Keegan Bradley was supposed to simply be a vice captain on Jim Furyk’s U.S. Presidents Cup group this yr.
However then the BMW Championship occurred.
Bradley’s BMW win, the seventh of Bradley’s PGA Tour profession, snapped a skid of seven begins exterior the highest 20 whereas placing Bradley firmly within the dialogue for certainly one of six captain’s picks, which will likely be decided following this week’s Tour Championship.
“There’s a part of me that feels horrible I put him on this place,” Bradley mentioned Wednesday at East Lake, the place he’s certainly one of 30 gamers – and a number of other potential picks – within the discipline.
Bradley, who completed tenth on the ultimate U.S. Presidents Cup factors record, mentioned he spoke to Furyk following his win Sunday at Citadel Pines. Furyk is aware of the place that Bradley is in, having himself been within the dialog as a enjoying assistant earlier than being handed up for the 2016 Ryder Cup, and for probably the most half, Bradley says, Furyk has left Bradley to focus on his golf.
Bradley’s golf is now nearly completed. Bradley doesn’t think about the Tour Championship and its staggered-start format to be a lot of a decider on who rounds out Furyk’s 12-man group and who doesn’t.
In some ways, his destiny has already been determined – and he’s OK with that.
“I need to do what’s greatest for the group,” Bradley mentioned. “I actually, actually imply that. If what’s greatest for the group is for me to play, then I need to play. If what’s greatest is for me to be the vice captain, and there’s higher pairings, then I’m comfortable to try this.”
Bradley added that because it pertains to his 2025 Ryder Cup captaincy, he’s thought in regards to the professionals and cons of enjoying versus helping at Royal Montreal subsequent month.
“I believe definitely being a vice captain would assist me being a captain at Bethpage as a result of while you’re enjoying, your mentality adjustments a bit,” Bradley mentioned. “You’re extra wired. You’re fascinated with, geez, I’ve acquired the alternate-shot gap, I’ve acquired the robust drive. So, there’s different issues in your thoughts.
“But in addition being contained in the ropes with these guys within the battle, within the warmth, reminding myself how robust that is, and if a scenario arises the place I’m enjoying at Bethpage, enjoying this, enjoying on the Presidents Cup would definitely assist. … No matter occurs, I’m going to have to determine learn how to make the perfect of it.”
