The Ryder Cup is the biggest tournament in the sports calendar, with golf fans, and non-golf fans, tuning in to watch three days of intense action between the Europeans and Americans.
It has caused many iconic and infamous moments and, ahead of the 45th edition in what is expected to be an incredibly rowdy New York setting of Bethpage Black, there are a lot of questions and points that need discussing.
As I write and publish this piece, it’s exactly 365 days until the first competitive tee shot is struck on the ‘Black Course’, with LIV players, captaincies and who exactly will be playing, just some of the key aspects that need to be addressed over the forthcoming months.
So, what are the key questions and what exactly could be done between now and September 26th 2025? Well, three of our writers have put pen to paper to discuss…
Will Keegan Bradley Be A Playing Captain?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Nick Bonfield
The short answer to this question is ‘no’. The long answer is also ‘no’. Keegan Bradley will either make the team and relinquish the captaincy or, more likely, not make the team and not relinquish the captaincy. You simply can’t be a Ryder Cup captain and player at the same time, and I’d imagine the powers that be will have a contingency plan if Bradley continues his fine form.
I’d also expect his form to tailor off somewhat as we head into next year. The responsibilities on a captain’s shoulders are significant – from attending apparel planning meetings to monitoring potential players – and I don’t think it’s possible to undertake all that and dedicate enough time to playing and practice.
No. In order to be a playing captain he’d need to qualify in the top six as he surely would not pick himself as a wildcard considering there will likely be a good 15-18 players in contention to make the US side.
I agree with Nick that his form will tail off next year once he begins spending his days checking on hotels, being in apparel meetings and the other commitments he needs to make to be skipper.
Like everyone in the golf world, I was surprised to hear the introduction of Bradley as captain to the US side and, in all honesty, I could see the negatives and positives of the appointment. Certainly, the US needed a change of system, but…
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