JULIUS MASON: Good afternoon, everybody, and thanks very a lot for becoming a member of us in the present day for the 2025 United States Ryder Cup captain announcement. The forty fifth version of one of many world’s most original and particular competitions will happen at Bethpage State Park in roughly 13 months. And in the present day we’re happy to formally welcome the one who will lead the 2025 United States Ryder Cup group. And for that I want to say good morning to the director of golf on the Nation Membership of Lansing in Michigan, the president of the PGA of America, Mr. John Lindert.(Applause.)JOHN LINDERT: Thanks, Julius, and good morning to all people. It is nice being right here in New York. Since 1927 we have hosted this occasion at some very historic websites, Rome, Paris, Chicago, Boston. In 2025 we’re coming right here to New York Metropolis and Bethpage Black, and it’s trending to be one of the spectacular occasions within the historical past of the PGA of America, and I’m actually wanting ahead to being right here subsequent September.JULIUS MASON: John, thanks very a lot. Talking of Bethpage Black it is time to say hiya to our 2025 United States Ryder Cup captain.JOHN LINDERT: It’s.So, for over 100 years the function of the Ryder Cup captain is among the most prestigious titles in our sport. I am right here to announce our Ryder Cup captain on behalf of the over 30,000 PGA professionals throughout the nation.Let me undergo somewhat little bit of his historical past. So, he has had eight profession worldwide victories, together with the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Membership. He performed on the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cup groups, has a 4 & 3 document. He is at present ranked 19 on this planet. He’s the son of PGA of America skilled Mark Bradley, who’s the educating skilled at Jackson Gap Golf and Tennis Membership in Wyoming. He is additionally a standout star from St. John’s College, and he was coached by Frank Darby, who can be a PGA of America member.So now it is my honor and my pleasure to announce the 2025 PGA Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley.(Applause.)JULIUS MASON: Congratulations, Keegan, on being named the thirty first United States Ryder Cup captain. You’ve got been sitting on this information for a few weeks now, are you able to share with us in the present day proper now your feelings formally of getting this data?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Effectively, I am extremely humbled and honored to be the Ryder Cup captain for Crew USA. Being on a Ryder Cup group adjustments your life eternally. Being within the room with these guys and feeling the intense strain of this event will change you. The dream of being a Ryder Cup captain is one thing that numerous us do not even take into consideration as a result of it is so, such a prestigious honor, and I by no means knew if I’d get this chance. I all the time felt like that is one thing that I’d like to do and be capable of deal with, and I am so honored to have the ability to be the chief of this group and going to Bethpage to win the Ryder Cup again for America.JULIUS MASON: So, Keegan, take us somewhat inside right here. Inform us the place you have been if you bought the decision and who you bought the decision from.KEEGAN BRADLEY: So, I had simply completed three weeks on the highway. I drove dwelling from Hartford with a 3 and a six yr previous, three-hour drive. So we have been again dwelling, we lastly bought them right down to mattress, and I sat in my chair and I lastly had a while to calm down. I had three weeks off.And the telephone rang and it was Seth Waugh. I answered it and he had some fairly unimaginable information that I had no clue was coming. Zach Johnson is the one who advised me that I used to be going to be the Ryder Cup captain in 2025. I believe it simply speaks to what sort of man and individual Zach Johnson is. I’ve simply such respect for him. He was one in every of my idols that I seemed as much as once I first got here out on the TOUR, and I really feel horrible for what he is needed to undergo, and I am so honored that he was the one who referred to as me. I will symbolize this choice to the most effective of my skills and I am actually excited.JULIUS MASON: Let’s return to 2012 at Medinah Nation Membership simply exterior of Chicago to your very, very first Ryder Cup. You partnered with Phil Mickelson and also you gained your first three matches out of the blocks. Inform us what you bear in mind about that journey.KEEGAN BRADLEY: To be trustworthy with you, what I bear in mind most is the enjoyable that we had on the course and simply the getting on the primary tee and type of simply being giddy to go play. Realizing we have been going to win. I bear in mind the camaraderie of the group. I bear in mind going to our first Ryder Cup dinner, the TOUR Championship, and having simply the 12 guys, and looking out across the desk and seeing Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson