Keegan Bradley Set For Player-Captain Ryder Cup Role; While Brooks Koepka Emerges As Potential Pick

#keeganbradley #rydercup #brookskoepka #bethpage #golf
Will Keegan Bradley make history as the first player‑captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963?, according to reports.

New rules allow an assistant—likely Jim Furyk—to step in when Bradley tees off, making this bold move possible. 

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Former Ryder Cup captains like Tom Watson have issued strong warnings about the logistical and leadership pitfalls of dual roles. 

In a jaw-dropping twist, Brooks Koepka—a five-time major winner—is emerging as a potential wildcard for Team USA, despite a shaky season. He also won his 2019 PGA Championship at the New York track.

And get this: he’s confirmed to play the Irish Open next week, just weeks before the Ryder Cup.

So, I said I’d pop back this afternoon because there’s so much going on ahead of Keegan Bradley’s US RER Cup picks tomorrow. So much speculation left, right, everywhere you look in the golf circles at the moment. I’m getting really excited about I can’t wait to see what he does. I think he’s going to pick himself. We’re going to talk about that in a moment because there has a been a report this afternoon saying that he is going to pick himself. I’m not surprised by that at all and I would well believe it because I think he’s just playing too good at the moment not to pick himself. And um we talked about Sam Burns last night. The other report came out that Sam Burns had potentially received a phone call. Uh Nuclear Golf released that news last night. So we’re going to talk a little bit about someone else who I believe is is going to be picked and no one has really been talking about this guy. He’s he’s um he’s playing here in Europe now uh ahead of the Ryder Cup next week. And I think, you know, um, when we talk about it, you’re going to get sort of a sort of a an inklink into why I’m I’m going along these lines because I think, you know, when we look at the certain guys he’s going to pick in this team, there’s going to be guys you’re not going to expect. He’s even said that he said that last night, if I can just pull this up here, when he’s speaking with Todd Lewis, um, from the Golf Channel, that there is going to be some surprises, and he is going to spring some surprises. Like look at this here. So he uh speaking with Todd Lewis, he said, “There is probably going to be a few guys that think they’re going to be on the team that aren’t going to be.” He added, “The phone calls will be awful. I’m sure they were. We all saw um what happened on the Netflix series when he had to get that phone call from Zack Johnson.” And listen, I think, you know, I don’t know if Keegan is is is particularly like this. I’m sure he looks back on that now and sort of there’s a couple of bits in that when when the boys club uh are sitting around at the table and it it’s pretty obvious they’re all getting picked and I think he’s going to be pretty uh I’m sure that didn’t go down too well with him um when he looks back and that some of the snidey sort of comments and it was a little bit condescending possibly from Zach Johnson as well the phone call it didn’t sound very genuine um so yeah let’s see what he does with that I’m pretty certain Um uh he’s going to pick himself this week. I think he’s too good not to. There was taught last night that Phil Mickelson’s going to come in as co- captaincy. You see it there. That was doing the rounds. And also we’re going to talk about that man in a moment’s time. Um if you see it there. But that report is interesting. That was the rounds this afternoon. I’m just going to pull that up now as well that um he was potentially um that he is going to pick himself. That report came out from the Guardian this afternoon. Keegan Bradley expects to pick himself for Ryder Cup after Donald Trump support. Obviously Donald is a massive golf fan and um he tweeted out in Truth Social that he wanted um Keenan to play and Keegan said all along, listen, if Keegan was if Keegan was that um against not playing and didn’t want to be in the RDER Cup as a playing role, he would have confirmed this a long time ago. He’s been humming and hawing about it all season. I think when you underline and you see what he did last weekend on that third round was absolutely phenomenal. I think it was seven under round hitting putts from left and right flushing the golf ball hitting within 7 8 ft um of the pin chipping out. It was an unbelievable round of golf from Keegan Bradley. One he described as the best of his season. So he’s talking like that and he said all along all year um