Bradley is set to become the Ryder Cup’s first player-captain in 62 years

FIRE-BREATHING US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley may just have given himself the chance to finally unlock the suitcase that has remained off for limits nearly 11 years.

After experiencing a second successive Ryder Cup defeat at Gleneagles in 2014, Bradley vowed never to unpack his case until he finished on a winning USA team.

Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship on SundayCredit: Reuters

After losing the Ryder Cup in 2014, Bradley vowed never to unpack his case until he finished on a winning USA teamCredit: Getty

That looked increasingly unlikely as the man from Vermont failed to play his way back onto the team, was controversially snubbed for a wild card in 2023, and was then installed as US captain a year ago.

But exactly a year to the day after he was asked if he wanted to take on the Ryder Cup captaincy, he clinched a victory that handed him a whole new dilemma.

Bradley, who jumped at the chance to do the job Tiger Woods had already turned down, has spent the last year playing down his chances of becoming the Ryder Cup’s first player-captain since Arnold Palmer doubled up in 1963.

But after his dramatic win in the Travelers Championship, he admitted he would have to take a “pretty hard look” at whether he should be on his own team.

In front of a Connecticut crowd chanting ‘USA, USA’, Bradley took advantage of Tommy Fleetwood’s three-putt bogey on the final hole by sinking a six footer for birdie – and a one shot victory.

That propelled him to a career high seventh in the world rankings, and catapulted him from 17th to ninth on the Ryder Cup qualifying list.

Only the top six qualify automatically. But the question now is whether Bradley, 39, can afford NOT to pick himself, unless his form falls off a cliff between now and September 26, when the battle with Europe begins at Bethpage Black in New York.

No-one can doubt Bradley’s passion for the Ryder Cup. Or anything else.

Bradley is set to become the Ryder Cup’s first player-captain in 62 yearsCredit: Reuters

He has become famous for the sort of frenzied celebrations that followed his latest win – letting out a massive roar, screaming a few obscenities at the adoring New England crowds and chest bumping caddie Scott Vail.

When he calmed down, a sheepish-looking Bradley confessed: “I kind of lost it again there, didn’t I? I might be in trouble with my mom for using some bad words.”

It would not be the first time.

Despite being known for his fiery nature, Bradley shocked plenty of people with his outburst in the USA’s President Cup team room, shortly after holing the winning putt  in their victory over the Internationals last year.

He roared: “I’ve been doubted my whole f***ing life, That’s when I do my best work. We are gonna go to Bethpage to kick their f***ing ass.”

Bradley later claimed he was surprised that comment was broadcast on Netflix’s Full Swing series. Really?

They did not hold back from showing the stunned reaction of the entire Bradley family when he missed out on a wild card pick from Zach Johnson two years ago, with the out of form Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler picked ahead of him.

Maybe the memory of how the Scottish crowd taunted Bradley over his exaggerated pre-shot routine – a dozen or more club twirls, and backing away from his ball a few times before pulling the trigger – counted against him.

And his volatile on-course antics, which once saw him in a World Match Play face-off with Migel Angel Jimenez that had to be defused by a rules official, has also raised a few eyebrows.

Off the course, Bradley is a completely different animal – a devoted family man who dotes on wife Jillian and their two sons.

Bradley has formed a close friendship with basketball legend Michael JordanCredit: Getty

And he has formed a close friendship with basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Bradley was their original brand ambassador when the range of Jordan golf shoes was launched, and he still wears them now. Do not be surprised if golf nut Jordan is one of the US cheerleaders at Bethpage Black in September.

Bradley, 39, insists he will not surrender the US captaincy, “under any circumstances”.

But he admitted the possibility of doubling up – and leaning more heavily on vice-captains Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kinsner and Jim Furyk to look after the off course stuff – is now a real possibility.

He said: “This changes the story a little bit. I never would have thought about playing if I hadn’t won. This definitely opens the door to play.

“I don’t know if I’m going to do it or not, but I certainly have to take a pretty hard look at what’s best for the team and we’ll see.

“I never really planned on playing. I really wanted to just be the captain. I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys. They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities.

“Now, with the amazing vice captains that I have, and I have a better perspective of playing in the Presidents Cup and being around a lot of the guys, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route.”

“It’s still only June, so we’ve still got a long ways to go. This definitely changes things a little bit, and we’ll all get together and figure out the best way to do this.”