and being in full awe that I used to be on this room, and that, two, three years earlier I used to be taking part in the mini-tours and now hastily I am representing the USA within the Ryder Cup.I bear in mind pondering to myself, you possibly can by no means miss any extra of those ever once more. That is — you hear a lot concerning the Ryder Cup after which if you expertise it, it is a lot extra. I simply beloved each second of it. I beloved being within the group room, I beloved using to the course with the fellows, I beloved profitable our matches and going out and cheering. I beloved each second of it.JULIUS MASON: Excellent. So, via the lens of Netflix, the world type of noticed your disappointment if you weren’t chosen as captain’s choose for the 2023 United States Ryder Cup group, but moments later you and your loved ones are sitting within the consolation of your front room cheering on Crew USA. Assist us perceive that second and who you might be as a person and the make-up of who you might be.KEEGAN BRADLEY: So, that second was actual. I used to be crushed. It took us awhile to recover from that. Our entire household. We have been devastated. However I am American, I root for the People to win the Ryder Cup. I watch, whether or not I am taking part in or whether or not I am not. I do know all the fellows on the group and I bleed crimson, white and blue. I used to be thrilled to have the ability to watch these guys and I used to be pulling for ’em and I, it was a bizarre feeling realizing that I might have been there and perhaps helped the group, however I do know what a troublesome choice Zach had. Choosing the fellows that he picked have been nice selections. I’d have carried out the identical. I’ve nothing however respect for all these guys and what they do on the course and off the course.Now, sitting right here because the captain, I type of have a special perspective of what he was going via. As a result of I’ve solely been the captain for 2 weeks and I am discovering myself staring on the ceiling at 2 a.m. excited about each single state of affairs. So, I’ve a special perspective now, and I’ve nothing however admiration and respect for Zach Johnson.JULIUS MASON: John talked about that your dad, Mark, is right here, and also you truly fell in love with the Ryder Cup at age 13 when dad took you over to the Nation Membership in Brookline, proper? Speak about that somewhat bit.KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, in order that second modified my life eternally. We went on Friday and Sunday and I could not imagine that I used to be at a golf event that felt like this. It felt like going to a Patriots sport or a sporting occasion that was loud and raucous. So, quick ahead to Sunday, I used to be on my dad’s shoulders on the 18th inexperienced and I might see via to the Justin Leonard putt. I could not precisely see it, however I noticed him putt, I heard this large roar, and I noticed all of the crimson shirts run after him. And everybody within the crowd was making an attempt to determine what occurred.After which once more quick ahead to the U.S. profitable the Ryder Cup, the followers all ran out on the 18th inexperienced. I used to be 13 years previous, I needed to expire on the inexperienced. So I mentioned to my dad, how do I — we did not have — no cell telephones then. And I mentioned, I actually wish to run on the market. And he goes, All proper, I will stand by this crooked tree right here, and also you run on the market and I am going to meet you proper right here. And I believe now for my son I’d say, You are not operating on the market (laughing). And I bear in mind operating out, I bear in mind seeing David Duval, I bear in mind seeing my heroes, and, you recognize, I am taking a look at these guys like, you recognize, they’re giants, they’re tremendous heroes. It was a second that actually modified my life eternally. I cherished being there. The vitality of the event and the fervour of watching the fellows play and seeing Michael Jordan stroll the fairways there, simply was a second in my {golfing} life that altered all the pieces.JULIUS MASON: You performed golf at St. John’s College. There is a rumor that you’d skip lessons to go over along with your teammates to Bethpage to play. True or false.KEEGAN BRADLEY: Effectively, my mother’s right here, you should not be telling her that (laughing).Yeah, we have been fortunate sufficient to — by the way in which, my total St. John’s golf group is right here, which suggests rather a lot to me. We might get to play Bethpage Black on Mondays when it was closed. I promised Coach Darby and Craig Currier, who was the superintendent, I’d cease telling this story, however why not inform it yet one more time for the cameras.So we might play the within loop. So we might park on the upkeep space and we’d play 3 via 14. And we have been advised explicitly to by no means cross the highway. And so my senior yr I used to be taking part in with George, who’s right here, George