Keegan Bradley’s Full Speech | Opening Ceremony | 2025 Ryder Cup

Watch Keegan Bradley’s full Opening Ceremony speech ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup.

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The 2025 Ryder Cup is the 45th edition and runs between September 25 – September 28. Luke Donald is the European Team Captain and Keegan Bradley is the U.S. Team Captain. The European Team are the reigning champion after winning 16 ½ – 11 ½ at Marco Simone in 2023. Every two years, 24 of the best players from Europe and the United States go head-to-head in match play competition. Drama, tension, incredible golf, camaraderie and sportsmanship are served in equal measure, captivating an audience of millions around the world. It’s an event that transcends sport, yet remains true to the spirit of its founder, Samuel Ryder.

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To say I never expected to be standing here as the RDER Cup captain is an understatement. When I got the call, I was stunned, but more than that, I was honored. Honored to lead this team, honored to represent our country, and honored to share this experience with my friend Luke Donald. As someone who grew up in the game, this moment is surreal. My dad, Mark, is a proud PGA of America professional. My aunt Pat is an LPGA legend and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. For us, golf is the family business. But the RDER Cup became personal for me in 1999 at Brooklyn. I was 13 years old, perched on my dad’s shoulders, watching Justin Rose miracle putt drop on 17. [Applause] When the crowd erupted on 18, my dad let me join in on the celebration. That was the moment golf stopped being a game and started being a calling. That day changed my life. I come from New England, but I went to St. John’s and that’s where I fell in love with New York. [Applause] I mean, we’ve come a long way from 166th Street in Utopia Parkway in Queens, haven’t we? The grit, the grind, the rhythm of the city taught me how to compete, how to lead, and what passion for your cause really feels like. There is nothing like New York City. [Applause] And yes, the stories are true. My teammates and I used to play Beth Paige Black when it was closed on Mondays. We’d park by the maintenance shed and play the inner lloop holes three through 14. One day during my senior year, my teammate George Lotus and I decided we were going to go over the road to play 15, 16, and 17 and 18, the holes we really wanted to play, but hadn’t been allowed to for four years. We were young, passionate, and convinced we were invisible. Turns out we weren’t. The park service came. We got in a lot of trouble, but it was worth it. Just ask anyone in the Nassau Players Club how special it is to play Beth Paige Black. These memories, Brooklyn, Beth Paige, New York. They shaped me. But they also taught me something deeper. That golf at its best is more than just a game. The Ryder Cup isn’t just about golf. It’s about pride. It’s about legacy. It’s about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your teammates who believe in each other, fight for each other, and understand that this is bigger than any one of us. As we prepare to tee it up on Friday, I want to thank the people who made this journey possible. to Governor Hokll, to the teams of New York, to the teams of the New York State Parks, the New York State Police, local law enforcement, first responders, and the Empire State Development Corporation. Thank you for your unwavering support and tireless efforts in preparing Beth Page Black and helping us deliver an experience truly worthy of the RDER Cup. To my wife Jillian, your love, your strength, and your belief in me make everything possible. Thank you for being my rock and the heart of our home for Logan and Cooper. To the wives and partners of our US team members, thank you for your sacrifices, your support, and your steady presence. This journey is yours, too. To to the PG of America, I’m so grateful that you trusted me with this responsibility and this incredible honor. Don and Dar, thank you. To the many past captains who have supported me throughout this process, I’ve learned so much from each one of you. Thank you for being so generous with your time. To the great Larry Nelson, thank you for agreeing to be our Rder Cup ambassador. Having you around our team this week inspires us to be our best on and off the golf course. to our vice captains, Jim Furick, Kevin Kisner, Web Simpson, Grant Snedeker, and Gary Woodland. Your wisdom and leadership prepared provided prepared us for this moment. to our Caddies. You are the heartbeat of this team. You carry more than just bags. You carry trust, strategy, and all of us. Let’s give these boys a big round of applause. Thank you, Catties. To the European team and everyone associated with Ryder Cup Europe, thank you. Your passion elevates this competition. to Luke Donald and his wife Diane. Thank you for your friendship. Luke, you’re the ultimate professional and competitor. When I first came on on came out on tour, you were the number one player in the world. Yet, you always made time for me, and I’ll never forget it. You lead with quiet strength and undeniable class, and I admire that deeply. To my St. John’s teammates, Coach Darby, and best friends, thank you for being here. to Dr. Glenn Moroca. After my senior year at St. John’s, I was working in the back room at Wheatley Hills Golf Club, not far from here. Doc was a member who saw something in me, and when I needed help the most, you came through for me. To Wheatley Hills and Doc, thank you. You helped make this career in this moment possible. To our 12 players, you’re bonded in a way I’ve never seen before. I’ve learned so much from you about how to live, about how to compete, and about how to lead. You’ve changed me as a player and as a person. You’ve inspired me every day, and being your captain is an honor of a lifetime. Thank you. We know the atmosphere this weekend will be electric, rockous, and yes, respectful. That’s part of what makes the RDER Cup so special on both sides of the pond. I’ve never forgotten what it felt like to run onto that green at Brooklyn, watching a team come together in a way that changed my life. The moment lit a fire in me, and this week, that same Rder Cup fire will fuel our team. It will drive us through every match, every moment, and every challenge. It’s the fire that lives in every boy or girl with an impossible dream. And it’s the fire that makes the RDER Cup unlike anything else in sports. Over the next three days, we’ll play with heart, we’ll play with honor, and we’ll play with every dream sparked by the fire of this competition. Because the RDER Cup doesn’t just test skill, it reveals soul. We are on a quest to reclaim the RDER Cup. We face a mighty opponent. The challenge will be fierce. The pressure will be real. And now, it’s my honor to introduce to you the 2025 United States Rder Cup team from Louisiana. Sam Burns from California. Patrick Kentlay from Texas. Bryson Dshambo from Georgia. Harris English from Georgia. Russell Henley from North Carolina. Ben Griffin from California. Colin Morawa from California. Xander Schoff from California. JJ Spawn from Kentucky. Justin Thomas. And from New Jersey, Scotty Shepler. And from New York, your very own Cameron Young. I came to Beth Page as an 18-year-old kid with a dream, but I never got this far in it. To come back here as a Rder Cup captain is beyond my wildest dreams. Beth Paige Black is known as the People’s Country Club. It’s been called New York’s home course. But this week, with your passion and your energy, you’re going to make it America’s home course. Thank you. Go USA. To watch another RDER Cup video, click here. To subscribe, click here.