NEW YORK – U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has been abundantly clear each time he’s been requested concerning the potential of a participant who joined LIV Golf enjoying on subsequent yr’s American group.
“I need one of the best 12 gamers,” he’s repeated when pressed concerning the divide in skilled golf.
The PGA of America made that simpler for Bradley final month when the affiliation introduced LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that’s primarily funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund, has been added to its record of “accepted excursions,” which grants A-3 PGA membership to its gamers and makes them eligible for the U.S. Ryder Cup group and the PGA Championship.
Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless one query Bradley couldn’t reply throughout Tuesday’s “One Yr to Go” press convention in Manhattan.
“To be trustworthy, I haven’t gotten that far,” stated Bradley when requested if Phil Mickelson shall be concerned in subsequent yr’s matches. “I personally don’t assume he’s actually involved in doing it. I owe loads to Phil and I believe he’s carried out a lot for the American facet of the Ryder Cup, however I’m not so certain he’s trying to are available in as a vice captain.”
Bradley was paired with Mickelson throughout the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups and will title him a vice captain for subsequent yr’s matches at Bethpage Black however that doesn’t appear seemingly.
European captain Luke Donald might face an analogous determination. Though the DP World Tour has created a pathway for gamers who joined LIV Golf to keep up their membership on the European circuit by way of fines, there are a couple of gamers who resigned their European membership once they joined LIV Golf.
Sergio Garcia, one of many Continent’s most completed gamers within the Ryder Cup, resigned his DP World Tour membership however might rejoin if he wished to take part in subsequent yr’s matches both as a participant or vice captain.
“We chatted on the cellphone a pair weeks in the past. , he’s actually very involved in [rejoining the tour],” Donald stated. “He understands every part that’s concerned, and once more, the choice has to go to him, whether or not he’s ready to do all that. However actually, we’ve had that dialogue, sure.”