Zolotas, and we have been identical to, We’re going over, screw it. So we, you recognize, think about you are in faculty and also you’re taking a look at 15 via 18 at Bethpage Black and you’ll’t play it. It was brutal. So we did it. And we bought in a lot hassle. They referred to as the police. Coach Darby wasn’t completely happy, however we did it and it was an ideal reminiscence of the place.JULIUS MASON: Very good. Lastly, earlier than we go to Q&A, I want to name your consideration to one thing that you simply posted a really very long time in the past. It reads, That is my suitcase from the 2012 Ryder Cup that I have not opened since that Sunday. I promised myself I would not open it till I gained a Ryder Cup. That week modified my perspective on golf eternally. The Ryder Cup instantly turned crucial to me.What moved you to try this, make that publish, and the place did the entire concept come from?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Effectively, we — the 2012 Ryder Cup is such an odd feeling for me. As a result of for on daily basis however the final day it was my fondest recollections on a golf course. Sunday was the worst day on the golf course and one of many worse days of my life. I bought dwelling and I saved staring on the suitcase and I could not open it, as a result of it was so, it was simply, I used to be so unhappy and, you recognize, the stuff contained in the suitcase was simply going to make it worse.So I put it off, I put it off, after which I saved taking a look at it and it was simply, the recollections inside there have been so excessive on either side that I made a decision, I will wait, I am not going to open this up till I’ve gained a Ryder Cup. And quick ahead a decade, it is nonetheless in my home and hopefully some day I am going to get to open it.JULIUS MASON: That was 13 years in the past. Do you’ve got any concept what’s inside that bag?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I’ve some concept. There’s numerous cool stuff in there. I hope to open it some day. The Ryder Cup is so essential to the sport of golf, but additionally to us gamers, particularly in case you performed in it and also you understand the significance of what goes on that week. It adjustments your perspective on what’s essential within the sport and it adjustments the way in which you might be as a participant, since you want, you should be in these rooms after you play in a single. And dropping Ryder Cups is admittedly, actually powerful. I had this thought in my head that I used to be going to play in Ryder Cups my entire profession, and, you recognize, so, you recognize, my message to the fellows is all the time, ensure you deal with this prefer it may very well be your final one, deal with this match, deal with this level as if that is your final level, as a result of it is that essential. You by no means know when your subsequent shot goes to be to be on this room, attempt to win this trophy, and the magnitude of it’s heavy.JULIUS MASON: Excellent. Thanks, Keegan. Women and gents, we’ll open the ground and our Zoom requires questions proper now.Q. There is no query about your ardour about this occasion, what it means to you, you’ve got spoken rather a lot about that previously, we heard some remarks alongside these strains simply now. I believe anyone who is likely to be skeptical of this choice goes to level to your lack of expertise, having performed in solely two Ryder Cups, no captaincies. What would you say to any person who’s type of elevating their eyebrows and questioning whether or not you are finest suited to this job?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I will say I will take a contemporary take a look at vice captains, they will be rather a lot youthful, nearer to taking part in. I believe that I will be on the market with the fellows. I will be taking part in in the identical tournaments they will be taking part in in. I will be taking part in in majors with them. I will be taking part in week-to-week, I will be alongside these guys within the locker room, observe rounds, dinner. Versus previously with Ryder Cup they bought to fly in, they bought to schedule all this stuff and I will have a yr of being with the fellows as a peer. And one factor that’s essential to me is I wish to play on the group. I really feel as if I am nonetheless within the prime of my profession and may make this group. So, you recognize, it is an ideal honor that my friends selected me to do that, and, you recognize, I haven’t got the expertise that numerous the opposite captains had, however I do know these guys rather well, I am related to those guys and I see ’em week-to-week.Q. Simply to observe on, we’re awhile away from you having to make selections on captain’s picks, clearly rather a lot’s going to occur between at times together with your individual type, your individual sport. But when it will get to a degree the place you are on the fence as you have been final yr, perhaps you possibly can take us via how you are going to work via that call course of, and likewise whether or not what occurred final yr, is that going to paint or inform your opinion in any respect about whether or not you will give your self a shot subsequent yr?KEEGAN BRADLEY: No, I’ll both make the group on factors — I do not see myself selecting — I am not going to choose myself. The one means that might occur is that if the group was insisting on it, however even when they did, I do not see that taking place. I wish to make the group on factors, in any other case I will be the captain.Q. Tiger Woods was the heavy favourite to obtain this captaincy. Realizing that, what was your response to that decision from Zach and have you ever spoken to Tiger?