Bradley Removes Himself, Names Six Ryder Cup Picks

Keegan Bradley, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, says he has thought "every second" about playing this week after a strong season that included a Travelers Championship win and a top-15 world ranking, but removed himself from consideration to focus on captain duties. Though his appointment briefly raised the prospect of a playing captain — the first since Arnold Palmer — Bradley concluded he could not combine the roles without undermining his responsibilities. He used his six captain's picks to add Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns and has been preparing the team at Bethpage Black, including assembling the squad for a quiet pre-round national anthem. Bradley says the captaincy has simplified his routine and allowed him to focus on course setup, messaging and getting the team ready. His priority is returning the U.S. to winning ways at home while balancing personal longing with what he calls a "bigger cause." He still feels pangs of "I could have been out there," imagining playing alongside teammates such as Scottie Scheffler.