Keegan Bradley, in the end, didn’t pick Keegan Bradley.
The U.S. captain for next month’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black instead tabbed Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns as his six allotted captain’s picks on Wednesday, but the non-selection of himself will undoubtedly be the most scrutinized. While no one has been both a captain and a player for the biennial event since 1963, Bradley is qualified to play — he’s ranked 11th in the world and has won once this year, in June at the Travelers Championship.
Bradley said after that win that he’d considered playing, but the decision was made “a while ago” that he wouldn’t be on the team.
“All these guys stepped up in a major way and played their way onto this team,” Bradley said. “It’s something I’m really proud of and something I really wanted. But it was an extremely difficult decision, but one that I’m really happy with and really happy with these six players.
“And I’m glad it’s over.”
Of course, he wasn’t alone in not making the team. Here is a look at nine bubble players left off the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Ryder Cup snubs: 9 bubble players left off the team
Maverick McNealy
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 10th
Why he is considered a snub: McNealy is the highest-ranked player in the U.S. Ryder Cup team standings to be left off the team. He won his first PGA Tour event last November at the RSM Classic and has played steady golf ever since, posting seven top-10 finishes this year.
Why he was left off the team: McNealy has never played in a team event. He’s also ranked 122nd on Tour this season in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.
Keegan Bradley
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 11th
Why he is considered a snub: No one may care more about this event than Bradley. He’s played in it twice, and the agony shown after not being picked for it two years ago has been well-documented. Bradley is also familiar with Bethpage, having played college golf at nearby St. John’s.
Why he was left off the team: The difficulty of performing both jobs. No one has been a playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. He’s also ranked 100th on the PGA Tour this season in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Brian Harman
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 12th
Why he is considered a snub: Harman played on the team in 2023 and won the Open Championship that year. This year, he won once on the PGA Tour and finished in the top 10 three times.
Why he was left off the team: One guess is driving distance. It will be needed at Bethpage, and this season on Tour, Harman is ranked 149th in the category.
Andrew Novak
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 13th
Why he is considered a snub: He played with Griffin to win the PGA Tour’s lone team event, the Zurich Classic. He also finished in the top 10 five times this season.
Why he was left off the team: Along with Griffin and McNealy, Novak has never played in a team event. He’s also ranked 111th this year on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green.
Wyndham Clark
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 17th
Why he is considered a snub: He won the 2023 U.S. Open and has played on one Ryder Cup team and one Presidents Cup team.
Why he was left off the team: He hasn’t won since last year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He’s also ranked 75th on the PGA Tour this season in Strokes Gained: Total, 89th in SG: Tee to Green, 79th in SG: Off the Tee and 138th in SG: Approach the Green.
Chris Gotterup
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 20th
Why he is considered a snub: In his past nine events, Gotterup has posted six top 10 finishes, which includes a win at the Genesis Scottish Open and a third-place finish a week later at the Open Championship. He also ranked eighth this season on the PGA Tour in driving distance.
Why he was left off the team: Inexperience, as this would have been his first team appearance. He’s also ranked 100th this season on Tour in SG: Approach the Green, 78th in SG: Around the Green and 87th in SG: Putting.
Tony Finau
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 24th
Why he is considered a snub: Finau has played on two Ryder Cup teams and three Presidents Cup teams.
Why he was left off the team: He’s posted one top 10 finish this year and hasn’t won since 2023. He’s also ranked 118th this season on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total, 107th in SG: Tee to Green, 117th in SG: Off the Tee, 117th in SG: Approach the Green and 115th in SG: Putting.
Rickie Fowler
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 30th
Why he is considered a snub: Fowler has played on five Ryder Cup teams and three Presidents Cup teams. He’s also posted four top 20 finishes in his past six starts.
Why he was left off the team: Fowler hasn’t won since 2023. His Ryder Cup record is also 3-9-5.
Jordan Spieth
Rank in the final U.S. Ryder Cup team standings: 32nd
Why he is considered a snub: Spieth has played on five Ryder Cup teams and four Presidents Cup teams.
