Tour Confidential: Did Keegan Bradley make the right Ryder Cup decision?

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss whether or not Keegan Bradley made the right call with his Ryder Cup captain’s picks.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley finalized his squad with the six captain’s picks he announced Wednesday, and most were shocked to learn Bradley didn’t pick himself (despite sitting 11th in the standings). Ultimately, Bradley said the six picks played their way onto the team, and simply acting as captain is the best for the U.S. Did he make the right decision? And was there more to it than that?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): I’m not sure if it was right or wrong but it was definitely disappointing, as it deprived the event of another plotline and this is supposed to be entertainment, right? But it’s also an understandable move. By picking himself, Bradley risked coming off as if he was putting himself above the team. He also seemed to be genuinely persuaded that multitasking of that kind would hurt more than it would help.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Did he make the right decision for the team? Probably. It’s impossible to know if it’s possible to be a successful playing captain, but I do think the decision not to pick himself will galvanize the 12 guys in a way that rarely seems to be the case for the Americans. Now, was Bradley’s decision the right thing for golf itself? I think not. The Ryder Cup is golf’s biggest event every two years, and having him as a playing captain would have generated even more buzz for a sport trying to increase viewership.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): This thing has so many layers, but I do think he made the right decision for the team. He could have contributed as a player, sure, but I do think there is something to be said about putting the other guys first and the message that sends to them. Perhaps it’s the motivation they need. Maybe it does free up Keegan to focus on the other stuff. It definitely takes away a major storyline and a distraction — and a bit of the fun.

Some argued Bradley should have called his name anyway, since his play has been good enough, he has history at the course, and because it would add juice to an exhibition event that hasn’t had a playing-captain in over 60 years. What do you think?

Sens: I think that’s a valid argument. More than anything, though, I wish Bradley had chosen himself because it would have been a chance to demythologize the role of Ryder Cup captain. Everyone in golf–fans, players, media alike–talks about the job as if it requires the training, sophistication, and time commitment of brain surgery. I refuse to believe it’s all that complicated. It’s fun to tell stories about how Paul Azinger’s pod system was genius, or how Hal Sutton ruined everything by pairing Phil and Tiger, and so on. This is mass entertainment, after all. It depends largely on those kinds of narratives. Sure. Some captains’ decisions matter. But is it really that complex? Six players qualify automatically. You pick six others who are playing well and then you come up with pairings. The rest comes down to which team better handles the pressure and holes more putts. That’s my long way of saying that I’m sure Bradley could have handled double duty, just as surely as he can walk and chew gum.

Schrock: As stated above, I agree that it would have added juice to the event. But that’s not a reason for him to pick himself. He should have picked himself because he’s one of the 12 best American players, and if he weren’t the captain, he’d be on the team. The event will have all the juice needed, but a little extra never hurt.

Berhow: As cool as it would have been to see a playing-captain lead the U.S., it’s very unlikely Keegan would have played more than twice. Three times absolute max. But beyond that, the Ryder Cup, like the majors, brings in the casual golf fan. And this is just a guess but I bet a good number of them do not care at all or understand the significance of a playing-captain. So I really don’t believe we lost that much juice. 

Which team has the better chance of winning: this current one, with Bradley as captain, or Bradley as playing-captain with one of the six selections (take your pick) off the squad?

Sens: Neither. The Europeans would have a stronger squad on paper either way.

Schrock: I think having Bradley on the team would give the Americans a better shot at winning. But, like Sens, I think Europe is better on paper.

Berhow: I think the team with Keegan playing had the better chance of winning because he’s been great this year and is the exact type of player you want in this event. But Keegan is betting on picking the right guys, not the best ones — to steal a line from Herb Brooks and “Miracle” — and that means himself focusing on being just a captain. While the captains get a lot of praise or blame, it really comes down to which team plays the best golf. The captain can help motivate or strategize a bit, but these guys are pros. Go golf your ball. I will say this, though — I feel bad for Bradley. He could be playing this Ryder Cup but a series of odd circumstances brought us to this. It’s gotta sting to sit out, even if he thinks it’s the right call.

Which captain’s pick has the most pressure on themselves to perform at Bethpage Black?

Sens: The tempting answer is Cameron Young, since he was 1) outside the top 12 in the standings and 2) will be playing in his first Cup in front of a home-state crowd. But I’d say Sam Burns, as he was chosen partly for his great putting but also presumably because of his friendship with Scottie Scheffler. You’ve got to figure they’ll be paired in some of the team matches. And if a pairing featuring the No. 1 player in the world falters, it’s not hard to figure where the blame will fall.

Schrock: It’s Burns. We know Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley pair well together, so if that duo is disrupted so Burns and Scheffler can play together, then Burns has to perform. Also, it seems to me that Bradley’s choice was between himself and Burns, so don’t make the captain regret giving up his Ryder Cup dream. 

Berhow: Why not Patrick Cantlay? He was the talk of the 2023 Ryder Cup, and you know that storyline is going to come up again at Bethpage. He was also 15th in the standings (between Young and Burns) so Bradley had to reach to get him. Plus, he hasn’t played his best in big events this year — he missed the last three major cuts of the season.

Happy Labor Day weekend, where golfers everywhere are taking advantage of the bonus day off and teeing it up. What’s your favorite under-the-radar course you have played this summer?

Sens: The newly remade Poppy Ridge in Livermore, Calif., isn’t a full-blown sleeper, given its status as a sibling course to Poppy Hills in Monterey. But it’s in the quiet outer edges of the Bay Area, and it’s a really terrific course. Jay Blasi took the best land from three existing nines to create a walking-friendly 18 with all kinds of interesting variety. Aside from Pasatiempo. I don’t think there’s a better public-access course within an hour of San Francisco, and the price is right (if you keep your handicap with the Northern California Golf Association, you can play it for under $100).

Schrock: I admittedly haven’t played a ton of golf this summer. But as someone new to the Philadelphia area, I really enjoyed Inniscrone. It’s a lot of fun. It’s Gil Hanse’s first design and presents a tough test. Not super under-the-radar, but new to me!

Berhow: I’ve played little golf this year (but have attended lots of 8U softball games) but hope to explore Northern Michigan golf next year. But, more importantly, did anyone else realize we had three Joshes answer Tour Confidential tonight? A Labor Day weekend miracle we’ll never forget.