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I used to be — I do not assume I am going to ever be extra shocked of something in my total life. I used to be, I had no concept. It took awhile for it to sink in. I wasn’t absolutely comfy with a number of the people who have been handed over. I’ve numerous respect for the people who got here earlier than me and people who need to be on this place, in order that was a heavy thought and second.I’ve spoken to Tiger a bunch. I spoke to him this morning on the telephone. He is been very useful. Tiger has all the time been actually useful to me. He is an ideal voice to listen to and he is been nothing however — he is been reaching out to me serving to me, which has been superb.Q. You talked about a number of the individuals who have been handed over. Do you assume your choice as Ryder Cup captain marks type of a shift in the USA’ Ryder Cup management technique?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I imply, I do. I do not assume that that is one thing that the place the U.S. group wants to love completely re-invent the wheel right here. I believe that generally you go to tournaments and you do not play nicely. I believe that the fellows would say that is what occurred in Rome. I wish to — all I am seeking to do is put these guys in the most effective place to play their finest. I believe one of many issues that’s attention-grabbing could be to have a number of the vice captains which might be nonetheless near the PGA TOUR and play and know the fellows, I believe that might be tremendous useful. Once more, the captain does not play, so I bought to do my finest to place these guys in the most effective spot that they will to play their finest.JULIUS MASON: Talking of Tiger, we have now an announcement from Tiger that we’re very completely happy to share with you proper now. He says, With my new duties to the TOUR and time commitments concerned I felt I’d not be capable of commit the time to Crew USA and the gamers required as a captain. That doesn’t imply I would not wish to captain a group sooner or later. If/once I really feel it’s the proper time, I’ll put my hat within the ring for this committee to resolve.Seeing no different query — oh, one different query over right here.Q. Given your expertise with the Ryder Cup and the way in which that you simply adopted it, exterior of expertise and talent, what do you assume are a number of the intangible qualities that make for an ideal Ryder Cup group member?KEEGAN BRADLEY: So, I believe the largest factor is that week all coming collectively as a group. It’s totally troublesome — us golfers are people and we rejoice wins by ourselves, losses by ourselves, and that week is about coming collectively as a group, doing what’s finest for the group. Whether or not that is will partnering up with any person a veteran to a youthful man, that is what occurred to me with Phil, and that helped me with not solely the Ryder Cup however the remainder of my profession. I believe that the fellows must be keen to place the group first, and generally that is troublesome. I believe that this group of fellows does an ideal job of that. One of many issues that I really like about this group, and I am not ashamed to say that as an older participant that is been on the market longer, I look as much as these guys, they genuinely love one another and so they’re pals. After I got here out on TOUR I had a a lot completely different outlook. I used to be, I checked out all people because the enemy and I made all people out to be towards me and I actually remorse that. I really like this technology of how they’ve gone about their careers and their friendships and it makes the life on TOUR rather a lot higher. That is what I like most about this group and I believe that is what would make them nice teammates.Q. Additionally, associated to your familiarity with the course, do you assume that Bethpage Black lends itself to deciding on individuals who have a sure group of strengths of their sport?