I want I I want you know I I want guys that are at the top of their game in the team. I need to be the top of my my game to be in the team. And he certainly is the top of his game. So he would have denied this a long long time ago. I don’t really sort of get the um the opposition possibly from a lot of team Europe. Not the opposition, they’re just saying it’s not possible. Rory Mroy said it um one or two. Justin Rose is probably the most open about it saying he could possibly do it. So I think he is going to do it and I I think they do make too much of a big deal about this. If you have a good co- captaincy around you and you’ve relayed before you go out uh what you want to do at certain stages here now you know the the forball the foresomes whatever he’ll he’ll have a he’ll have a clear structure and plan and guys he obviously trusts in place like Kevin Kner obviously you mentioned there’s talk of Phil possibly coming in he’s a load of guys around him that he will have had lengthy conversations with to um have a contingency plan in case this was his feeling and I’m sure they’ve known about this all along it could be a tactic as Well, that’s something that a lot of people haven’t spoken about that this could actually be a tactic from Keegan Bradley and team USA um to ju just maybe you know put Europe off because when Europe go over here man like the European team is pretty much set like bar maybe one place I think Harry Hall possibly I still think might have a little sniff of getting in ahead of Mafitzpatrick or Sep Straa because of the the poor form Se has shown at the rear of the season but we’ll talk about that closer to next Monday. But in terms of what Keegan has done, let him do what he wants. Let him play. I think it it’d be it’d be great with him and it’d be a better tournament with it. And it adds an extra dimension, more exciting, more intrigue to the tournament. And with the fans there that we’re going to see in New York as well, it’s going to be off the off the charts. So, I think it’s a great call. Uh, if this report obviously in the uh the Telegraph is accurate. Um, so that means Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns um are the two. Sorry, pardon me. I’m actually sick at the moment. I’ve I’ve flew or something. My glands are all swell. That’s why I’m wearing my my tracksuit top again. Um, so apologies for that. Um, but yeah, I think I think you know if these two guys are in, we’re going to have we’re Keegan’s very going to be very tactical about what he does um with his selections. Oh, and look what’s just falling down there. My flag. That’s great, isn’t it? So, I think it’ be very tactical. My US Open flag actually signed by Graeme McDow in 2010 when he won it um at Pebble Beach. I’ll leave it. I’ll pick it up in a few moments. But yeah, I want to talk about someone here and you’re going to see him, you’re going to know him. Um and no one is actually speaking about this in the world of golf. Not that I’ve seen. It is Brooks Kepka, the 2019 USPGA champion. And where was that USPGA championship on? He’s obviously won the three of them. Where was that on? Bet page black. What is Brooks Kepka playing in next week? He’s playing in Ireland and he’s playing in the Irish Open. Why does Brooks Kepka need to come over? And he very very rarely um plays DP World Tour events. He doesn’t need world ranking points. Um he’s exempt obviously after his his USPGA win in 2023 for another 5 years um for major tournaments. doesn’t particularly need the world ranking points. So, I’m at I’m I’m at a bit of a loss here to why Keegan or Brooks Keepka would be playing the Irish Open. He had chances to play it when he used to play on the uh GP World Tour, the European Tour here a number of years ago before he uh um you know, won all his majors. Five-time major winner. Probably one of the most underappreciated guys in the world of golf in my opinion. I don’t think he’s ever got the credit for the massive hall that he’s got in such a short space of time. Remember, he won five majors um in the time Roy Rory Mroy went from winning his fourth and fifth. So, it’s it’s incredible. He’s releasing a new brand of shoes. I know it’s a little bit different, but he’s all over his Instagram this week with his uh his new shoes. Uh it’s like a family thing for his son. And I just think right when if you look at what Keegan will be thinking, a guy who can handle the big occasion, the big atmosphere, and I know he hasn’t played well. Like listen, we’re we’re all not we’re all not stupid. Like he hasn’t done well. Um hasn’t played well even in Liv Golf. Pulled out earlier on in the season. Did actually start the season okay to be fair, but we look