Keegan Bradley named US Ryder Cup captain after Tiger Woods' bid rejected

Keegan Bradley is a guaranteed Ryder Cup team captain, this time as the United States’ captain. The PGA of America announced his selection Monday after months of talks with Tiger Woods about taking the job.

The PGA of America shared the news on Instagram after rumors began to leak earlier in the day that Bradley, who has played on only two Ryder Cup teams, had been selected to officiate the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black in New York.

“I am incredibly honored to accept this opportunity to lead Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” Bradley said in a statement. “I want to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for their confidence as we embark on this journey to Bethpage Black.”

“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event has never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiasm of the spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to starting preparations for 2025.”

Bradley is already in New York for media training and is expected to hold a news conference Tuesday to introduce himself as the new U.S. captain.

Woods was the U.S. Ryder Cup committee’s first choice and had been in negotiations for months over whether he had time to fulfill his duties, many of which involved promoting the event.

He was player-captain at the 2019 Presidents Cup, won by the Americans at Royal Melbourne, and he was assistant captain at the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in 2016.

With Woods no longer an option, the PGA of America opted for a local touch with Bradley. He is a New England native who played college golf with St. John’s in upstate New York.

He played in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups, both of which ended in a loss to the Americans. He went 3-1-0 in 2012, but didn’t open his bag afterward, saying he wouldn’t open it until he was on a winning team. He has an overall record of 4-3-0 at the event.

Bradley was cut from the 2023 U.S. team, a moment he said left him feeling very disappointed.

“I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake, basically,” Bradley said before last year’s BMW Championship. “My biggest thing right now is trying not to think about it while I’m playing because it’s important to me. I feel like I could bring some experience to the team. Personally, I’d like to be on a team with that younger group.”

The 38-year-old won the 2011 PGA Championship in his first major appearance. He has five other PGA Tour victories, most recently in June 2023 at the Travelers Championship.