What the Keegan Bradley Ryder Cup surprise could mean big picture

Captain’s picks are at all times a scorching matter in the run-up to Ryder Cups. In the prelude to the 2025 version, although, most of the drama thus far has revolved round the captain choose — as in, who would lead the U.S. facet at beefy Bethpage Black, a call that traditionally has been introduced in February of the yr previous the matches, however for the ’25 occasion wasn’t publicized till two days in the past.

As you’re probably conscious by now, Keegan Bradley bought the nod, however solely as a result of Tiger Woods, who had been provided the put up final yr, declined. Woods took months to ruminate over whether or not he had the time and vitality to completely dedicate himself to the job. He was having a tough time saying no however a good more durable time saying sure; in late May he lastly got here to peace with the actuality that he didn’t have the — pardon the corporate-speak — bandwidth to take the reins.   

For the PGA of America’s decision-makers, it was scramble time, like if you decide on plans in your powder-room reno however then study that the producer has discontinued your tile selection. Captains — and that is true on the European facet, too — don’t develop on bushes; they’re groomed. Typically, they’ll study the ropes serving as vice-captains at both the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, or, in the case of the Presidents Cup, as outright captains. Just as on-course excellence requires reps, the pondering has gone, so, too, does sound captaining.  

Assuming the U.S. Ryder Cup Committee caught to that technique, the 2025 U.S. skipper virtually actually was going to return from the quintet of vice-captains who served underneath Zach Johnson in Rome final yr. Those assistants, in the order through which Johnson appointed them, have been Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples and Stewart Cink. Furyk, the shedding captain in 2018, was by no means going to get one other shot, in order that left 4 potential choices: Stricker, who was a success amongst his gamers in his victorious captaincy at Whistling Straits in 2021; Love, who is also well-liked in the crew room however already has had two turns at the helm (shedding in 2012 and successful in ’16); Couples, who by his personal admission appears destined to at all times be the bridesmaid and by no means the bride. (“Would I like to be Ryder Cup captain? Of course,” he stated in 2021, “but that’s probably not going to happen”); and Cink, who has performed in 5 Ryder Cups and been aching for the U.S. Ryder Cup Committee to name his quantity.  

Could Bethpage 2025 — which for years appeared ripe for a Phil Mickelson captaincy earlier than seemingly morphing into Tiger’s crew — unexpectedly change into Cink’s cost? In latest weeks, as Tiger’s choice started to return into focus, Cink’s inventory started to rise. The vary buzz round Cink grew so loud that in a press convention after the first spherical of the Senior PGA Championship in late May, Cink was requested about the potential for a New York captaincy.  

“I certainly would look forward to doing that, but this is very new for me, because my name was nowhere in the conversation for a long time, and all of a sudden it’s in the conversation,” Cink stated. “I got no idea why, but I get asked a lot of questions about it. If one the captaincies ever falls to me, I would be over the moon. To be able to do that would be like a dream.”

Cink additionally was requested about being grouped by the PGA of America with a former Ryder Cup captain in Stricker. Coincidence? Maybe, possibly not. “We talked a little bit about the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup,” Cink stated. “We have a little bit of that in common. We’re both involved in stuff at the moment, so it’s kind of cool. I’m not sure what Steve’s plans are. He won’t tell me exactly. Doesn’t tell anybody what he’s going to do.”

Cink, it seems, was certainly on the candidate brief record of then-PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. According to a supply near the decision-making course of, Waugh introduced these suggestions to his fellow Ryder Cup Committee members — a bunch that features PGA brass and in addition Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas — in a June 18 assembly. But little time was spent deliberating over the record, which, the supply stated, additionally included Couples, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler and Kevin Kisner, amongst others. When Waugh surfaced Bradley’s title, there was swift and unanimous settlement that Bradley was the most reasonable selection. ”His enthusiasm for the Ryder Cup stood out above the whole lot else, and we simply felt that that was the ah-ha second,” PGA of America president John Lindert stated in a Tuesday press convention in New York. “When Keegan’s name was mentioned, it was all hands went up and we were a hundred percent behind it.”   

When requested about Bradley’s surprise appointment at the Scottish Open earlier this week, Cink admitted to being “disappointed” but in addition that he thinks Bradley will “do a really good job. I know he wants a team win and his roots being there in New England, he’ll be a great captain.”

Cink added: “The fact that Keegan’s never been any kind of assistant role or anything, he played on some teams and played some great golf and he won a PGA Championship — those count, a lot. Younger, for sure. Maybe closer in age range to players who are going to be on the team could be a factor. Maybe they’re looking to change some things.”

Cink’s tea-leaf studying is seemingly spot on. According to the supply near the choice course of, Spieth stated in the June 18 assembly that “there are some choices that don’t sound like a lot of fun. Playing for Keegan sounds like fun.” There additionally was speak in that assembly of the must “modernize golf” and for evolution in how the choice committee thinks about selecting captains and assembling groups. “We were just in this echo chamber of sameness,” the supply stated. “The Band-Aid had to be ripped off.”

Beneath that bandage was a captain nobody noticed coming: a participant who nonetheless is in his prime and shall be solely 39 at subsequent yr’s matches, making him the youngest Ryder Cup captain in additional than 60 years. (Arnold Palmer was 34 when he served as a enjoying captain in 1963.) Bradley didn’t point out names when requested about his potential assistants however did intimate that he’ll veer towards youthful gamers who’re nonetheless energetic on Tour. “I think that would be super helpful,” he stated.

Does this mean the ship has sailed for captain hopefuls like Cink, Couples and Kuchar? Check again in 14 months. The reply to that query certainly will lie in whether or not Bradley and his crew go away Bethpage soaked in champagne.    

Alan Bastable

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s government editor, Bastable is liable for the editorial route and voice of one among the recreation’s most revered and extremely trafficked information and repair websites. He wears many hats — enhancing, writing, ideating, growing, daydreaming of at some point breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely proficient and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Before grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the options editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey together with his spouse and foursome of children.