at his results in majors like they haven’t been great. But a lot of people are forgetting one here. He he he he finished tied 12th at the US Open this year. What course was that? An exceptionally tough course. One of the toughest challenges in all of golf at Oakland. Bet Paige Black is notoriously tough golf course that he has won on before. He’s playing the Irish Open. You look here. We’ll even have a look. He’s played the Alfred Dunhill in 2024. Last year he he played in Japan, I think. Yeah, there we go. The Dunlop Phoenix Open. That was in 2023. Every other event he’s played has been a major because he doesn’t need to. Why would Brooks be coming over to Ireland? Brooks is coming over to Ireland, I think, personally to well, right, his Caddy actually is Irish. Ricky Elliot, he’s from from Port Rush. Good friends with Gray McDale. Um, he grew up with Graeme McDell. He’s Brooks’s caddy. Um, I don’t know, maybe there’s a family something going on, but I find it very strange that Brooks is going to play in the Irish Open. um if he’s not going to bet to pledge back for the RDER Cup. I think this conversation has been Hobbit Brooks. I’m I’m actually pretty convinced of it. I think there’s a lot of stuff adding up. The fact as I mentioned there, he’s won at B Page before in 2019. He had a really good solid US Open this year finishing tied 12th. Um you know, you can you can ride off Brooks, but he keeps coming back. You know, I saw this earlier on in the year, which was got really pissed off about um people giving out about Scotty and sort of when Scotty came back from the engine. Oh, he’d never win it. absolute nonsense. Um Brooks has had some ser very serious knee injuries. I think that’s why he went to live. I think he’s pretty open about that. Um couldn’t turn down the money. Thought his career might be coming to an end. He’s he’s spoken openly about that and uh you know having that reconstruction on his knee. Um possibly he’s looking at a way back into the PJ tour. That’s been speculated. I don’t know about that. But I just think um Keegan Bradley’s looking at that going I think Brooks is a guy for a big occasion especially on a course he’s won on before. So I’m going to add to my selections Brooks Kepka. So I think now if we’re to believe the two reports that have come out in the last two days we’ve had Sam Burns and obviously Keegan today that are going to play in the RDER Cup. Um, I think you can add Brooks to that. And people might laugh at me. I don’t care, but we’ll see. We We It’ll all be revealed tomorrow. I just think it’s very very strange that he’s playing in the Irish Open next week. Um, it doesn’t make much sense. He’s exempt, as I said, till 2028 with the majors after winning the USPGA in 2023. I reckon I reckon he’s I reckon he’s in. That’s that’s my feelings on it. I I think I’ve given some good enough reasons there, but that’s my feeling on what’s going to happen tomorrow at Keegan’s pick. So, I’m just going to quickly now in one second run through who else I think is going to be in the team. Um, I am going to go with Justin Thomas. You know, I know he is part of that the the click that we saw in in the Netflix series, but I think he is going to be the one in the team. Um, you know, you can’t leave out Justin. He’s he’s he’s played solid this season without really setting the world on fire. Much better than he he’s done in the previous two seasons. We saw him coming back last year. He knocked on the door this year. finally got over the line again at uh Harbor Town, I think it was. We had him backed here as well. Um so yeah, Justin’s definitely going to be in. I think Colin Morav was the casualty here. Just too inconsistent for me all season. I think he he just been all over the place. Let’s factor in, right? People don’t often talk about this. Two of his majors were one I think in CO times, reduced capacity crowds. Was there any crowd even at Harding Park when he won won the open at a reduced crowd? So if you put those two factors together and if you look again this season um at Bay Hill when he was playing probably the best golf of his season um going down but I think two shot lead three shot lead over um Russell Henley and he blew it. Russ Henley I know did chip in but he just seems to wilt under that pressure. I think when you put him in a situation like New York and the crowd that’s going to be there, the hype, everything, I think we saw probably the same a little bit in um in Rome. I’m not so sure. I know he’s a good partnership with obviously his buddy Patley. I think Patrick Hanley is going to be in there because I think Patrick Hley’s Right Cup record is just too good and I think he’s he’s playing well at the