Keegan Bradley and his Ryder Cup choices: Will he be included?

Keegan Bradley: The Big Ryder Cup Decision

The captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Keegan Bradley, will reveal his six captain’s picks this Wednesday. The big question everyone is asking is: Will Bradley include himself in the team? If he does, Bradley would become the first playing-captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer, who led the Americans to a resounding 23-9 victory at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in 1963. The team is confirmed, by points, with the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, the U.S. Open winner, J.J. Spaun, two-time major champion, Xander Schauffele, and PGA Tour veterans, Russell Henley and Harris English, as well as LIV Golf League captain, Bryson DeChambeau. Bradley and his vice-captains will choose the other half of the American team that will face the Europeans at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28. The Americans will seek to avenge the 16½-11½ defeat against Europe in the 2023 Ryder Cup, held outside of Rome. European captain Luke Donald will announce his six captain’s picks on September 1st. Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton are already part of the team.

Possible Selections for the American Team

Players Practically Confirmed

Justin Thomas

The two-time PGA Championship winner has proven himself worthy of a place on the Ryder Cup team for the fourth time. Thomas admitted to feeling less anxious than in 2023, when his inclusion was controversial. Thomas ended a nearly three-year drought on the tour by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff on April 20. He was three-time runner-up and had eight top 10 finishes in 20 appearances this season. He is one of the best-performing American players in match-play, with a record of 17-7-4 in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.Patrick Cantlay

Cantlay, despite being ranked 15th in the Ryder Cup standings and not having won on the tour in over three years, is a safe bet in international match-play competitions. His record in two previous Ryder Cups is 5-2-1, and in the Presidents Cup, 10-4-0. Cantlay performed outstandingly for the Americans in the defeat in Rome two years ago, showing nerves of steel with a 2-2 record, despite criticism from European fans. In the season, he achieved five top 10s and ten top 25s in 19 participations, and his metrics suggest an even greater performance.

Strong Candidates

Keegan Bradley

The big question is whether Bradley will include himself among the captain’s picks. He is possibly one of the best 12 American golfers at the moment, and figures like Thomas have expressed their support for his inclusion. After initially stating that he would only play if he were one of the six automatic qualifiers, Bradley changed his mind after winning the Travelers Championship, a featured event. He finished in eighth place at the PGA Championship and was in contention at the Tour Championship before finishing in seventh place.

Cameron Young

Young secured his first PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship on August 3rd, putting himself back in the conversation for the Ryder Cup. Then, he had three solid performances in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Young is one of the longest drivers on tour, averaging 313.6 yards, which is important at Bethpage Black. Although his iron game hasn’t been consistent, he has transformed into one of the best putters in the world. Young, a New York native, has had success in amateur events at Bethpage Black.

On the Tightrope

Collin MorikawaMorikawa, a two-time major champion and six-time tour winner, could be one of Bradley’s picks, given his experience in team competitions. However, he hasn’t won in almost two years and admitted his form isn’t the best. His results weren’t terrible: he was twice runner-up and had four top 10s and 12 top 25s in 19 starts.Sam BurnsBurns is another golfer who performed well this season, with a tie for fourth place at the BMW Championship and seventh at the Tour Championship. A reason to include Burns is his putting ability, leading the tour in strokes gained: putting (.924). His iron game prevented him from achieving more this season.Ben GriffinGriffin’s outstanding season on the tour could have complicated the plans of the American team. He won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April alongside Andrew Novak, and then won the Charles Schwab Challenge solo. Griffin, 29, was runner-up at the Memorial, tied for eighth at the PGA Championship and tenth at the U.S. Open. He had three top-12 finishes in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Griffin has given Bradley every reason to be selected. If Bradley chooses himself, Griffin could be the first to be left out. Does the American team prefer Bradley’s experience or a rookie in the Ryder Cup?

Out of the Contest

Brian HarmanHarman, a match-play expert as an amateur and with a 2-2 record as a rookie in the Ryder Cup in Rome, is one of the best putters in the world when he’s in form. He won the Valero Texas Open in early April and is a former Open Championship champion.Maverick McNealyMcNealy, 29, is one of the rising stars on the PGA Tour and has climbed to 19th in the world rankings. He secured his first PGA Tour victory at the RSM Classic in November and was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational in February. McNealy could have re-entered the conversation for the Ryder Cup with his solo third-place finish at the BMW Championship. The former world amateur number one has yet to compete in either the Presidents Cup or the Ryder Cup.Andrew NovakNovak had a great performance in April, tying for third at the Texas Open, losing to Thomas in a playoff at the RBC Heritage, and winning the Zurich Classic alongside Griffin. Novak cooled down for a while, but climbed to 13th in the Ryder Cup standings after tying for sixth at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He struggled at the BMW Championship and tied for 25th at the Tour Championship.