Bradley Assumes Setup Error at Bethpage Black After Ryder Cup Defeat

Keegan Bradley Takes Responsibility After U.S. Team’s Ryder Cup Defeat

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley took responsibility for his team’s loss to the Europeans in the 45th Ryder Cup, with a final score of 15-13. Bradley admitted to making a mistake in the course setup at Bethpage Black. Bradley believed his team would have an advantage off the tee, so the rough adjacent to the fairways was not as dense or penalizing as it usually is at Bethpage Black. The heavy rains on Thursday softened the greens, causing many American golfers to struggle with their approach shots. Since 1957, local Ryder Cup captains have been responsible for course setup.

“We thought this was the best way to prepare the golf course to win,” Bradley said. “If you look at the last Ryder Cups, that’s how it works. Sometimes you have to make a decision about what to do, and if I could go back, I probably would have changed that.”

Keegan Bradley

After losing the first four sessions and entering the final with a seven-point deficit, the Americans nearly pulled off the biggest comeback in Ryder Cup history, winning 8.5 of the 11 points in singles. Bradley, who had never been a Ryder Cup vice-captain before being surprisingly selected in July 2024 to lead this American team, wondered if a denser rough and firmer greens might have helped the United States. Bradley was familiar with Bethpage Black, where he played often during his college career at St. John’s. “We tried to prepare the field to help our team,” Bradley said. “Obviously, it wasn’t the right decision. I think anytime you’re the leader of a team, the captain or the coach, or whatever, as we talked about last night, you’re going to get the accolades and you have to take the blame when things don’t go well.” Bradley was criticized for the slow start of the American team in the foursomes (alternate shot) and fourball (best ball) matches, especially for his decision to send Collin Morikawa and Harris English back together after they were defeated 5 and 4 by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in a morning foursomes match on Friday. They lost to the European duo 3 and 2 in the same format on Saturday. Bradley, 39, was the youngest captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team since Jack Nicklaus, 34, in 1963. Bradley was a surprising selection after Tiger Woods turned down the position after months of talks with the PGA of America. Woods, a 15-time major champion, said he was too busy with his PGA Tour commitments and other projects. Bradley never knew he was in the running until he received a phone call from Zach Johnson, the U.S. captain in Italy in 2023, offering him the position. “I think the goal was to give the captaincy a fresh face, a different way of doing things,” Bradley said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work. But we have some momentum. I think we can continue on this path and I will help the next captain or whoever as best I can.” Woods is considered the favorite to be captain of the 2027 American team at Adare Manor in Ireland, if he wants the position. When asked Bradley on Sunday if he would have changed anything else about his time as captain of the United States or if he had any advice for future captains, he replied that he hadn’t had enough time to reflect after the defeat.

Keegan Bradley wondered if a denser rough and firmer greens might have helped the United States at Bethpage Black, which played extra soft due to the rain before the Ryder Cup. “I haven’t thought much about it,” he said. “I had to learn a lot on the go. I had to rely on a lot of people. I was up against an incredible team and, in my opinion, I think he’s the best European Ryder Cup captain of all time, Luke Donald.” Bradley spent months weighing whether to use one of his captain’s picks on himself. He is the world’s thirteenth golfer and was eleventh in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings. “I did the best I could and [tried] to balance the game, but it’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my life,” Bradley said. “I wouldn’t change any of this for a second. I woke up every day excited to do this. It made me a different person than who I am today, and I’m very grateful for these guys.” That drew applause from the 12 American golfers at the press conference after the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. “It was incredible,” said Justin Thomas. “I said that in the team room today when I saw him. I said, ‘I’m proud of the mentality you gave us today.’ I feel bad for him. I feel bad for [Bradley’s wife] Jillian. They gave us all a lot and the wives. They gave us the best possible situation and circumstances to win, and unfortunately we didn’t make it for them. I just feel bad for him and for all of us.”