Keegan Bradley will replace Zach Johnson as the next Ryder Cup captain for the US team. Tiger Woods was the front-runner to lead the US at Bethpage Black but reportedly turned down the role. The 2025 Ryder Cup will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Monday 8 July 2024 22:26, UK
The PGA of America has confirmed that Keegan Bradley will captain the U.S. team at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
The former PGA champion replaces Zach Johnson, who served as captain when Team USA lost 16.5-11.5 to Team Europe last September at Marco Simone Golf Club.
Bradley made his Ryder Cup debut in 2012, winning three of four matches in the loss known as the “Miracle at Medinah”, and then played in the loss at Gleneagles in 2014.
Bradley, 38, narrowly missed out on being named captain in 2023 and has never served as part of a backroom team, but he will lead the U.S. national team in the biennial tournament from Sept. 26-28, 2025.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as captain of Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” said Bradley, “and I want to thank the PGA Ryder Cup Committee for their trust in me as I embark on this journey to Bethpage Black.”
“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event has never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be especially special given the rich history of this iconic course and the passionate crowds. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”
Bradley, who will have the task of bringing back a trophy on his home turf and avoiding a losing streak, is a six-time PGA Tour winner, most recently winning the 2023 Travelers Championship.
Highlights from the fourth round of the 2023 Travelers Championship: Keegan Bradley wins by three strokes for his sixth PGA Tour victory.
“We are proud and excited to name Keegan Bradley captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2025,” said PGA President John Lindert.
“Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for the event will be invaluable as he leads the U.S. team over the next year and a half. With Keegan at the helm, I am confident the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has characterized his career.”
A look back at the highlights of the 2012 Ryder Cup and Team Europe’s astonishing success in the ‘Miracle of Medinah’.
Why isn’t Woods the Ryder Cup captain?
Woods, who played eight times as a player and once as an alternate captain at Hazeltine in 2016, was “in negotiations” with the PGA of America about leading Team USA next September.
The former world number one refused to deny rumours of him taking on the captaincy role during his pre-Masters press conference but was warned he may not be able to captain the team at the PGA Championship in May due to other off-course responsibilities.
The U.S. team has traditionally tended to choose its captain at least 18 months in advance but the delay is thought to be due to discussions with Woods, who has reportedly felt the 15-time major champion was not up to the task.
“It’s still a discussion,” Woods explained at Valhalla in May. “I spend a lot of my time on the PGA Tour, so I don’t want to take on the captaincy role if I can’t do that.”
“As the representative of Team USA, I need to feel that my responsibilities to the PGA, our players and our fans are commensurate with the time I need to devote to that.”
The best action from Day 3 of the Ryder Cup at Italy’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club
Donald returns to European team role
Former world number one Luke Donald will captain Europe for the second time after leading the team to a 16.5-11.5 victory in Rome last September. Donald has won all four Ryder Cups he has played in and served as vice-captain twice.
Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari have reverted to their vice-captain roles, having been part of Donald’s backroom team for the 2023 triumph in Rome, while former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley has been appointed strategic adviser.
Sky Sports will continue to be the home of the Ryder Cup, providing exclusive live coverage of all events in 2025 for three days from 26-28 September next year. The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more will be streamed on NOW.
