NEW YORK CITY—The secret sauce that makes sports so fascinating is the constant inability to make firm predictions which actually happen. Matters can change suddenly. What was supposed to be a “sure” thing can blow away faster than sand in a windstorm.
Phil Mickelson becoming the captain of the USA Ryder Cup team in 2025 was viewed as the surest of outcomes. A winner of six major championships, his last coming at a record age of 50 in claiming the 2021 PGA Championship, in tandem with 45 PGA Tour victories, his selection was deemed a no-brainer.
Then the world changed. In a number of meaningful ways.
First, the global pandemic happened. Followed by the emergence of LIV Golf in concert with Mickelson’s abrupt decision to bolt the PGA Tour and align himself with the burgeoning pro golf league underwritten by a never-ending pit of Saudi Arabian cash.
Mickelson had always been a fan favorite. His go-for-broke style and personal swagger endeared him to many. As his stellar career faded into the shadows, the belief was Phil would undoubtedly become a near-certain USA team captain.
The logical location for that captaincy—Bethpage in Long Island, New York.
In Star Wars terms—Mickelson was Luke Skywalker, and in a move puzzling to many, had opted to join the “dark side” with his embrace of LIV.
Given Mickelson’s decision to take his career elsewhere, the PGA of America needed to find someone else to lead the USA squad.
The obvious choice—Tiger Woods.
Woods won the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage and his global standing in the sport would be a perfect fit for the matches. But as much as Woods was courted, the 15-time major champion followed the same inexplicable path of Mickelson and pulled himself out from being selected.
Now, the leadership of the PGA of America was left in a serious quandary—the matches looming just over a year away.
Enter Keegan Bradley.
Bradley’s career arc accelerated when he surprised many in claiming the PGA Championship in 2011. That success propelled him into earning a selection for the 2012 Ryder Cup matches at Medinah.
The 26-year-old then was then paired with Mickelson three times over the first two days, with the duo winning all of their matches. That intersection left an indelible mark on Bradley.
“I really, early in my career, I really took for granted Phil’s leadership that he gave me,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday. “You know, I was playing with one of the best players to ever touch a golf club. In alternate-shot, he just said, ‘We’re going to play your ball.’ You know, things that I took for granted over the years, knowing who I’m going to play with in every Cup that I play on.”
Bradley was selected for the 2014 Ryder Cup, but his involvement in the biennial would go into dormancy.
The Vermont native had hoped for a captain’s pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome but USA captain Zach Johnson bypassed him.
Remarkably, the now 38-year-old’s competitive accomplishments have accelerated in 2024, claiming the second leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs with a late season win at the BMW Championship. The triumph was his 7th overall victory on the PGA Tour and he now holds a current world ranking of 14th.
In addition, Bradley was selected for this year’s American Presidents Cup team, and he secured the winning point against the International team at the matches at Royal Montreal last month.
Now Bradley is at the helm of a USA Ryder Cup squad that wants to reclaim the cup with a win at Bethpage. There’s also the possibility—albeit remotely—he will earn a spot on the American team and become the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer did so in 1963.
Bradley’s selection as the team’s leader has now come full circle. And it was his intersection with Mickelson back in 2012 that has only deepened his understanding of what it means to be involved so closely with golf’s premier team event.
“He [Mickelson] mentored me before the event. Took me to dinner. Talked to me nonstop throughout the year about the pressures and what’s going to come and I really learned a lot, and it hasn’t been until now that I’ve really realized what an incredible thing it was that he did for me,” he said at the press conference.
Mickelson’s shadow is now in the permanent rear-view mirror. Bradley has come to terms with the reality that the weight of what happens going forward falls squarely on his shoulders.
“Really the biggest thing for me was it was a surprise [his selection]. So, I’ve been sort of catching up. I was brought on to this a little later than the normal captains are. So, I’m still learning how to do all this,” he said.
“But you know, being in the team room for the Presidents Cup was a great reminder of how to do this and get to know the guys and get to know sort of what they want, how they like to prepare, and use that going forward. But I’m still learning a lot, and I’m picking the brains of the captains, prior captains, prior players, and learning as much as I can.”
Bradley’s passion for the matches was in full view during Tuesday’s captain’s press conference held in Manhattan with European counterpart Luke Donald. When Bradley was introduced to the stage, he donned a USA golf cap, and his ebullience for the event that takes place in late September 2025 was noteworthy.
His familiarity with Bethpage traces back to his days playing collegiately at St. John’s University—the nearby Queens County-based school. He is fully aware of the strengths of the Black Course which has hosted two U.S. Opens (2002 and 2009), the PGA Championship (2019) and other PGA Tour events.
“The Black is—when you go play the Black, you know it’s going to be a tough test. That’s just Bethpage. Big holes. A lot of drivers. I expect it to play tough like it always does. What’s great about Bethpage is the arena that we’re going to be playing in,” said Bradley.
“So, you know, the holes, especially on back and just the atmosphere Bethpage creates a real environment. So I think it’s going to be exciting no matter how the course setup is, but I anticipate Bethpage playing tough like it always does.”
The 45th playing of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage looked several years ago to be a near certain intersection with Mickelson leading the USA squad with Ian Poulter, his likely counterpart, doing similarly for team Europe.
Now Bradley and Donald will lead the respective teams. For the former, it’s an emotional roller-coaster ride ascending rapidly. For the latter, it’s a return engagement as the skipper for a European team looking to maintain its vice-like grip on the cup with wins in 8 of the last 11 matches played. Donald has never tasted defeat in the four matches he played and as captain in 2023.
It’s Bradley’s intent to end Donald’s winning streak at Bethpage.
As Shakespeare said so eloquently—“heavy is the head that wears the crown.” In 11 month’s time, only one of the two will leave Long Island with the ultimate prize.
