When Keegan Bradley thinks of Bethpage Black, he’s not thinking in schematics. He’s thinking of a place that exposes mistakes and rewards nerve. So, hit fairways, don’t miss, and let the crowd do the rest. Bradley’s pedigree: a PGA champion, longtime Tour pro, and now U.S. captain, it gives him a feel for that truth. “Keegan loves the Ryder Cup. He wanted to play. No question about that. But, he is doing exactly what he thinks is best for the team, not best for Keegan Bradley… he’s the full captain that week 100% in on that and only has to concentrate on that.” 

That declaration from Team USA manager John Wood on The Smylie Show is the story: Wood says Bradley deliberately refused the obvious home-captain temptation, to re-sculpt Bethpage into a bespoke test for the U.S. side. Wood, who the PGA hired as Team USA manager and who has deep Ryder Cup experience, framed the choice as leadership, not indecision.

“Keegan didn’t tweak with the course a whole lot… maybe a little bit wider fairways and a little bit lighter rough, but it’s Bethpage Black. What do you need to do with it? … I think it was important to him to maintain the integrity of the golf course and he did exactly that.”

It matters because the home captain’s influence over tee locations, fairway widths, rough height, and green presentation has become one of the most powerful and under-reported levers in modern Ryder Cup strategy. Captains quietly use setup to nudge match-play outcomes; analyses and past Cups show the hosting side can shape scoring patterns by choosing a friendlier or more difficult presentation. That’s why Wood’s comment, that Bradley mostly left Bethpage alone, reads as a tactical choice, not a shrug.

So what is new at Bethpage? The set-up for the week is softer and a little shorter than some of the brutal U.S. Open and PGA layouts that have been used there before: fairways were reported as more playable, a few tees were moved forward (the first tee was relocated to make way for a grandstand), and green speeds and rough were described as less unforgiving than past major setups. Media on-site and Team Europe’s scouting party, including Paul McGinley, described the presentation as “right out of the American playbook”  in simpler words: playable and geared toward lower scores.

To put it in black and white: Bethpage Black is the iconic, Tillinghast-designed test that hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens and the 2019 PGA Championship. Tiger Woods won the 2002 U.S. Open, Lucas Glover won the 2009 U.S. Open, and Brooks Koepka won the 2019 PGA Championship. Tournament yardages vary by event and setup; media previews list the Ryder Cup layout this week at roughly the mid-7,300s, while the Black’s championship yardages in past majors have stretched higher, the point being that the course can be set up anywhere from brutally penal to more playable depending on tee choice and rough height.

That helps explain Bradley’s logic. Several U.S. players have real Bethpage experience. Besides, Koepka’s 63 in 2019, that is still part of the course lore, he is unfortunately not part of the team. But, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, and J. J. Spaun played the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.  Additionally, Russell Henley, Justin Thomas, and Harris English played at the 2016 The Barclays tournament. So in that way, there is no requirement for Bradley to go the extra mile as well.

Even on team Europe’s side, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, and Jon Rahm from the European team have played here in the PGA Championship 2019. Justin Rose has played the 2009 US Open and The Barclays in 2012 and 2016. As for their star player, Rory McIlroy, he has played four tournaments on this course, which include the 2009 US Open, 2019 PGA Championship, and the 2012 and 2016 The Barclays.

This, in a way, also means that Team USA does not have an advantage when it comes to the home turf.

However, the strongest way to influence a Ryder Cup is still pairing, order, and psychology; but the physical course is the stage, and the stage’s wardrobe matters. Bradley’s choice to preserve Bethpage’s integrity hands him a pure test of team construction and pairing acumen.

However, while the teams have arrived in New York for their practice sessions, it seems that the captains, instead of a friction, had a much more cuddly meet-up.

From neighbors to rival captains: The strong friendship of Bradley and Donald

Despite the fierce rivalry expected at this year’s Ryder Cup, captains Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald share a strong friendship underscored by deep mutual respect. Living just four miles apart in Florida, both are members of Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Club and founding partners in a local restaurant.

Before Monday’s practice round, both the captains expressed their deep respect and companionship for each other, as per BBC golf.

Donald expressed his support for Bradley over the years, saying, “Keegan is someone that I’ve always supported. If he performed well in a tournament or clinched a victory, I would reach out to him.”

Bradley reciprocated warmly, noting, “There aren’t many individuals I admire more in the golf community than Luke Donald.”

While they joke and text regularly, both acknowledge the competitive nature of the week ahead.

Donald said, “It’s nice to have a captain opposite you someone that you know and respect a lot. But we’re also very, very competitive and that’s not going to change this week.”

Reports even state that they plan to share a drink after the competition, regardless of the outcome, highlighting the bond that transcends the intensity of the Ryder Cup.