KEEGAN BRADLEY has been named captain of the US Ryder Cup team – after Tiger Woods rejected the chance.
He will replace previous captain Zach Johnson, who brutally snubbed him in last year’s Ryder Cup run in Rome.
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Bradley was selected in favor of pioneers Fred Couples and Davis Love III.
It comes after Woods reportedly rejected the chance to captain the U.S. national team for the first time.
North American sources say the golf legend rejected an approach from the PGA because he was too busy.
Woods had been a heavy favorite for the job since the Yanks were defeated by Luke Donald’s team in Rome last year.
But the first signs that he wasn’t too interested in taking the New York job next September came at the USPGA Championship in March.
The 15-time Major champion said he already had enough on his plate as one of the lead negotiators in the PGA Tour’s peace talks with the LIV.
He reportedly told the PGA that he would only be able to take on the Ryder Cup captaincy if they were willing to limit the range of roles he was expected to perform.
But the PGA was not prepared to take orders — not even from one of the greatest golfers of all time.
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Bradley’s captaincy represents a full-circle moment for the American after being cut from the squad that played in Rome last year.
He entered the Ryder Cup after an excellent 2023, but missed out on an automatic place in the team
But the previous captain, Johnson, chose not to pick Bradley, and the moment was immortalized in the Netflix documentary Full Swing, with an emotional Bradley being told by Johnson, “Hey, buddy. Thanks for being patient with me.”
“There’s no easy way to say this my friend, I think it’s better to go in a different direction this year. It’s nothing you did or didn’t do because you’re amazing on and off the course. I just feel like it’s better this year go in a different direction.
“I would love to take 30 guys and I can’t. And know that I am so grateful for you.”
Bradley handled his snub with class and said, “OK, Zach, I understand. I wish you guys, obviously, the best of luck and I hope you guys go out there and win.”
The American star has not participated in the Ryder Cup since losing to Europe at Gleneagles in 2014.
He said he hasn’t opened his tournament bag since then and will only do so if he is called up again by the USA.
He said: “This is probably my lowest point in my career [losing the 2014 Ryder Cup], it was that moment, and I would love to change that. When I finish and retire, having a Ryder Cup win on my resume versus a loss would be a big difference for me.
“I just hope that one day I can win a Ryder Cup and open that thing and have, like, a moment of peace of mind, because I’m thinking about the Ryder Cup every second of every day.”
He will have his best chance at redemption when he leads his team at Bethpage Black in New York in 2025.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
