OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Keegan Bradley nonetheless has two FedEx Cup playoffs tournaments left to make his case for turning into the primary enjoying captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup group in 62 years.
Ryder Cup veterans Patrick Cantlay and Rickie Fowler imagine Bradley has already executed sufficient on the course this season to be on the 12-player roster that may battle the European group at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, Sept. 26-28.
Bradley, 39, would be the youngest American captain since Arnold Palmer was a enjoying captain in 1963 at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta.
Bradley is at present tenth within the U.S. group factors standings after profitable the Vacationers Championship, a signature occasion, on June 22. He hasn’t completed within the prime 30 in 4 begins since then. He has 5 top-10s and 9 top-25s in 19 begins.
“Yeah, I might choose him too,” mentioned Fowler, who has competed in 5 Ryder Cups. “I believe it might be exhausting to search out actually any or many People that might argue that time.”
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler, U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun and Xander Schauffele have already earned sufficient factors to qualify for the group.
The highest six golfers in factors after this week’s BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Membership will make the group. Russell Henley, LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau and Harris English are at present within the prime six.
Bradley beforehand mentioned DeChambeau might be on the group, and Henley and English appear nearly assured of enjoying at Bethpage Black, no matter the place they end in factors.
Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Bradley, Maverick McNealy and Andrew Novak spherical out the present prime 12.
Bradley will make six captain’s selections Aug. 27, three days after the Tour Championship at East Lake.
Bradley has wavered on whether or not he’d select himself with a captain’s choose after beforehand saying he would solely compete if he certified for the group on factors. After profitable the Vacationers Championship in opposition to a loaded discipline, Bradley mentioned he would choose himself if “I really feel like I’ll assist the group.”
“I do know he is perhaps attending to the world on factors of the place he might imagine, like, ‘Is that this a spot the place I shouldn’t choose myself?'” Fowler mentioned. “I really feel like numerous instances there’s actually just one or two [golfers] that perhaps fluctuate primarily based off of people who had been perhaps inside the highest 12 on factors that perhaps do not get picked.
“Like I mentioned, I do not suppose you are going to discover any or many People which can be going to argue that he should not be on the group.”
Cantlay competed prior to now two Ryder Cups and was one of many U.S. group’s lone brilliant spots in its 16½ – 11½ loss to the Europeans at Marco Simone Golf and Nation Membership exterior Rome in 2023. He had a 2-2 file and offered an emotional elevate.
Brian Harman (thirteenth in factors), Cameron Young (14), Cantlay (fifteenth) and some different golfers are additionally believed to be within the combine for roster spots.
“Thankfully, I am not in that predicament,” Cantlay mentioned when requested if he would select himself as a enjoying captain. “Keegan, nevertheless, is in that predicament. If I used to be the captain, I might choose Keegan. I believe he is performed nice.”
If Bradley did select himself with a captain’s choose, he must relegate a few of his duties in managing the U.S. group. He would in all probability hand over among the duties to former Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk, one in every of his 5 vice captains.
“I believe he has numerous duty that week,” Cantlay mentioned. “So if he feels that he can play golf like a traditional week, given all his different duties, I am simply saying that if I used to be the captain, I believe he is positively top-of-the-line American gamers, and his outcomes have proven that.”