right time. I think that’s crucial as well. So that’s four I have. I’m also going to I’m also going to pick um this is a tough one for me because I do I do would like to see Ben Griffin be in there, but I don’t think he’s going to get in. I think Cameron Young is going to get in ahead of him again. I think Cam Young is one of these guys. He’s been relentless. He’s a team player. He’s a dog. There’s a lot of fight in him. he’s, you know, had so many near misses and then finally get over the line. Um to win um a PJ tour to event for the first time which was just that sensational for him. Uh so many second place finish a lot like Tommy Fleewood. So I think momentum there is key. He’s going to go to a new level I think and I think he’s a guy that will fit in perfectly I think with what Keegan wants to do with this team. Um, and also my other pick and my final pick is going to be Patrick Conley as I said. Am I have I done that right? I think I have. So, we have Sam Burns, Keegan Bradley. I think Brooks Skepka, Justin Thomas, I say Patrick Conley and Cameo. They’re my six and they’re going to be obviously joining the guys we’ve we know that are already there. Scotty Schaefer, JJ Spawn, Xander Shoffley, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryce Dambo. That is a phenomenal team in my opinion. I I just I think we’re in for an absolute rocket of Ryder Cup. I think it’s going to be one of the best Ryder Cups in history. And I do actually fancy the US team out of Europe. I think could be a little bit too soon for this European team. I think all of them probably have a far Justin Rose maybe have a couple of rider well at least one more rider cup in them but I think going over there to win in such a high which is let’s be honest it’s going to be a high voltage crowd it’s going to be a mad New York crowd so that’s where I’m at at the moment I am a bit sick or my voice is going up and down screeching like a bloody I don’t know um but yeah no I’m I’m buzzing for it I think um the pigs tomorrow could go could go different ways. There’s there’s so many permutations. A lot tougher to pick out this American team than it is the European team. The European team is probably pretty straightforward as I said, bar Harry Hall um is the only one I could see possibly sneaking in for possibly Matt Fitzpatrick or Seth Stra cuz Se finished the season so poorly. Um but I but I don’t even really envisionage that to be honest if I’m deadly honest about it. I think it’ll be exactly the same bar um the swap out in the twins. So you’ll have Raasmus obviously in who jumped ahead of Shane Larry and but I’ll talk about that later in the week cuz that’s on the next Monday. But I am going to do a live tomorrow. I’m going to go live um during the pics 5:00 p.m. Irish time. So around about then we’ll uh we’ll just have a bit of crack during the picks and uh and see what’s going on and see what Keegan does. I can’t wait for it. I’m I’m really buzzing to see what he does tomorrow. Um, I do believe um that at least three of those picks are set. I I I do believe the reports that have come out, I do think Egan’s going to play. I do think um Sam Burns is in there. And I do believe um Brooks Keepka is going to get the nod as well because I think there’s too many permutations add up there for it’s just too much for it to be a coincidence in my opinion. Um okay. Yeah. Um loads on the on the channel. We talked about Sam Burns last night when the news broke. That’s up there. There’s loads of press conferences for the last couple of weeks. So do and if you’re getting value out of this, really do appreciate if you um if you want to subscribe, like, share, comment, all that. Do get your comments in. I want to know your picks and if we go live tomorrow, we’ll have a chat. We’ll do all that. Um get involved with the show. I my light went off there as well. Look, how did that go off? There we are. We’ll put it back on. But um yeah, loads to obviously get through tomorrow. There’s going to be a lot to break down, a lot to talk about when we learn Keegan’s Bradley’s picks. Uh there’s a channel as said do hit me up on um Twitter as well um Nograph 4, Instagram, all the same. And yeah, as I said, subscribe if you’re getting value of the channel. Do appreciate you joining in, stopping by if you did check out the show. Um back tomorrow, as I said, we’ll do a live about 5:00 um a little bit probably before the pigs come in. Have a chat, have a bit of banter and see what Keegan does ahead of the Ryder Cup, which is just in exactly a month today and I’m going to be in Spain for I can’t wait. Um, so yeah, it is um from N McGrath. Good luck and good night for all right. All right. All right.