Keegan Bradley is kept up at night by his Ryder Cup captain’s duties ahead of next month’s competition in New York, as the United States looks to reclaim the title

Keegan Bradley says his Ryder Cup captaincy duties can’t escape him – even in bed(Image: Getty)

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has admitted that he can’t escape his duties as captain, even in bed, ahead of September’s competition at Bethpage Black in New York.

PGA Tour star Bradley, 39, was named the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain in July 2024. The teams have yet to be officially confirmed, but Bradley has opted to keep the option of having six captain’s picks, which means six will qualify automatically from the points list with Scottie Scheffler (Q), J.J. Spaun (Q), and Xander Schauffele (Q) already qualified.

Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, captain Bradley, Maverick McNealy, and Brian Harman round out the rest of the top 12, as things stand.

Bradley has revealed that he can’t escape his duties as captain, with several thoughts running through his head, even at night in bed.

The competition is just over a month away, and the U.S. is looking to reclaim the Ryder Cup after losing in 2023. “Thinking a lot more about it now,” Bradley said.

“I’m laying in bed thinking about golf balls that the guys play, thinking about pairings, certainly amped up. I think I’ve done — I’m really proud of the way I’ve been able to get inside the ropes and be a player this year. I didn’t know how this was going to go.

“No one knew how this was going to go. I think most people thought I was going to have a horrible year. But that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.

Keegan Bradley left notes in the lockers of potential Ryder Cup players at The Open Championship(Image: Alex Pantling/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

“I’m proud that I won Hartford, but I’m also really proud to have been able to perform inside the ropes with everything going on. There’s no reason why I can’t continue to do that these next two weeks. We’ve got a lot on the line, and I hope to continue.”

Whether he will play himself, Bradley is yet to make a call. “I’ve been saying all year you can’t expect to be on the team unless you’re in the top six. My goal is to go out there, whether I was Ryder Cup captain or not this week, and play well and play well next week at the TOUR Championship as well,” he said.

“There’s definitely a lot more on my plate here these next couple of weeks. The Ryder Cup has always been so far away, and now it’s right there. Things are definitely amping up. I still have a lot to prove just as well as everyone around me on the list.”

Keegan Bradley could be a playing captain at the Ryder Cup(Image: Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Bradley has drawn praise from Scheffler over how seriously he is taking the captaincy. The world No. 1 says Bradley has “exceeded expectations.”

“For me, I’m treating the Ryder Cup as a real team. We’re not going off past Ryder Cups or what they did. I’m trying to act like this is a team that plays all year round,” Bradley said. “I think an advantage that I’ve had as captain is, I’m around the guys.

“I’m around the guys in practice rounds, in locker rooms, waiting in rain delays. I saw J.J. Spaun at the U.S. Open in this rain delay, and I’m looking at him, and I just like — it didn’t seem like he was in this position to win the U.S. Open.

“Seemed like we were there in a practice round. He’s joking around. I remember thinking, this guy, he’s a 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er. It’s crazy. I’d be pacing around outside or whatever, so just seeing that. More importantly, getting to know the guys, it’s really forced me to really get to know them.

“They’ve impacted my career, and I think one of the reasons why I’ve had a better last couple years is just getting to know them and getting to learn how they go about their career.

“It’s just so much different than mine. Certainly getting to know Scottie, who I didn’t know really at all, and to learn what a great family man he is, what a great friend he is, what a great teammate he is, but then what an absolute savage he is inside the ropes. He’s a different guy in there, and I love that about him.”