Catching Up With Captain Keegan | Episode 3

We’re excited to bring Episode 3 of Catching Up with Keegan Bradley to your screens today. Join us, as we travel with Keegan to Atlanta for a unique surprise with Ryder Cup Legend, Larry Nelson, and then onward to New York for a meet and greet with the Nassau Players Club. And finally, we’ll leave you off in Napa, California, and a team meeting set up to prep the U.S. Ryder Cup Team for the biggest event in golf– 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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I think you know when you accept the role of the captaincy you know that that day is coming of having to make those bad phone calls. So it was on the back of my mind for a year and a half of my life and I’ve been on the wrong side of a bunch of those calls and I know how difficult those can be. So it was really one of the toughest days of my life honestly. Um I had to call a couple people that I know really well and um give them some bad news. On the flip side, I got to call that my favorite calls were to the rookies to, you know, make some of their dreams come true. Um, that was really special. It’s uh been the most incredible year of my life, honestly. Um, my favorite year as a professional. Um, we went through so much in this past year, but the thing that I cherish the most is the support that I got from the fans, uh, people at golf tournaments, at gas stations, at restaurants, um, cheering me on. Keegan, the the time has come right now. Tell us, please, who your first captain’s pick is. So, our first captain’s pick is Justin Thomas. Um, he’s the heartbeat of our team. I know what it’s like to wait for the call from the captain and you’re waiting all day and then when that number pops up on your phone it’s like heart starts racing. You get the butterflies. Colin Marawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Canle. So our last captain’s pick is Sam Burns. To be able to tell those guys is really great, especially guys that I know this means a lot to Sam Burns, Cameron Young. It was really great and and fun to be on that side of the call. Hello. Hello, Sam Burns. How you doing? What’s up, buddy? I’m great. How are you doing? Getting any sleep last night? What do you think? Well, as much as you Yeah, I was up at at 3:30, so uh not a lot. Um listen, man, I want you on this RDER Cup team. Well, uh listen, man. I uh I love you and I’m so proud of the way that you played the last month of the season with this on your shoulders. Um and I’ I’ve said this to all the calls today. Um when you’re a captain’s pick, that means the entire team and also the vice captains want you on this team. and and and I want you to really celebrate this and really enjoy this cuz like I’ve been on the other side of these calls and it’s not good. So I uh I’m just so proud of you. I promise you I I’ll give you my 100% best. Um and I’ll compete as hard as I possibly can for you. I know you will, man. I’m Trust me, that is the last thing I’m worried about with you. Um okay, brother. I’ll be in touch. Thank you so much. See you, kid. All right, talk to you later. Bye. Okay. I think for starters, I mean, Keegan, I I don’t know if you’ll find anyone that’s more passionate about the RDER Cup than he is. And I know he’s poured his heart and soul into this for the last, you know, however long. He’s been um very transparent and open with all of us, which is great. And and just, you know, open line of communication at all times. And uh Keegan’s been uh incredible. I think he’s um not that we weren’t expecting it, but he truly has surpassed I think any expectations we had. And for me, he’s just been super encouraging. Uh you know, when I when I started to play better toward the end of this year, you know, he I think he knew I had my eyes on making this team and just was so supportive and and so encouraging toward me as I started to play better. just just kept pushing me to just play more and more golf and and you know, my idea was I I wanted to force him to pick me. I feel like I I feel like I did a good job of of that. [Music] Representing the United States of America, Larry Nelson. To be a good player in general, you have to kind of forget what happened behind you, either good or bad, and you have to really focus on what’s in front of you. And I think that’s probably the biggest Mr. Nelson. Yes. Hey, Keegan Bradley. Hey, Keegan. Did you Did you put me on the team? I just want to know. That’s what I’m asking you just now. Yeah. Larry Nelson is an amazing figure in American golf and American history. First off, we are so honored to have you as a Ryder Cup member, a war hero, and everything that you’ve done for America and for us golfers on the PJ tour and for Ryder Cup teams. Your record is unmatched. You kick Sevy’s ass a bunch of times. Everything that you are is what we want to be as golfers, as men, as Ryder Cup players, and