It didn’t take lengthy after Keegan Bradley’s victory Sunday on the Vacationers Championship for the U.S. Ryder Cup captain to think about the irony.
“My complete life, yearly I used to be out right here, I needed to play on the Ryder Cup workforce, after which this may be the primary 12 months the place perhaps I didn’t wish to,” stated Bradley, a two-time Ryder Cupper, although not since 2014, who was named captain precisely a 12 months in the past Sunday.
“I simply needed to be the captain and, after all, you realize, that is what occurs.”
For months, Bradley has been adamant that he wouldn’t decide himself. The one means he’d be a taking part in captain, he’s stated persistently, is that if he certified for the 12-man American workforce based mostly on factors.
Even within the moments after he sank a 5-footer for birdie to win the Vacationers for the second time in three years, Bradley dodged the plain query from CBS reporter Amanda Balionis.
Have you ever satisfied your self that you’d be additive to this workforce now?
“Go U.S.A.!” Bradley answered.
However as soon as he had settled behind the interview podium, Bradley had allowed himself to be lifelike. His win projected to maneuver him not solely to seventh within the Official World Golf Rating but in addition ninth in U.S. Ryder Cup factors. The final time a top-10 participant on the earth was left off a Ryder Cup workforce was 2016, when Bubba Watson was denied a spot on the U.S. squad regardless of being ranked seventh on the earth. Bradley can be now tenth in whole strokes gained this season on Tour and third in strokes gained tee to inexperienced.
There’s a variety of golf nonetheless to be performed earlier than the six automated choices are finalized on Aug. 17 after the BMW Championship and the six captain’s decide are chosen following the Tour Championship.
But when issues had been determined in the present day, Bradley can be hard-pressed to not name his personal quantity. He is aware of it, too.
“This adjustments the story a bit of bit,” Bradley stated. “I by no means would have thought of taking part in if I hadn’t gained. This undoubtedly opens the door to play. I don’t know if I’m going to do it or not, however I actually should take a fairly onerous take a look at what’s finest for the workforce, and we’ll see.”
When Bradley obtained the decision a 12 months in the past, then PGA CEO Seth Waugh informed Bradley that he needed him to be the primary taking part in captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Palmer would go 4-2 that 12 months at East Lake in a dominating U.S. victory.
“My head was spinning, I didn’t know what they had been speaking about, however they knew that that was a risk and that we might have issues in place for that,” Bradley stated. “However you realize I’m at all times attempting to be the most effective that I could be, and I really feel like I’m taking part in the most effective golf of my profession proper now.”
Right here’s how the $20 million purse was paid out at TPC River Highlands, website of the ultimate signature occasion of the season.
Later, whereas on the Golf Central set with Golf Channel’s Wealthy Lerner and Brandel Chamblee, Bradley stated that if he performs at Bethpage Black, he won’t relinquish his captaincy. As an alternative, his assistants – Jim Furyk, Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner and Brandt Snedeker – would simply take up additional tasks.
“I’ll play if I really feel like it’s going to assist the workforce,” Bradley added.
Proper now, there’s little doubt he would.
The door is extensive open for that.