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I do. I do. I believe that Bethpage additionally the followers are going to be our thirteenth group member, and I believe that I’ve all the time been, I’ve all the time been below the impression that Bethpage is New York’s dwelling course. Winged Foot and Shinnecock are superb programs, however you discuss to an actual New Yorker, they brag about Bethpage. And I’ve all the time, in my thoughts, I’ve all the time considered Bethpage as New York’s dwelling course, which is now America’s dwelling course, and I need the followers to deal with it that means. They should defend this course in the best, acceptable means, however that is the place the followers and the New Yorkers want to return out and assist this group. And the fellows on the group which might be on the market, like what you have been speaking about, they will embrace that and they will, these New York followers are going to be pulling for us laborious and I really like that.JULIUS MASON: We’ll take a step away from NASDAQ actual fast and take some Zoom calls.Q. Couple issues. One, clearly what occurred on Netflix has to affect anyone that was watching it and had some ideas about you and the way you’ll be as a captain. In Rome, Netflix wasn’t a part of the method regarding the group room. My query could be for you on this case, would you need Netflix within the group room?KEEGAN BRADLEY: So, I had an unbelievable expertise with Netflix. They have been nice to me. It was a giant choice to place my household on TV. That is not a choice that is for everyone. And I’ve solely been captain for 2 weeks, I’ve not broached this topic, I’ve not even thought of it, I do not know who’s going to be on the group, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly a choice that is going to be based mostly on what’s finest for the group. It isn’t one thing that’s for everyone, it is a nerve wracking course of to undergo being filmed on a regular basis and that is one thing that I am going to should cross in a while.Q. The opposite factor is, is the choice course of is normally one thing that is put collectively along with your self and I am assuming people on the PGA of America, factors, what number of factors there are, the place they get factors, so forth and so forth. How a lot are you going to check out the system that is in place at present and take a look at doubtlessly altering that, if in any respect?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I believe the purpose system is sweet. I believe perhaps seeking to take including a number of extra automated spots, we have simply began to look into that. I believe the majors being most essential, most factors, I believe that they have this gorgeous found out by now. We simply need the tournaments with the most effective fields and the largest occasions to have extra weight. As a result of if you get within the, below the gun on this event it is fairly intense, so that you want guys which might be going to be prepared for that.Q. You mentioned that it was a really emotional choice and course of so that you can be on Netflix final yr and with the way in which all the pieces went down. Do you’re feeling in a means like perhaps that helped you get this job?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I actually, you recognize, in my coronary heart I’d assume that it did not as a result of, you recognize, that is such an enormous choice and I do not assume it could be ever based mostly on how somebody was portrayed on TV. I believe that the Ryder Cup committee has a really severe job, particularly with the occasion being at Bethpage in New York, in America, to decide that is finest for the group. I could not think about that they might resolve based mostly on how Netflix portrayed me in filming. With the Ryder Cup’s choice, I used to be very grateful and I’d be very shocked if any of that went into that call.Q. A fast follow-up right here. We have been all so shocked once we first heard your title for this. What was the primary dialog you had with somebody about even the likelihood and what was your response after they reached out?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I did not have one dialog with anyone about this till I used to be advised I used to be the captain. I bought a name from Seth and John and Zach and I had hassle speaking — after they referred to as me I felt humorous after the decision as a result of I do not assume I reacted in the way in which that they have been anticipating me to. I used to be in full shock. It was heavy. Like I mentioned earlier, I used to be somewhat bit uncomfortable with a number of the guys, you recognize, my idols, that have been seemed over for this place and I wanted a second to determine that out. Once more, I do not assume I am going to ever have an even bigger shock in my life, however one thing Seth mentioned to me was, You recognize, your quantity was referred to as, it is time so that you can step up. When he advised me that I type of, it type of hit me, you recognize, that this can be a heavy job and this can be a group of people who trusted me on this and it is time to step as much as the plate and be the captain of this group.Q. Are you planning on assembling the main candidates for the group for a number of observe classes to see who performs collectively finest?