Keegan Bradley did not call his own name on Wednesday for the US Ryder Cup team.
Bradley named him Justin Thomas, Colin Morakawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantray and Sam Burns.
Despite having a legal case to build a team, Bradley revealed on Wednesday that he decided “a little while ago that I wasn’t playing,” adding that he had confirmed the US roster earlier this week. He would have been the first Ryder Cup to play Captain since Arnold Palmer in East Lake in 1963.
“The team was set for the last 48 hours. We weren’t scrambled at all,” Bradley said at a press conference at the PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Texas. “It was a really tough decision. There was a point I was playing for. All of these guys stepped up in key ways and played towards this team, which I’m really proud of.
Bradley, 39, finishes 11th in the US Ryder Cup standings this season, making him the eighth best American in the world. He has won twice against the best player in the last 13 months. Only Scotty Schaeffler has been making the PGA Tour victory during that period.
He admitted he wanted to play, but Bradley reiterated that he “is sure this is the right choice.”
Bradley also finished 11th in the 2023 Ryder Cup, but US Captain Zach Johnson handed him over and chose Burns, Ricky Fowler and Thomas. Europeans routed US16½-11½ at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Rome.
“I grew up wanting to play the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “I grew up wanting to fight with these guys and it broke my heart. It really did because you’re working forever to make these teams, but in the end I was chosen to be the captain of this team.
Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson Dechambeau have already qualified for the US team by enrolling in the top six in the US rankings this season.
Bradley said she hasn’t wavered by the recent comments from European star Rory McIlroy.
“I’m not worried at all about what they do or say,” Bradley said. “I care about our team. I’m not sure how he knows whether that’s impossible or not. No one has done it.”
Griffin and Young are one of four US Ryder Cup rookies, along with Spaun and Henley. Young grew up in New York and set a course record at Beth Page Black at the state’s amateur events. He won his first PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship on August 3, with a top 12 finish in each of his last four starts.
“Obviously, playing for your country is very special,” Young said. “And for me, the US is home, but New York is really home to me. So I can’t wait to go back to where I love and get out there.”
The 29-year-old Griffin is one of the most notable stories of professional golf this season. He left the game in 2021 and worked as a North Carolina mortgage officer. He returned to the Corn Ferry Tour the following year and headed for the PGA Tour.
Griffin and Andrewnovac won the New Orleans team’s Zurich Classic Event in April, with Griffin finishing first at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He finished second in the monument, finishing eighth in the PGA Championship and tenth in the US Open. He had three top 12 finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs and advanced towards the US team.
“It was an incredible journey from desk work to going back to the PGA tour,” Griffin said. “This year is kind of a groundbreaking year for me, and I’m really working so hard and trusting myself. I’m really excited to be part of this team and I’m grateful for the beliefs I have not only from Keegan, but from other captains and other players who believe in me.”
Maverick McNerry (10th points), Brian Herman (12th), Novak (13th), and Chris Gotterup (20th) were other golfers believed to hunt captain’s choice.
European Captain Luke Donald will have six picks on Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.