Keegan Bradley ‘super bummed’ not to get Ryder Cup pick

Ryder Cup hopeful Keegan Bradley has admitted he knew that Zach Johnson wasn’t going to pick him as one of six wildcards.

The 37-year-old was hoping to make a third appearance in the biennial match next month but was not named a part of Team USA earlier today.

After the announcement, Bradley told Golf Channel reporter Todd Lewis about his disappointment for not being selected as a Captain’s Pick.

He said: “I could tell by the response from Zach when I answered the phone that I wasn’t on the team…I’m super bummed out.

“I thought I put together a really good year with two wins…I am pulling for the US team.”

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Speaking before the PGA Championship, Bradley said he thinks about the Ryder Cup ‘every second’ he is awake.

The 2011 US PGA Champion represented the States in 2012 and 2014 but will have to wait two more years for another chance.

Bradley qualified automatically for his debut in Medinah but had to rely on a Captain’s Pick from Tom Watson for the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.

And as if Bradley hadn’t shown his emotion enough, he tweeted this afternoon about what that week in Chicago meant to him in 2012.

He said: “This is my suitcase from the 2012 Ryder Cup that I haven’t opened since that Sunday. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it till I won a Ryder Cup. ⁣ ⁣

“That week changed my prospective on golf forever. The Ryder Cup suddenly became very important to me.”

This is my suitcase from 2012 Ryder Cup that I haven’t opened since that Sunday. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it till I won a Ryder Cup. ⁣
⁣
That week changed my prospective on golf forever. The Ryder Cup suddenly became very important to me. pic.twitter.com/RFN6mqeiWH

— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) August 30, 2023

The six-time PGA Tour winner faced the same fate for a spot in Rome this September as he did two years after that memorable week, as he finished 11th on the US points list.

In a season where Bradley won the Travelers Championship and the ZOZO Championship, he accumulated just over 7,600 Ryder Cup points.

Xander Schauffele, who secured the sixth and final automatic qualifying spot, earned over 9,400.

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Sam Burns and Justin Thomas, who ended the season 12th and 15th on the standings, respectively, were both selected by team captain Zach Johnson.

The 47-year-old also opted to include LIV golfer Brooks Koepka, despite seeming back and forth on his participation in the months leadinag up to the event.

Johnson used his remaining three picks to have Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, and Jordan Spieth wear red, white, and blue at Marco Simone.

His recruits joined Scottie Scheffler, Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, and Xander Schauffele, who were already exempt.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.