US Ryder Cup captain Bradley won't have playing role / Photo: Jared C. Tilton - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
US Ryder Cup captain Bradley won't have playing role
US captain Keegan Bradley won't play in the Ryder Cup, making the "extremely difficult" decision to focus on his captain's duties in the biennial match play showdown with Europe next month.
Bradley named his six captain's selections to complete the 12-man US team on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old's strong season -- including a victory at the Traveller's Championship and six other top-10 finishes -- sparked speculation he would choose himself and become the first US playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Instead Bradley named two-time major winners Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, Ryder Cup veteran Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns and Ryder Cup rookies Ben Griffin and Cameron Young.
"It was an extremely difficult decision," Bradley said at a press conference at PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
"I would say there was a point this year where I was playing, awhile ago, and these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way onto this team.
"It was an extremely difficult decision, but one that I'm really happy with and with these six players.
"And I'm glad it's over," he added of the agonizing selection process.
They join the six automatic qualifiers for the US lineup: top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, two-time major winners Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau, US Open winner J.J. Spaun and fellow Ryder Cup rookie Russell Henley and Harris English.
Scheffler has enjoyed another stellar season, with his five victories including major titles at the PGA Championship and British Open.
He headlines a US team vying to regain the trophy they surrendered with a 16.5-11.5 loss to Europe in Rome two years ago.
Team Europe will retain the bulk of their line-up from 2023 as they try to capture their first away victory since the "Miracle at Medinah" in 2012.
R.Wilson--EWJ
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