Keegan Bradley finally put the debate to rest after weighing the idea of serving as a playing captain. On Wednesday, he announced that he would not be competing while captaining, instead finalizing his six captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup. The decision drew mixed reactions, with figures like Paige Spiranac and Phil Mickelson weighing in. Some praised his choice, while others were surprised or disappointed by it.

Paige Spiranac shared her thoughts on X, calling Bradley’s situation bittersweet. She wrote, “Back-to-back Ryder Cups where Keegan should have been playing, in my opinion. I understand why he picked the team first, but I wish he hadn’t been given the captaincy this year, so he had the opportunity to play. He had many years in the future to be a captain.” Bradley last played in the Ryder Cup in 2014 and came heartbreakingly close to making the team in 2023. Just when he thought 2025 would be his chance, he was handed the captaincy in 2024 after a decade-long wait. Under immense pressure to build a strong 12-man squad, he sacrificed his own dream of competing, choosing instead to step aside and lead as a non-playing captain for the sake of fielding the best in-form team.

Keegan admitted, “It broke my heart not to play, but I was chosen to lead this team. I sort of knew all along this is what I wanted to do, and the guys made it really easy for me at the end of the season.” As captain, he named Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns as his six picks for the 2025 Ryder Cup. The decision earned widespread praise across the golf world, including from Phil Mickelson, who responded to a tweet saying, “Keegan did a great job today and was as classy as the king. He’s leading by example and is showing why he’s a great choice to lead this team.” Though Bradley had the rare chance to become the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer, he put the team first, choosing to focus fully on leading rather than chasing history.

While Paige Spiranac wished Keegan had taken the role of a playing captain, Phil Mickelson saw it differently. And it wasn’t just those two weighing in. After Keegan announced his decision, Justin Thomas also spoke up, saying, “It’s going to be said so many times between now and the end of the Ryder Cup that Keegan did, and will continue to do, whatever he feels is best for the team. That’s what he did. He wants to do whatever’s best for the team.” 

Keegan’s decision was so firm that he even issued an apology to Donald Trump, who had been rooting for him to play. With support from players like Scottie and others encouraging him to take on the playing captain role, Keegan ultimately chose the path he felt was right. While announcing his picks, he noted, “The guys made it really easy for me at the end of the season,” making it clear he stands by his choice.

Bradley’s choice has dominated headlines in the U.S., but across the pond, attention is now turning to Europe’s preparations and the moves captain Luke Donald will make.

Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup Picks on the Horizon

Luke Donald will announce his six captain’s picks for Team Europe on Monday, 1 September at 2pm BST, rounding out the 12-man squad tasked with defending the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. With Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Rasmus Hojgaard, and Tyrrell Hatton already qualified, Donald has the chance to inject both stability and fresh energy into his lineup.

The leading contenders for those wildcard spots include Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, and Sepp Straka, all of whom bring form and firepower. Donald has already hinted at the tough balancing act, calling it “a good headache” to have. His final selections are expected to reflect much of the winning formula from Rome in 2023, blending experience with emerging talent to give Europe the strongest possible chance of retaining the cup on American soil.