Keegan Bradley will soon have some seriously difficult decisions to make, with the Ryder Cup now just six weeks away.
However, one call Bradley has to make will be the hardest of the lot, and whatever decision he makes, the European Ryder Cup team will already be winning.
Bradley’s form has actually dipped ahead of the Ryder Cup since he won the Travelers Championship back in June.
The 39-year-old from Vermont is currently sitting in 10th position in the US Ryder Cup points list, and he’ll probably need a win in the FedEx Cup Playoffs in order to qualify for the team automatically.
Bradley has been urged to pick himself for the Ryder Cup by numerous fans, journalists and indeed, his fellow PGA Tour pros.
Photo by Gary Kellner/PGA of America via Getty Images
The American’s form earlier on this season led to suggestions that it would be silly for him to leave himself off of the team.
However, with Chris Gotterup‘s recent emergence and Cameron Young‘s return to form, Bradley’s place on the Ryder Cup team is now far from guaranteed.
Keegan Bradley situation plays into Europe’s hands ahead of the Ryder Cup
When Bradley was named as the Ryder Cup captain in 2024, nobody would have expected him to go on and play as well as he has over the past 12 months or so.
The PGA of America wanted to move away from older captains, instead opting to select players who are still active on the PGA Tour to lead the team at the Ryder Cup.
That’s why Bradley was selected in the first place.
And while many people have suggested that Bradley’s exceptional form on the PGA Tour this season has been a huge bonus for the American team, it could be argued that it actually will have the opposite effect.
The reason for that is because the eight-time PGA Tour winner is now somewhat in no-man’s land.
If he ends up in the 9-12th positions on the Ryder Cup points list, he will have to decide whether or not to select himself. That in itself is a really big call that will use up a lot of mental energy.
Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
In addition to that, his form this year is enough to cause a debate and a big distraction over whether he should pick himself in the first place, whatever his final decision may be.
Team Europe must be absolutely loving this right now.
The PGA of America deciding to go down a younger route when it comes to appointing captains definitely has its merits. However, the Bradley situation has highlighted a major flaw with the logic.
What Keegan Bradley said about picking himself for the Ryder Cup
Back in May, Bradley was asked if it will be possible for him to act as a playing captain at Bethpage Black in September.
He said: “Yeah, I don’t know. I’m just trying to be a player right now. Honestly, it’s not even crossing my mind at this point.”
“No. I’m the captain right now. If we get down to the Playoffs and I’m in the picture, then I’ll start thinking about it. But I’m thinking of myself as a player first.”
Well, the Playoffs are here now, and if he fails to qualify for the team automatically, he will have some serious thinking to do.
Players like Gotterup and Young have made huge statements recently, and they will surely be on the team at Bethpage, unless they both endure disastrous stretches in the Playoffs.
Bradley ending up in the 9-12th range in the US Ryder Cup points list will be the worst thing possible for the Americans, and the Europeans will be loving every minute of it.