as Americans, we would like to invite you to be our Ryder Cup ambassador. We want you and your your wife Gail to come and hang out with us and be a part of our team and um just being around you is going to help our team get better. Well, that’s very special. I appreciate that very much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wish you all the best. This is great. Great to see you. You too. You know, he was in in Vietnam for two and a half, three years. He was a decorated war hero and one of the greatest American Rder Cup players ever. And you know, when I was named captain, it was one of the main things I wanted to do was sort of honor the the older captains. And then for a guy like Larry Nelson, who really got should have been captain and got passed over to honor him the best we could. Yeah, King’s been great. He’s got a great energy about him. He’s done a really good job of um keeping the guys fired up for a long time. I mean, you know, we have a great squad of 12 guys and great assistant captains as well. And Keegan has done such a good job of leading us and keeping the energy the way it needs to be. And Keegan’s been an amazing captain. He gets it. He understands how to lead. He understands how to make people feel a part of the team. It really requires a lot of understanding and patience. And Keegan’s done such a great job of that. He talks to everyone like he’s your brother and cares so much about each person. He’s been incredible. Um I think everything you could ask for out of a captain in terms of keeping us um extremely motivated, extremely determined, and then just kind of bringing all of us together. I mean, it’s just like this idea of Napa and and having us all play together as a team in the tournament. Like that’s pretty unique, and we haven’t seen that, I don’t think, before. [Music] This week at Napa has been really great for our team. It’s It’s really great to get the team together at any point you can. Hello everyone. Thank you all for coming. Uh as I was walking around the course today, I couldn’t help but feel how proud I am of everyone here. Um, coming here after a long year is a lot. And I wasn’t just proud of you guys. I was really proud to be an American today. I told everyone in Philly, I said, “The people in this room are going to set the culture for the next decade on this Ryder Cup team. This is what the culture looks like. We’ve already done it.” when we’re here, they’re still trying to get ready to win the tournament, but it’s less stress than meet at the Ryder Cup, so guys can relax a little bit, get to know each other more. We really wanted our team to come here and do this and be ready to play the RDER Cup. But the magical thing about it was the players all felt the exact same way. So, this was a player decision. This wasn’t us telling them to come play here. This was their choice. And you know, when when your best players like Scotty, JT, Colin, when they’re going, “Yeah, we’re going,” then the rest of the team’s going to fall in line. and um just shows how great their leadership is. Yeah, Keegan’s been great. His passion for the event and passion for being the captain is unparalleled. I I haven’t seen anybody uh close to matching his level of excitement. Keegan’s been able to reach out to all of us more than any other person has. And he didn’t have to do that. He didn’t need to do that. Um, but I think he wants to do what’s best for us and what’s best for the 12 guys, what’s best for the the captains and the vice captains and how do you set a platform to go and succeed and he was willing to do everything and anything um to make that happen. In terms of what all he’s done and the way he’s done it so far, it’s made me feel really comfortable and then obviously uh just knowing that you’re on the team with all these guys and getting to kind of have that camaraderie has been really cool. So, I’m just seeing him out on the range or text him or call him on an off week and be able to kind of have that connection has been really awesome. One of my main goals when I was named captain is to try my best to get across to the boys just how important Beth Pageige is to the people of Long Island and New York. And I was racking my brain of how to do this. And I have a college teammate named Sevy Colony who I played with at St. John’s and he was a part of this Nassau players club and they only play Beth Page and they’re extremely passionate about the golf course in the area and what it means to them not only to go play there but what it means to their families and uh caddying there and getting taught the game there. And this NASA players club, they were the best guys to get across uh how special it was. One thing about this club, every guy is is serious about golf, loves to compete, and we’ve been around for 30 plus years. I like to say that we’re like the island of Misfit Toys. Another fairway. You have firemen, policemen, teachers, successful