Bradley win 'opens the door' as playing captain

Two years ago, Keegan Bradley was devastated erstwhile then-U.S. Ryder Cup skipper Zach Johnson near him disconnected the 2023 squad successful favour of Justin Thomas arsenic a captain's pick.

In 2024, Bradley, present 39, was chosen by the PGA of America to pb the U.S. squad for the 2025 matches astatine Bethpage Black successful New York -- the youngest American skipper since Arnold Palmer was a playing skipper successful 1963.

But volition Bradley beryllium a playing skipper similar Palmer? That's a determination lone helium tin make.

After winning the Travelers Championship connected Sunday, Bradley has moved to No. 9 successful the Ryder Cup standings and a career-best No. 7 successful the Official World Golf Ranking. His 2 PGA Tour wins successful the past twelvemonth are much than immoderate American but Scottie Scheffler.

"This changes the communicative a small bit," Bradley said Sunday astir his Ryder Cup role. "I ne'er would person thought astir playing if I hadn't won. This decidedly opens the doorway to play. I don't cognize if I'm going to bash it oregon not, but I surely person to instrumentality a beauteous hard look astatine what's champion for the team."

The apical six players successful the points standings aft the BMW Championship connected Aug. 17 volition automatically marque the team; Bradley volition besides marque six captain's choices. Scheffler, the satellite No. 1, is followed by two-time large victor Xander Schauffele and U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun are the wide apical 3 astatine this point, with Russell Hensley, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas rounding retired the existent apical six.

Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Bradley, Harris English, Maverick McNealy and Brian Harman are the adjacent six successful the points contention done Sunday.

Bradley, who is from New England and played assemblage play astatine St. John's, past played successful the Ryder Cup astatine Gleneagles successful Scotland successful 2014. He made his Ryder Cup debut astatine Medinah successful 2012.

The thought of really playing astatine Bethpage Black successful September hadn't truly crossed his caput earlier this season, but arsenic his crippled has surged, helium said it's not retired of the realm of possibility.

"I ne'er truly planned connected playing. I truly wanted to conscionable beryllium the captain," Bradley said anterior to the Travelers past week. "I truly felt powerfully astir that. I privation to service the guys. They asked maine to bash a job. I privation to bash it to the champion of my abilities.

"Now, with the astonishing vice captains that I have, and I person a amended position of playing successful the Presidents Cup and being astir a batch of the guys, I consciousness a batch much comfy if I went that route."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.