Report: US set to name shock Ryder Cup captain after Tiger Woods snub
According to a report, the PGA of America are set to name Keegan Bradley as the Team USA Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 contest at Bethpage Black.
Keegan Bradley is set to be named the next Team USA Ryder Cup captain after Tiger Woods turned down the opportunity, according to a report.
According to Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig, Bradley will be unveiled tomorrow (Tuesday) as the skipper for the 2025 contest at Bethpage Black.
Woods was the frontrunner to take over the role from Zach Johnson, whose red white and blue were defeated by five points at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club last September in Italy.
But Woods is said to have rejected the offer from the PGA of America, according to Telegraph Sport, as he wasn't allowed to have reduced captaincy commitments.
According to the publication, Woods wanted to have reduced commitments because of his ongoing role in the PGA Tour's attempts to broker a deal with LIV Golf's backers.
Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, Davis Love III or Steve Stricker were expected to be the next in line to assume the captaincy role.
But Bradley will succeed Johnson as captain.
Bradley was extremely unfortunate not to be involved as a player in the last contest.
His devastation at being snubbed was captured in its entirety by the Netflix cameras.
Bradley later criticised the decision, describing Johnson's decision to include an out-of-form Justin Thomas meant that Team USA really was a 'boys' club'.
"The thing is, those guys are close," he previously said.
"They're not just PGA Tour-close, they’re close friends.
"If you take golf out of the equation, they’re legit close friends.
"You have your close friends as a golfer and then you have your close PGA Tour friends, and a lot of the time your close friends aren’t on the Tour."
The 38-year-old has won six times on the PGA Tour and also captured the 2011 PGA Championship.
He has played in two Ryder Cups and one Presidents Cup.
His overall Ryder Cup record is 4-2. He went 2-2-1 at the 2013 Presidents Cup.
If the report by SI is true, it would mean that Bradley will be the youngest US Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 at East Lake.
Palmer, who was a playing captain, was 34 years old.
Analysis by Ben Smith
This is a shock decision but one that many American golf fans may love.
Make no mistake, the PGA of America are taking a chance here.
But Bradley's passion is almost unmatched when it comes to the Ryder Cup.
He truly, truly cares.
You also have to consider that the 2025 Ryder Cup is more than likely going to have one of the most hostile atmospheres in history.
Therefore, Bradley appears to be the perfect individual to harness the support of what is expected to be a raucous home crowd.
