Keegan Bradley is facing backlash from fans and media members alike, but it may not be for the Ryder Cup decision you were expecting. After a strong push to end the 2025 PGA Tour season, Bradley was widely projected to include himself on the United States Ryder Cup team.
Bradley would have been a rare playing captain on the Ryder Cup team but his play in recent months would have warranted the historic move. That is if Bradley had selected himself to the squad as expected.
Instead, Bradley opted against selecting himself in favor of the following roster: J.J. Spaun, Ben Griffin, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Russell Henley, Harris English, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and Sam Burns.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee was among those confused by Bradley’s decision not play at the Ryder Cup and instead focus on his captain duties.
“Keegan Bradley didn’t pick himself for Ryder Cup,” McAfee noted in an August 27, 2025, message on X. “I appreciate our Captain making that tough decision but, as a Keeganatic, I wanted to see him competing on the course for our country.. nonetheless.
“USA Team is [expletive] good and they’re about to run wild all over the Ryder Cup.”
Social Media Is Surprised at Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup Decision
SiriusXM’s Jason Sobel believes that Bradley would have been selected to the Ryder Cup team if any other golfer was captain. Bradley was also left off the 2023 Ryder Cup roster as one of the notable golfers to narrowly miss the cut.
“The irony, of course, is that Keegan Bradley was left off the Ryder Cup team two years ago, which undeniably led to him being named captain for this one, and he undoubtedly would’ve been named to the team if anyone else was the captain,” Sobel said in an August 27, message on X.
Keegan Bradley Had 6 Captains Picks for the Ryder Cup
Instead of playing in the Ryder Cup, Bradley selected six golfers to join stars like Scheffler who had already qualified for the team. The following six golfers were Bradley’s captain’s picks: Griffin, Cantlay, Burns, Thomas, Morikawa and Young.
Following a T7 performance at the Tour Championship, Bradley discussed his upcoming decision of finalizing the Ryder Cup roster.
“… I think no matter what decision that I make here, I could have gone the other way easily, no matter what,” Bradley told reporters on August 24. “The only thing I care about is on Sunday of the Ryder Cup, that we win the Ryder Cup. Then I’ll know I made the right decision.
“Until then, I won’t know. It’s going to be pretty wild. Whatever decision we make, we’re going to have to live with it. I love the guys on our team. They’re all playing great. It’s just really something else. It’s awesome.”
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