Keegan Bradley, after taking on the leadership of the American team in the Ryder Cup, shared his reflections on the experience, marked by defeat and the intense emotions experienced.
The Weight of the Ryder Cup
Bradley, who accepted the role of captain with full awareness of the responsibility, expressed how the defeat in the Ryder Cup has affected him. “You win, and it’s glory for a lifetime. You lose, and you have to live with that for the rest of your life,” commented Bradley, showing the emotional impact of the result.The American team, despite being the favorite, found itself in an unfavorable situation from the start, with a significant deficit before the final day. Bradley admitted that the first two days were worse than expected, generating an atmosphere charged with sadness and emotion.There’s no part of me that thinks I’ll ever get over this.
Keegan Bradley
The image shows Keegan Bradley.
Although the team managed to score points in the individual matches on Sunday, the final result was not enough. Bradley took responsibility for certain decisions, including the field setup, which, combined with the rain, facilitated the game. Others questioned the pairings and their decision not to include themselves in the team.
Bradley described the period after the Ryder Cup as one of the most difficult of his life.Despite the difficulties, Bradley expressed his desire to compete again in the Ryder Cup, although he acknowledged that, at 39 years old, he would be one of the oldest players. “This event has been so brutal for me. I don’t know if I want to play. No, yes I do,” he corrected, showing the complexity of his feelings towards the tournament.
Bradley also mentioned his struggle to overcome the “Ryder Cup fog” and return to his competitive level on the PGA Tour. He highlighted that, after being named captain, he managed to win the 2024 BMW Championship and, recently, secured another individual victory, surpassing other American players in that period.Although there were times when he regretted not being included in the team as a player, Bradley stated that he made the right decision. He acknowledged that he missed the experience of playing and feeling the camaraderie with his teammates.
Finally, Bradley valued the unique experience he had as captain, feeling the support of the American fans in each tournament. He highlighted that he was able to experience something unique in golf, combining the leadership of the Ryder Cup with high-level competition, achieving victories and demonstrating exceptional performance.
