Keegan Bradley claims he’s experiencing something ‘wild’ which ‘nobody’ in golf history ever has ahead of the Ryder Cup
Once The Open Championship is in the history books, the eyes of the large majority of golf fans will be firmly fixed on the Ryder Cup ahead of what is arguably the most highly anticipated staging of the event ever.
There cannot have been many Ryder Cups which boast the number of storylines that the 2025 event looks set to have.
Europe are looking to win on away soil for the first time since 2012, while USA have a point to prove after such a disappointing performance in Rome two years ago.
There is, of course, the small matter of Keegan Bradley captaining the US side while arguably playing as well as he has done in his career.
Keegan Bradley says he is experiencing something ‘wild’ as he prepares for the Ryder Cup
Bradley was a surprise pick for the captaincy. His most recent Ryder Cup appearance came in 2014, and he is yet to experience being on the winning side. He was also inside the top 20 in the world rankings when the announcement was made.
With that, there is a very real possibility that Bradley will become the first playing captain in the event since Arnold Palmer in 1963. His chances of playing increased after he won Travelers Championship last month.
And speaking on Catching Up With Captain Keegan Bradley, the 39-year-old explained what it has been like being in such a unique position over the last year.
“This is something that I did not expect. It started last year at the BMW with the crowds really chanting USA and cheering me on. As this year has gone on it has been really wild,” he said.
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“A few moments have felt like a Ryder Cup and I came to this epiphany or realisation that I am sort of going through something that nobody has ever gone through in the history of the sport, whether it’s Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods or Jack.
“These guys were not playing at their highest level when they are trying to be captain and I am coming down the stretch of majors and big tournaments with a chance to win as Ryder Cup captain. That has never happened.
“I am hearing extreme support. People are getting very loud, cheering for the red, white and blue and that has been spectacular.
“I hear it on every hole of every round and then I go to the gas station and somebody will say it, or I’ll go to a restaurant and they will buy me a dessert or something. It’s certainly been something I did not expect and it’s taken me by surprise. This was not in my dreams. This is something that I can’t believe, a lot of times when I am walking up 18 at a tournament and the whole crowd is chanting USA or cheering me on, it’s really a pinch me moment.
“It’s like a dream that I never had which is happening. It’s really amazing.”
How Arnold Palmer performed as playing captain at the 1963 Ryder Cup
Palmer went on to have a very successful spell as captain. The King was on the winning side every time he featured at the Ryder Cup, including as a playing captain in 1963.
He won four points from six matches as USA won 23-9 in Atlanta. Great Britain and Ireland would win just one session all week, while they were beaten in the Sunday afternoon singles 7.5-0.5.
Obviously, the Ryder Cup is a completely different animal nowadays. So Bradley is probably right to suggest that no-one else knows what he is experiencing this year.
It is going to be extremely interesting to see if the gamble pays off for USA. It may have a real impact on how they approach appointing their captains in future if Bradley proves to be an inspired choice.
