Keegan Bradley opted not to select himself for the 2025 Ryder Cup, a decision that could prove pivotal in the United States’ bid to reclaim the trophy from Team Europe
Harry Brent Senior Sports Writer
14:26, 29 Aug 2025
Rory McIlroy has been issued a stiff warning ahead of the Ryder Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Brandel Chamblee has sent an ominous warning to Rory McIlroy and Team Europe ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The golf pundit argued that the United States may already have taken the decisive step towards Ryder Cup success after skipper Keegan Bradley opted not to choose himself as a player for this year’s event. Bradley – who sat 11th in the Ryder Cup qualification standings – finalised his team on Wednesday by announcing his six captain’s picks.
Many expected him to follow in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer, who in 1963 was the last to serve as a playing-captain. Instead, Bradley chose to opt out, emphasising leadership ahead of personal involvement.
Chamblee applauded the choice, describing it as possibly transformative for an American team intent on regaining the cup after Europe’s resounding victory in Italy two years ago. “I think he may well have won the Ryder Cup in making that decision,” he said on Golf Channel following the announcement.
“When you start to look at a captaincy or at a team, it’s never any one thing that makes a great player or a great captain, but it’s an assembly of a lot of little things like a mosaic. And in the same way you got the sense when Luke Donald, in opening ceremonies in 2023 got up and spoke Italian for two or three minutes, you thought, this Ryder Cup is over.
“Because if he spent and thought about it in that kind of detail, how to open the ceremony, what was the rest of the week going to be like and how thorough had he thought about things?
Keegan Bradley will captain the US team at the 2025 Ryder Cup(Image: Getty Images)
“So Keegan Bradley, just thinking about the decision to pick himself, that’s what a leader does, make a personal sacrifice for the collective good of a team. It’s the kind of thing a leader would do that would get his team to sort of run through a wall for him.
“Imagine the rest of that week; he’s going to look at them and be like, ‘I stepped aside to focus on every little detail to help you guys,’ and how empowering that must be for his team.”
The completed US line-up features automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau. They are joined by Bradley’s chosen six: Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Ben Griffin, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young.
According to Chamblee, five of the picks were predictable, but the key question was whether Bradley himself would take the last place. Instead, he named Burns, later confessing it “broke my heart” to miss out.
Brandel Chamblee is confident Keegan Bradley’s selflessness will help the US team(Image: Getty Images)
“I grew up wanting to fight alongside these guys,” he said on Wednesday. “It broke my heart not to play. It really did. You work forever to make these teams, but ultimately I was chosen to do a job. I was chosen to be the captain of this team. My ultimate goal to start this thing was to be the best captain that I could be.
“This is how I felt like I could do this. If we got to this point and I felt like the team was better with me on it, I was going to do that. I was going to do whatever I thought was best for this team. I know 100 percent for certain that this is the right choice, and these six guys, again, played so incredibly coming down the stretch here and made my decision a lot easier.”
Chamblee dismissed those who minimise the significance of the captaincy, insisting it is a more complex assignment than simply playing. “There is just so many moving pieces,” he stressed. “Group dynamics is an interesting philosophy. And that’s what he’s called upon to navigate that week – and it’s more difficult than playing.”
Luke Donald is looking to clinch a second successive victory as Europe captain(Image: Getty Images)
The Americans head into Bethpage Black under heavy scrutiny following their 16.5-11.5 loss in 2023. The notoriously challenging New York venue, with its passionate fans, could give the hosts a major advantage.
For Chamblee, Bradley’s refusal to play may unite the squad and eliminate any “cross purposes” between managing and competing. With the likes of Scheffler and Schauffele providing major-winning pedigree, the Americans possess impressive depth.
Europe, however, are equally strong. Captain Luke Donald, who masterminded the win in Rome, is set to reveal his picks on Monday. His current line-up includes Rory McIlroy, Bob MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
With the countdown to the Ryder Cup nearly complete, all attention is now fixed on whether Bradley’s selfless act can deliver the ultimate prize for his side. Europe, though, will be doing everything possible to stop that from happening.
