As the golf world continues to ponder the selection of Keegan Bradley as captain of Team USA, Scottie Scheffler offered his thoughts on the surprise Ryder Cup decision
Scottie Scheffler has admitted he was left aghast by the decision to select Keegan Bradley as the captain of Team USA.
Bradley, 38, was selected as the USA’s captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup. He was chosen ahead of usual captain Phil Mickelson, who is still being treated as a persona non grata by many in American golf, due to his hands-on involvement in the creation of the Saudi Arabian backed LIV Golf tour.
The decision to appoint the Vermont native raised many eyebrows, particularly as it came two years after he missed out on being a captain’s pick for the competition.
But while Scheffler was one of many to be surprised by the decision, the two-time major winner claimed the move makes perfect sense.
“I was definitely a bit surprised,” Scheffler told the GOLF’s Subpar podcast. “But the more I thought about it I was just getting fired up. I think he’s going to be awesome. We were talking to him about the Ryder Cup and just catching up with him about it.
“I mean he’s going to be a great captain, he’s going to be passionate and he’s going to make sure we’re in a position to succeed and go out there and play well. I’m excited. I think he’s going to do a great job.”
Bradley has called on the more experienced players in Team USA to help nurture the younger players within their ranks. He has previously recalled his time as a rookie, where Mickelson took him under his wing by giving him numerous words of wisdom and even taking him out for dinner.
Despite his experience with Mickelson, Bradley does not believe the six-time winner would be interested in working as a vice-captain of the team. The 54-year-old’s absence from the leadership team will certainly be noticed when the competition starts at Bethpage Black, Long Island.
Considering the US golf legend’s absence, Scheffler was even more surprised by the vibrant appointment of Bradley. He added: “I remember when I heard the announcement, I thought, ‘that was not the direction I thought they were going to go’.
“Then I sat there for a few minutes and I was like ‘wow, this is going to be awesome, this is going to be really good’. We’ve sat down a few times and talked about it and it was confirmed even more. I think he’s going to be amazing.”
It was reported that Tiger Woods turned down the opportunity to captain the USA for next year’s competition. When asked to further elaborate on why they opted for Bradley, PGA of America president John Lindert said: “Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for this event will prove invaluable as he guides the US team over the next year and a half.
“We are confident that with Keegan at the helm, the 2025 US Ryder Cup Team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has defined his career.”
