Keegan Bradley named US Ryder Cup captain after Tiger Woods rejects offer

Keegan Bradley is assured of making another Ryder Cup team, this time as the US captain. The PGA of America announced his selection on Monday after months of talking with Tiger Woods about taking the job.

The PGA of America pushed out the news on Instagram after word began to leak during the day that Bradley, who has played on only two Ryder Cup teams, was chosen to lead the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black in New York.

“I am incredibly honored to accept this opportunity to captain the United States team at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” said Bradley in a statement. “I would like to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for their trust in me as we embark on this journey to Bethpage Black.

“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”

Bradley is already in New York undergoing media training. He is expected to hold a news conference to introduce himself as the new US captain on Tuesday.

Woods was the first choice of the US Ryder Cup committee and had been in negotiations for months about whether he had time to fulfill the duties, many of them involving promotion of the event.

He was a playing captain for the 2019 Presidents Cup, which the Americans won at Royal Melbourne, and he served as an assistant Ryder Cup captain at Hazeltine in 2016.

Once Woods wasn’t an option, the PGA of America went for some local flavor with Bradley. He is a New England native, and he played college golf with St John’s, whuch is located in New York.

He played in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups, which both ended in defeat for the Americans. He went 3-1-0 in 2012 but did not unpack his bag afterwards, saying he would not open it until he was on a winning team. He has a 4-3-0 record overall at the event.

Bradley was left off the US team in 2023, a moment that he said greatly disappointed him.

“I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake, basically,” Bradley said before last year’s BMW Championship. “My biggest thing right now is trying not to think about it while I’m playing because it’s important to me. I feel like I could bring some experience to the team. I would personally love to just be on a team with this younger group.”

The 38-year-old won the 2011 PGA Championship in his first-ever appearance at a major. He has five other wins on the PGA Tour, his most recent coming in June 2023 at the Travelers Championship.