“Pretty strange thing to pick yourself.” This could be the perfect way to sum up Keegan Bradley‘s situation right now. With the dilemma of whether to pick himself as a playing captain or not, Bradley has gathered Arnold Palmer parallels. And rightly so, with Palmer being the only playing captain in Ryder Cup history. However, this decision won’t be easy, and Bradley understands that. In fact, the US captain has one unique wish moving forward into Bethpage that might help him with the dilemma. Let’s take a look.

Talking in the post-round interview at the Tour Championship, Bradley told the media that the decision is unlike any other. “It’s just a heavy decision. All the picks are tough. The captain is going to be judged on who they pick. His reflections were heightened during a visit where memorabilia from Palmer’s 1963 playing captaincy is preserved. “There is, all of his stuff from 1963 is in there, his bag — it’s pretty surreal looking at it. I wish he were alive and I could call him. If I had one thing I wish I could call Arnold and talk to him because I think he’d have some great advice for me,” the US captain admitted.

Bradley wishes for guidance from legends like Arnold Palmer, saying, “Arnold Palmer did it in 1963, but it’s a totally different tournament now.” The Ryder Cup has changed greatly since Palmer’s 1963 win. Once a U.S. vs. Great Britain contest with a playing captain, it’s now a U.S. vs. Europe showdown. The format has tightened to 28 matches over three days, selections mix points with captain’s picks, and players now earn financial rewards alongside pride. What was once a simpler event is today faster, more strategic, and truly global. “I want to put the team in the best position to win the Ryder Cup.” And this is exactly why the decision won’t be getting any easier.

Despite Jack Nicklaus’ absence, Palmer guided the U.S. to a dominant 23-9 victory at East Lake, contributing four points himself. Ever since, no one has dared replicate that stint until discussions began over Keegan Bradley. However, Bradley is not all head over heels for this idea. He understands the nuances that come with a seemingly simple decision. Only this week, competing at Atlanta, Bradley admitted the strain of competing while juggling captaincy responsibilities: “This week I am trying so hard [to focus], but it [the Ryder Cup] is all I am thinking about. Pairings, certain things I want to say to the guys during the week … it is just difficult.”

After the BMW Championship, the U.S. Ryder Cup picture became clearer. Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, and Harris English have all mathematically secured their spots, giving Bradley a solid core to work with.

With the teams starting to take shape, attention now shifts to the leaders. Keegan Bradley steps in as the new U.S. captain, still balancing his role as an active player, while Luke Donald leads Europe with the calm experience he showed in 2023. Bradley’s fresh energy against Donald’s steady style sets up a fascinating captaincy showdown.

Teeing it off at Georgia at the moment, things are not looking any easier for the US captain.

Strong Tour Championship performance makes the equation tougher for Bradley

Keegan Bradley is currently teeing it off at Atlanta for the Tour Championship. And his driver has made things more interesting. What started as a disaster for Bradley with an even-par finish in the first round has become some of Bradley’s lowest scores of the season. Bradley carded a bogey-free 64 in the second round with a total of 6 birdies. Following that, Bradley finished even stronger in the third round with a 63 with another string of birdies and an eagle coming in at the 6th.

Bradley’s round was so successful that he surpassed even Scottie Scheffler. The US Captain is now one shot ahead of Scheffler at the 4th. This sudden surge in the leaderboard rankings has further solidified his playing captain. A strong finish at the FedEx Playoffs on Sunday might just confirm him on the roster. But it is only a matter of speculation until Bradley himself chooses to speak over it.

For the moment, Bradley is just as eager as the fans to know how things unfold. Whether Keegan Bradley would repeat history at Bethpage is left to unfurl as September nears. For now, we can expect to bask in a little Tour Championship fun.