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Effectively, I believe I’d like to carry the boys up for a observe spherical at Bethpage, not a lot to get to study the course, extra of I simply assume when from my private experiences of the Ryder Cup it was actually nice when the 12 guys have been collectively for the primary time. There’s so many conferences main as much as it the place there’s 20 and even 30 or, you recognize, 15, 18 guys and you recognize that this is not how the group’s going to look. And when the group’s finalized and also you do issues as a group, there is a completely different really feel. I’d actually love to try this with the group. I believe that that is, I believe that that may very well be an essential journey.Q. You referred to Tiger a minute in the past. Have you ever mentioned with him or do you propose to debate with him doubtlessly about being a vice captain, clearly that would not take as a lot day without work his plate as being the captain would have. Simply as a observe, past Tiger, are you excited about, doubtlessly, some out-of-the-box assistant captains that perhaps may not even be straight concerned on the PGA TOUR?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Undoubtedly concerned within the PGA TOUR. What’s personally essential to me is I want to have the vice captains arrange the way forward for the Ryder Cup to captain the USA. I believe that is essential.Because it involves Tiger, I’ve advised him he might be as concerned as he needs to be. I have not, we’ve not talked about vice captains, I have not talked to vice captains with actually anyone. So we, as gamers, all of us look as much as Tiger and his opinion means rather a lot to us. Being in group rooms with Tiger, the general public does not understand how essential that is to him. It is all the pieces. He lives and breathes this occasion. I believe it reveals you ways a lot he cares by not, by turning this place down, as a result of he did not really feel like he might put in what he wanted to do with all of his duties with what is going on on with the TOUR. I have been grateful — earlier than I accepted this job I wanted to speak to Tiger and I needed to verify I — I needed to listen to from him. We had an ideal dialog. I definitely want his enter.Q. You are such a fan of the Ryder Cup clearly, is there a captain in current historical past who you admire and who you’re going to look to presumably strategize subsequent fall?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Effectively, I believe the type of apparent selections are, I assumed Paul Azinger get higher actually did an ideal job. Steve Stricker not too long ago with this type of group of fellows. He did an ideal job. I believe they might be two actually completely different types, however, you recognize, one of many coolest issues that is occurred to me over the previous 24 hours is I’ve gotten over 300 textual content messages and my favorites have been from the previous captains which have texted me guys like Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite and Curtis Unusual. I have not gotten again to them as a result of I do not wish to reply with only a thanks. Ben Crenshaw was captain at Brookline and to assume that they are texting me about being captain is fairly unimaginable. So these guys are all essential and I plan to name each U.S. captain and type of choose their mind on what they thought they did proper and what they thought they did incorrect, whether or not they gained or misplaced. So, I used to be in rooms with Davis Love, he was superb. I believe all of them have numerous perception that even those that gained I believe would have some perception on what they might have carried out otherwise.Q. Simply questioning, how have you considered how you are going to handle all of the off-course duties that include being the captain over the following 15 months, balanced along with your full-time PGA TOUR schedule.KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it may be rather a lot. Like I mentioned, I nonetheless really feel like I am in my prime, I nonetheless wish to make this group. However I’ve John Wooden who’s the supervisor of Crew USA, which has by no means been a place for the U.S. Ryder Cup group, and he is been in numerous group rooms, he is aware of all the fellows aren’t already has been a tremendous assist. I will lean on my vice captains, and likewise a number of the older gamers that — I believe Davis Love and Fred {Couples} and all these guys which were in so many group rooms — I hope that they are going to be keen to assist me and I’ve lots of people which might be round to assist me. A part of me thinks that is going to be an ideal distraction from taking part in on the TOUR and getting away from worrying about my private what is going on on on week-to-week tournaments. I stay up for attending to know the youthful guys extra that simply have come out on TOUR. There’s an ideal group of younger gamers that I do not know that nicely that I am