Keegan Bradley still reflects on the pain of captaining the United States to a home Ryder Cup defeat last year but says he would love to make the 2027 team as a player.
Bradley took full responsibility as his USA side endured a chastening first two days at Bethpage Black last September, slipping to a record 11.5-4.5 deficit, before a valiant fightback fell short.
The 39-year-old faced plenty of criticism during the event for his pairings and, speaking before this week’s PGA Championship – a tournament he won in 2011 – confessed the thoughts of New York still haunt him.
“It was tough after the Ryder Cup and it still is. I’ll be driving down the road and things will pop into my head and think about things I had done or wish I had done different,” Bradley said at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia.
Jim Furyk was recently announced as the USA’s captain for next year’s showdown at Adare Manor in Ireland, where Luke Donald will attempt to lead Europe to a third win in succession.
Furyk captained USA to a thumping defeat at Le Golf National in Paris in 2018 and was one of Bradley’s vice-captains last year. Bradley almost made the team by right in 2025 and says he would love to put his “brutal” Ryder Cup story right by making Furyk’s side.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about that,” he added. “It’s going to be really hard, I know that. I’ll be 41 when that happens. But what a cool story it would be. How fun would that be?
“I’ve sort of resigned myself … Ryder Cup’s just been so brutal to me over the years in every way. In every single way, it’s been brutal, and I have a tough time focusing in on something like that because of how tough it’s been.
“I’d really like to make that team in Ireland. I’d really love to play for Jim Furyk, who is an idol of mine, but also become a great friend and mentor. Getting to know the guys on the team last year changed my life, changed who I am as a person and I would love to play on a Ryder Cup with them.”
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth again arrives at the PGA Championship looking to complete the career grand slam.
Spieth, whose last major win was the Open in 2017, said: “If I could win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason. It would be amazing because it’s a very, very short list in history.”