businessmen, but what brings us together, the glue that holds us together is the majesty of this place. Whoa. Mike. [Music] So, when we filmed with the guys, they never had seen the video. So, they went and filmed all day for this and never saw it. So, I flew to New York and and showed them this. Yes, sir. We’re about to go surprise the Nassau Players Club with two big surprises. I can’t wait. Hey, boys. I feel like I’m meeting a bunch of celebrities in here. To be named Ryder Cup captain is just truly remarkable. In the middle of the summertime, we get everyone together and just have an informal meeting. So, I need you guys to picture, we go into a room, everybody is in there, you know, Scotty Sheffler to me to Xander. And this was my opportunity, my first chance to stand in front of the team and show them what type of captain I was going to be. This is where where you guys came in. Guys, I’m a hack. It’s not that hard to make birdies out here. Come on, Slinger. Come on, baby. We work hard and we play hard. We want this team to be like that. [Music] from the players to the wives to the caddies to the video crew did this. We all are going to play a part in winning this Rder Cup. This is the official bag for our RDER Cup team. Um and my favorite part is we got your guys love felt like we are like he said part of this team. If you can’t be motivated after listening to the Keegan, then you you’ve got problems. You guys are going to be with us every step of the way. Last surprise I have for you. Everyone’s getting Ryder Cup tickets in the room tonight. It’s very special to us knowing that we’re represented on the back of the 12 players for the Ryder Cup. Unbelievable. To see our logo there and to know that the rest of the world is going to see it is really, really a prideful feeling. Hey, we really feel we want to embrace the local community, show how much they mean to us, and we are taking we’re we’re a Nassau players club that week. That’s that’s who our team is. We have to protect their golf course, and what a better reminder to have their logo on the bottom of the bag. Keegan’s been awesome uh ever since, you know, the the first team meeting uh in Philly with, you know, prospective Ryder Cup players. It’s he’s just been so uh vocal and and letting us know that we’re at his disposal. Anything we need, any questions we have, like he’s he’s constantly thinking about the RDER Cup. I think sharing sharing the like the highs and lows with the guys is is what makes, you know, it’s it’s my favorite thing of all RDER Cups. It’s going to be great. You build a special bond with guys. You you go to war with them out there. You you got to have each other’s backs and and fight for one another. Um cuz yeah, it’s it’s the ultimate pressure playing in front of the home crowd. We want to we want to go out and and show out for him and and do well for him. So, uh looking forward to the challenge and and I know everybody’s going to be on the same page. [Music] What’s this? If you hit play on it, it’s a project we’ve been working on. Dear Keegan, I remember the moment like it was yesterday. It was the 1999 Rder Cup at the Country Club. You were 13 years old, standing on your tiptoes at the 18th green, too short to see anything. Your dad lifted you onto his shoulders, and that’s when it hit you. Watching the Americans rally back at Brooklyn, you looked at your dad and said, “I want to play in a RDER Cup one day. From that moment on, your goals were set. Ryder Cup became more than a dream. It became your mission. These RDER Cup matches are all about heart, history, and love of country. And now it’s your turn to lead. It’s an honor and a great responsibility to captain this team. Keegan, you know what a Ryder Cup means. You’ve studied it. You’ve lived it. You’ve laid it all on the table for this game. That’s what us Bradley’s do. And our family’s legacy is now even stronger. I’ll never forget when you called and said, “Aunt Pat, we’ve made history. There are now two captains from the same family. Ryder Cup, Soulheim Cup, Aunt and Nephew, me and Keegan. I’m so proud of you for making this happen. Kee, when the flags are raised and the opening ceremonies begin, I hope you remember sitting on your dad’s shoulders all those years ago. I hope you take that little boy with you to Beth Page. Let him feel the crowd’s energy. Let him embrace this moment. Let him see how far he’s come. And always remember, no matter the outcome, I love you and I believe in you. I know you can do this. Show everyone what us Bradley’s are made of. Show everyone who you are and bring the RDER Cup home. Love, Aunt Pat. Jeez, that is special. Going to freaking cry in here again. A new thing I’ve learned about myself. Wow, that was really something. Thank you so much. And that’s a wrap. Thank you guys. Jeez, have I cry again. I haven’t cried in 20 years and now I’m crying every day. Thank you.