ORWENS MILLS, Maryland – Keegan Bradley has the FedEx Cup playoff event remaining to insist on turning into the primary play captain of the US Ryder Cup group in 62 years.
Ryder Cup veterans Patrick Cantray and Ricky Fowler consider Bradley has already executed properly on the course this season to tackle the 12 gamers roster towards the European group at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York on September 26-28.
Bradley, 39, will grow to be America’s youngest captain since Arnold Palmer performed the captain at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta in 1963.
Bradley is at the moment tenth within the US Workforce Factors rating after profitable the signature occasion, Vacationers Championship on June twenty second. He hasn’t completed within the prime 30 since then with 4 begins. He has 5 prime 10 and 9 prime 25 in a 19 begin.
“Yeah, I will select him too,” mentioned Fowler, who competed in 5 Ryder Cups. “I feel it is troublesome to argue that time or discover a variety of Individuals.”
World No. 1 golfer Scotty Schauffele, US Open Winners JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele have already scored sufficient factors to qualify for the group.
The highest six golfers in factors will kind the group after this week’s BMW Championship on the Caves Valley Golf Membership. Russell Henry, Liv Golf League captain Bryson Deccanbeau and Harris English are at the moment within the prime six.
Bradley beforehand mentioned that Deccanbeau would seem on the group, and Henry and English appear to virtually assure he’ll play for Beth Web page Black regardless of the place he finishes on the purpose.
Justin Thomas, Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Bradley, Maverick McNerry and Andrew Novac will spherical out their present prime 12.
Bradley will make six captain choices on August twenty seventh, three days after the tour championship in East Lake.
Bradley prevented him from selecting himself on the captain’s decide after saying he would solely compete if he made it to the group in factors. After profitable the Vacationers Championship towards the loaded area, Bradley mentioned he would select himself, “I really feel like I am making an attempt to assist the group.”
“He is aware of he is most likely going to an space the place he may suppose, ‘Is that this the place I should not select myself?’,” Fowler mentioned. “In lots of instances, just one or two (golfers) truly might fluctuate based mostly on who was most likely within the prime 12 at factors not chosen.
“Like I mentioned, I do not suppose you are going to discover an American who’s making an attempt to insist he should not be on the group.”
Cantrey has competed prior to now two Ryder Cups and was one of many solely shiny spots for the US group in 2023 with a 16½-11½ defeat to the Europeans at Marco Simone Golf and Nation Membership on the outskirts of Rome. He had a 2-2 document and provided an emotional elevate.
Brian Herman (thirteenth), Cameron Younger (14), Cantrey (fifteenth), and a number of other different golfers are additionally regarded as within the mixture of spots on the roster.
“Luckily, I am not in that predicament,” Cantrey mentioned when requested if he would select himself because the captain. “However Keegan is in that predicament. If I have been the captain, I might select Keegan. I feel he performed nice.”
If Bradley chooses himself on the captain’s decide, he should entrust a few of his obligations in managing the US group. He’ll possible hand over a few of his missions to former Ryder Cup captain Jim Furik, one among his 5 vice captains.
“I feel he is obtained a variety of accountability that week,” Cantrey mentioned. “So, given all the opposite obligations, if he feels he can play golf like a standard week, if I used to be the captain, he’s positively one among America’s greatest gamers and he is simply saying that his outcomes confirmed that.”