wanting ahead to studying extra about. Additionally speaking to, you recognize, the studs of the American group, Xander and Cantlay and Scottie Scheffler, Jordan and JT and all these guys, and their enthusiasm for this event could be very, very excessive and I stay up for main these guys.Q. When did you get the telephone name, what number of days in the past was it, and for John, do you thoughts simply taking us via what the committee’s thought was on naming Keegan and any person who you had not interviewed, it seems like.KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I bought the decision two weeks, two Sundays in the past. Proper at about 7 or 8 o’clock at evening. So I did not, we did not inform anyone for a very long time. I have not advised actually anyone till the final couple days.JOHN LINDERT: Yeah, and the method, we had a pair telephone calls and talked about a wide range of completely different attributes that we might need in our subsequent captain. As you begin to test off the bins, and you’ve got a PGA Champion, you’ve got any person who went to high school right here, is aware of the New York base, the fan base, could be very aware of Bethpage Black, is the son of a PGA member. There are numerous bins that Keegan checked off and his enthusiasm for the Ryder Cup stood out above all the pieces else and we simply felt that that was the ah-ha second. When Keegan’s title was talked about it was all arms went up and we have been 100% behind it.Q. Questioning what you’ve got discovered about captain’s picks, how that can form your selections in your picks, and questioning, you mentioned that your captains you type of need near the TOUR, questioning if that guidelines out Phil Mickelson, any person that you simply performed nicely with or if perhaps he’ll be within the image of recommendation and corresponding to you undergo this.KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, because it involves captain’s picks, you should first discover out who’s going to be on the group, clearly. Then, numerous the captain’s picks I believe are essential if they could be a dynamic participant to companion with a number of guys, of gamers that match the course format of Bethpage Black, gamers that may deal with the strain that they will be below, the intense crowds, and we will look into analytics and the way they stack up on this.Because it involves Phil, I nonetheless have an ideal relationship with Phil, I do not assume he is thinking about being a vice captain and, to be trustworthy with you, he is a, he is a captain some day, I believe. However I have not spoken to Phil, I do not wish to communicate for him in any respect, however I believe he is fairly busy with what he is doing and I’ve nothing however nice issues to say about Phil and our recollections collectively and what we did on the Ryder Cup is admittedly my fondest recollections within the sport.Q. John, questioning if the PGA’s taking a look at perhaps a break from captains being vice captains first or type of the method of believing that Keegan is ready to do that with out first being a vice captain?JOHN LINDERT: I do not assume that, we did not actually focus on that type of process and whether or not we needed to maneuver away from a captain having a vice captain’s place prior. We have been actually looking for the most effective individual to steer Crew USA to a victory and it very merely got here down to at least one individual and that was Keegan. Keegan, as I mentioned, checked numerous bins, and his ardour for the sport, his ardour for the Ryder Cup is obvious and simply him being from round this space and the way the individuals round right here, all of the textual content messages that we acquired about Keegan has been completely excellent, and the quantity of assist that he is acquired from the group and from New York Metropolis is fabulous. I believe that each one went into the choice and we picked the most effective person who we knew to choose and put all the pieces else apart.Q. How do you propose to deal with the LIV gamers? Will you be going to occasions to test these out?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I will have the 12 finest gamers on the group. I do not care what, the place they play. So we’re, we have now a mission to win this event. I am not nervous concerning the LIV stuff. I need the most effective gamers on the group. By the point we get to Bethpage in 2025 we have now no clue how the format of the golf world’s going to be. Because it involves going to LIV occasions, if there’s guys which might be on the perimeter, I am keen to try this. Once more, I’ve solely been the captain for 2 weeks and we have not actually even gotten the true factors began, which begin subsequent yr. So I am going to have to attend and see how all the pieces shakes out and my largest concern is having the most effective gamers on the group.Q. Are you going to put on a Yankees or Giants hat in any respect?KEEGAN BRADLEY: (Laughing). The one — the attention-grabbing factor about