Keegan Bradley could make history next month as the first US playing Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. The 39-year-old is weighing up six captain’s picks to finalise his team for the biennial showdown against Europe at Bethpage Black, which tees off on 26 September.
Bradley, currently 11th in the world and eighth among Americans, boosted his case with a share of seventh at last week’s Tour Championship and a win at the Travelers Championship in June — his eighth PGA Tour title. With six automatic qualifiers already locked in – Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley and Harris English – Bradley must decide whether his form warrants calling his own name.
“It has been a wild year,” he admitted. “It’s difficult because I want to put the team in the best position to win. Arnold Palmer did it in 1963, but it’s a totally different tournament now. It’s a heavy decision. Pretty strange to pick yourself.”
Bradley, who won the 2011 PGA Championship in his major debut, knows the call will be scrutinised either way. “We’re going to do the best we can to make the right decision and it’s going to be controversial to certain people,” he said. “Ultimately I have to protect the team. Whatever the best decision is, we’re going to make it.”
Having represented the US in defeats at Medinah in 2012 and Gleneagles in 2014, Bradley admitted he wishes Palmer were still around to offer guidance. “I wish he was alive and I could call him because I think he’d have some great advice for me.”
Despite the weight of the decision, Bradley considers this his proudest season yet. “My rookie season I won twice including a major — that’s up there. But this has been my favourite. The only thing I care about is that on Sunday we win the Ryder Cup. Then I’ll know I made the right decision.”
Early reports suggest that Bradley has called upon Sam Burns as one of his picks. Burns sits 16th in the Ryder Cup points ranking and would come as a surprise to some should his name be mentioned on Wednesday when Bradley confirms his picks.
Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images
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