Keegan Bradley had been there earlier than. Final yr, it was Zach Johnson, captain for the US within the 2023 Ryder Cup, on the telephone letting Bradley know he didn’t make the group and wouldn’t play in Rome. This yr, it was the PGA of America informing Bradley he would take Johnson’s spot main the U.S. at Bethpage Black in 2025.
The opposite distinction between the calls? Bradley had no thought this one was coming.
“I did not have one dialog with anyone about this till I used to be informed I used to be the captain,” Bradley defined Tuesday whereas sharing his utter shock throughout an introductory press convention. “I received a name from Seth [Waugh, PGA of America CEO] and John [Lindert, PGA of America president] and Zach, and I had bother speaking.
“Once they known as me, I felt humorous after the decision as a result of I do not suppose I reacted in the best way they had been anticipating me to. I used to be in full shock. It was heavy. I used to be a little bit bit uncomfortable with among the guys — my idols — that had been regarded over for this place. I wanted a second to determine that out. I do not suppose I will ever have an even bigger shock in my life.”
A kind of idols was Tiger Woods, who turned down the captaincy as a result of he didn’t really feel like he may commit sufficient time to do the job properly sufficient to guide the People to victory. Woods is embroiled in negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund as these two entities try and work out the framework settlement they presently have in place to reunify the golf world.
Bradley mentioned he spoke with Woods earlier than he accepted the function as captain with Tiger encouraging and supporting him taking the function. Bradley added that he was virtually embarrassed by the caliber of candidates handed over for him to be chosen.
“One thing Seth mentioned to me was, ‘Your quantity was known as; it is time so that you can step up,'” Bradley shared. “When he informed me that, it kind of hit me that this can be a heavy job, and this can be a group of individuals entrusting me on this. It is time to step as much as the plate and be the captain of this group.”
Bradley appreciated that the decision got here from Johnson, the person who snubbed him a yr in the past in favor of Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Sam Burns — all captain’s picks ranked decrease than Bradley. Johnson is on a committee together with different PGA executives in addition to gamers like Thomas and Jordan Spieth, who helped make the choice.
“I really feel horrible for what he is needed to undergo, and I really feel so honored that he known as,” Bradley mentioned.
When requested why the PGA picked Bradley forward of different presumed candidates like Stewart Cink and Steve Stricker, Lindert mentioned Bradley ticked a variety of containers.
“When Keegan’s identify was talked about, it was a slam dunk. … We had an inventory. We had been sort of bouncing by the listing, and we had been all wanting down the listing. Keegan’s identify sort of jumped out. As quickly because it was talked about, ‘Keegan Bradley,’ it was, ‘Yeah, completely, 100%.'”