me is I did develop up in New England and I really like Boston sports activities, however I additionally love New York. All the things about New York is particular to me. Coming to high school right here was a giant enterprise from a child that grew up in Vermont. And, you recognize, residing in Queens and being a New Yorker, actually, for 4 years was a number of the finest occasions of my life. I am going round this metropolis, and I used to be telling my spouse, I simply adore it right here, I really like the vitality, there’s one thing within the streets of New York. So I’ve very, very fond emotions of New York, not a lot the sports activities groups, however I’ve nothing however love for New York and I all the time have. A few of my finest recollections have occurred right here and, to be trustworthy with you, once I performed at Bethpage it is essentially the most assist I’ve gotten, I get in the complete world, so it is fairly cool.Q. You were not chosen for Rome, are you able to, how do you envision telling somebody who’s on the bubble like your self that they are not going to be going to Bethpage?KEEGAN BRADLEY: I believe that I’ll simply be completely up entrance with them and simply say I am stepping into one other route. And, you recognize, I have been on the tip of three of those calls the place I figured I used to be concerning the final man out. So I have been on the opposite finish of — I bought picked at Gleneagles and that was particular — however I’ve additionally been on the tip of those a number of occasions, so the way in which I like it’s simply the info, and I will not, it will not be any fluff in it. I believe as a participant I all the time revered simply, like, we’re going one other route. I believe it may be troublesome, one thing that I by no means thought, you recognize, you by no means assume that you’ll should make these calls, however inevitably that is coming. So once more, that is one other factor I am going to should ask different captains about as nicely.Q. One different query, on the Bethpage setup, the captains all the time play an instrumental function, Europeans have all the time favored mainly excessive tough, slower greens, perhaps not as lengthy. Bethpage has been setup for U.S. Open, PGA Championships, how do you envision, despite the fact that it is early on, the setup for Bethpage when it comes to the way you wish to see it play out for one thing like a Ryder Cup match?KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, so we’re going as much as Bethpage tomorrow to take a look at the course. I have not put a lot thought into how we will go about that. I believe that on the finish of the day we’re nonetheless taking part in golf and it doesn’t matter what the setup is, there’s going to be groups taking part in towards one another. I am not too involved about how the course is ready up. I believe that we bought 24 world-class gamers and you possibly can go play, you recognize, a superbly manicured course and one thing that is not and you are still taking part in the Ryder Cup. So, I am not fully involved about that, however one thing that we’ll look into.Q. John, might you’re taking us particularly via the time line from when Tiger advised you he was not going to take the job and also you had presumably only a matter of a pair weeks, like what was that decision-making course of like from the second that you simply knew it wasn’t going to be Tiger to determining, to type of getting the place we’re in the present day?JOHN LINDERT: Effectively, we did not have a timeline on it, per se. We knew we needed to announce a Ryder Cup captain earlier than the one-year-to-go occasion and we simply needed to get collectively — with the Ryder Cup committee you need to stability the schedules of the gamers and of the PGA of America representatives to attempt to get on a name collectively to attempt to focus on it. So the primary alternative that we needed to set up a name we did. We had a pleasant dialog about potential captains. With none actually timeline set we got here to a reasonably fast choice. This took place very quickly to get this carried out in two weeks.Q. Did Keegan’s title floor in that first dialog and in that case, who was type of lobbying hardest for him?JOHN LINDERT: There was no lobbying. When Keegan’s title was talked about it was a slam dunk.Q. Do you recall who talked about Keegan’s title first?JOHN LINDERT: I do not recall. We had an inventory and we have been type of bouncing via the checklist and we have been all wanting via the checklist and Keegan’s title type of jumped out, and as quickly because it was talked about Keegan Bradley, it was, yeah, completely, 100%.Q. And this might have been like three or 4 weeks in the past, one thing like that?JOHN LINDERT: It was about two and a half weeks in the past. We did not sit on it very lengthy after we made the choice. We determined that we would have liked to let Keegan know and so we bought on a name with Keegan that Sunday. The dialog I imagine was on a Wednesday.
