The infamous bag from the 2014 Ryder Cup of Gleneagles may finally be unpacked after the Americans play on the Bethpage Black in 2025. In an unexpected decision, the PGA of America announced that Keegan Bradley will be leading the next 12 pros on home soil. This one has to be special for Bradley, as life is coming full circle for him.
He was left off the team and could not participate in the 44th Ryder Cup. The 2023 captain Zach Johnson did not pick him and it left Bradley heartbroken. “I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake, basically. My biggest thing right now is trying not to think about it while I’m playing because it’s important to me. I feel like I could bring some experience to the team. I would personally love to just be on a team with this younger group,” and he will be doing just that now as the captain but in a different capacity altogether. Given his close relationship with Tiger Woods, Bradley may ask the legendary player to assist him in bringing the Americans a win in Bethpage and be his vice-captain.
After all, the two have played many rounds together, and Bradley has even signed with Woods’s TGL team, Boston Common Golf. The 48-year-old’s guidance would help the team a ton. However, the question remains: will Woods accept this request? Unfortunately, he might not. Given the seniority aspect and the fact that Woods has played Ryder Cups six more times than Bradley, it wouldn’t be deemed fit for him to be working under someone that junior.
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USA Today via Reuters
Mar 23, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Keegan Bradley tees off during the first round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports | REUTERS
Thus, Woods would probably not become a part of the 2025 Ryder Cup. Even if the strength of both pros’ careers is kept aside, the 82-time PGA Tour winner gave the exact reason why he wanted to skip leading the 2025 Ryder Cup in the first place.
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Why did Tiger Woods reject the Ryder Cup captaincy?
The 48-year-old was the first choice to captain the 2025 Ryder Cup. But he reasoned that given his responsibilities on the PGA Tour as a Player Director and now Vice Chairman of PGA Tour Enterprise, he wouldn’t be able to give enough time to the team and the Ryder Cup.
As Rex Hoggard of NBC Sports reported, Woods said, “I don’t want to not fulfill the role of the captaincy if I can’t do it… I need to feel that I can give the amount of time that it deserves.” So, despite a potential chance that Bradley might address the 15-time major winner for his assistance in the 2025 Ryder Cup, he probably would receive a negative answer.
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If Woods didn’t have time for captaincy, it would not be wrong to assume that he would not have time for being a vice-captain either. Or else he would have accepted the captaincy in the first place. So, Bradley would have to turn to other pros to complete his team and appoint the five vice-captains to lead the Americans at Bethpage Black to get a win in 2025 after a heartbreaking loss at Marco Simone last year.
Going two for two, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III, and Fred Couples might still choose to be a part of Team USA, as they have assisted in 2021 and 2023 as well. Moreover, Stewart Cink may also continue after last year’s participation, as he revealed the importance of the Ryder Cup in his life. Nonetheless, the decision of who will be assisting him in 2025 may soon be answered, as Bradley might have already started the hunt, securing his perfect 2025 Ryder Cup team!
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