEO Seth Waugh, PGA president John Lindert and final 12 months’s U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson. The information got here fast, and from Johnson: Bradley was going to be the following U.S. Ryder Cup captain.
“Some fairly unimaginable information that I had no clue was coming,” Bradley mentioned.
Not solely did Bradley not anticipate the information; he didn’t interview for the place, which was initially tabbed for Tiger Woods earlier than Woods declined, citing his lack of ability to commit the time to the job. Bradley, who with two Ryder Cups beneath his belt has the least expertise of any earlier U.S captain, was additionally picked over previous assistant captains similar to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar.
“I wasn’t totally comfy with a few of the folks that had been handed over,” Bradley mentioned. “I’ve loads of respect for the folks that got here earlier than me and folks that should be on this place, in order that was a heavy thought and second.”
Added Lindert: “We had a pair telephone calls and talked about a wide range of completely different attributes that we might need in our subsequent captain. As you begin to test off the bins, and you’ve got a PGA champion, you could have anyone who went to high school right here, is conversant in the New York base, the fan base, could be very conversant in Bethpage Black, is the son of a PGA member. There are loads of bins that Keegan checked off and his enthusiasm for the Ryder Cup stood out above the whole lot else and we simply felt that that was the ah-ha second. When Keegan’s identify was talked about, it was all arms went up and we had been one hundred percent behind it.”
Bradley going youthful with vice captains
Relating to Woods, Bradley mentioned, “I’ve advised him he might be as concerned as he desires to be.” However Bradley additionally vowed to take a recent method with deciding on who will captain alongside him.
Final 12 months, the U.S. vice captains had been Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Fred {Couples} and Cink.
“They’re going to be rather a lot youthful, nearer to taking part in,” Bradley mentioned.
Fewer captain’s picks seemingly
Whereas Bradley believes the present factors system is sweet, he did trace at the potential for including “just a few extra computerized qualifiers” again into the fold. The U.S. modified from 4 picks to 6 previous to the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
Bradley additionally was adamant that he wouldn’t decide himself ought to he fail to qualify for the 12-man U.S. workforce on factors.
“I need to make the workforce on factors, in any other case I’m going to be the captain,” Bradley mentioned.
He’s at present No. 24 within the standings, in order of now, Bradley wouldn’t be a taking part in captain. Although he firmly believes that may change.
“I really feel as if I’m nonetheless within the prime of my profession and might make this workforce,” Bradley added.
Phil received’t be vice captain, however don’t rule out LIV picks
Bradley maintained that he nonetheless has a detailed relationship with Phil Mickelson, however he doesn’t consider that Mickelson is eager about accepting a vice captain’s function.
However as for probably choosing LIV gamers, Bradley didn’t draw back from answering.
“I’m going to have the 12 finest gamers on the workforce,” Bradley mentioned. “I don’t care the place they play. So, now we have a mission to win this event. I’m not frightened concerning the LIV stuff. I need the perfect gamers on the workforce. By the point we get to Bethpage in 2025 now we have no clue how the structure of the golf world’s going to be. Because it involves going to LIV occasions, if there’s guys which can be on the perimeter, I’m prepared to try this.”
Not so quick, Netflix
A lot of the previous two years on Tour have been documented by Netflix cameras for the “Full Swing” docuseries, together with Bradley’s heartbreaking name from Johnson final 12 months telling Bradley that he didn’t make the workforce for Rome. However the cameras had been notably absent from the U.S. workforce room at Marco Simone, a choice made by the gamers.
Bradley was requested Tuesday if that will change subsequent 12 months.
“I had an unbelievable expertise with Netflix,” Bradley mentioned. “They had been nice to me. It was a giant determination to place my household on TV. That’s not a choice that’s for everyone. And I’ve solely been captain for 2 weeks, I’ve not broached this topic, I’ve not even thought of it, I don’t know who’s going to be on the workforce, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a choice that’s going to be based mostly on what’s finest for the workforce. It’s not one thing that’s for everyone. It’s a nerve-wracking course of to undergo being filmed on a regular basis and that’s one thing that I’ll need to cross afterward.”
