Traveling back to 2012 when Keegan Bradley first debuted for the U.S Ryder Cup team, he shocked the entire world through his exuberance and power play. Paired with the legendary Phil Mickelson, Bradley hit a 28-footer birdie, beating the undefeated duo of Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia. The crowd cheered like wildfire in the gallery. In the afternoon, Mickelson and Bradley won the first three holes and eventually tasted success at the par-3 17th hole. Even though Bradley did not see victory at Medinah USA, the world saw his passion and love for the country; his recent performance at the 2025 Travelers Championship highlights why Bradley is a viable playing captain of the 2025 Ryder Cup, especially if you consider the words of a PGA Tour pro.

“Keegan is a player that the Europeans don’t want to play against. He is not an easy person to compete against, he is really tough competitor, even his twitching and mannerisms are not easy to pick. He is very bossy, he hit the shots in the end of the day, there are a lot of players you would choose to tee off against and Keegan is not one of them,” says Padraig Harrington in the Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio. Even though Bradley doesn’t always come up among the top 10 players list, his name is the name that comes first to mind for U.S citizens when they hear the announcement of the Ryder Cup.

Bradley, being a deeply patriotic person, burns like the sun when playing for his country. His partnership with Phil Mickelson in 2012 at Medinah gave a remarkable performance that would be remembered for decades. More than his skill, it’s his passion for his country that the European team feels like a challenge.

His score of 3-1-0 with Phil Mickelson is one of the best scores by a rookie debutant in the Ryder Cup.“I just loved being part of Keegan’s energy. He was unstoppable,” said Mickelson after Day 1 of the Ryder Cup in 2012. Even recently, after Bradley’s win at the Travelers Championship 2025, Mickelson was excited to see his long-term buddy win, and he wrote a tweet saying, “Keegan Bradley is THE MAN!!”.

So, naturally, fans are eager to watch him wreak havoc at the 2025 Ryder Cup. But, with the responsibilities of a captain, will he be playing?

Well, being a captain comes with heavy responsibilities like team formation, pairings, who plays which holes, and more. Going to the administrative side of golf will not allow him to contribute as a player to the game. “I do not, in any shape or form, think a captain can be a player,” Harrington said, referring to the pressure associated with the captaincy in a Ryder Cup, making quick decisions, while playing is a far-fetched dream. His skills as a player also remain crucial for the team, as the current U.S roster looks thin. There is a lot of doubt around Keegan’s captaincy role, as it’s been a decade since his last Ryder Cup game. But Bradley remains optimistic as he still feels ready to serve as playing captain.

Keegan Bradley set to become the next captain-cum-player

Bradley is really excited to take up his role as the captain for the U.S Team. he says his mind is overwhelmed by only the thoughts of Ryder Cup, “For me the only time I can escape Ryder Cup thoughts are when I’m inside the ropes,” . His performances in the recent tournaments also show his dedication to achieving his goal of being the best before the Ryder Cup. Bradley displayed a great performance at the Travelers Championship 2025, clinching his second Travelers title in style, finishing the final round with a birdie, one stroke ahead of Tommy Fleetwood.

His next stop is the Rocket Classic, and if he succeeds in winning it, he will get an opportunity to be in the top six, granting him membership in the Ryder Cup Team.

While most captains focus on the organisational and administrative roles of a captain, Keegan plans to take it up a notch, being the second player after Arnold Palmer in 1963 to play as a captain. Collin Morikawa, who stands fifth at the OWGR and is officially a member of the Ryder Cup team, encourages the idea of Bradley playing as a captain, saying, “Right now, he’s playing as one of the best Americans and one of the best golfers in the world. I’m sure there are already contingencies to be put in place because it’s not like it wasn’t a possibility that that could happen.”

What do you think Keegan Bradley will be able to handle the pressure of being a player while being a captain? Let us know in the comments below.