ATLANTA — Keegan Bradley met with reporters rapidly, shuffling out and in of the media middle in lower than 10 minutes as a consequence of his busy schedule. However the principle level of dialogue throughout that temporary time was not his current triumph on the BMW Championship. No. It principally revolved across the Presidents Cup and the way the 38-year-old Bradley may make this yr’s U.S. workforce.
Captain Jim Furyk will solidify the American squad on Tuesday, making six extra picks after this week’s Tour Championship. Bradley, subsequent yr’s Ryder Cup captain, is at present eighth within the standings, however he would higher serve himself and subsequent yr’s prospects at Bethpage Black by sitting this one out.
As a substitute, he ought to function one among Furyk’s assistants. Furyk already tabbed Kevin Kisner, Stewart Cink, and Justin Leonard as vice-captains, however it could profit everybody if he included Bradley, too.
“I actually assume being a vice-captain would assist me as a captain at Bethpage as a result of whenever you’re enjoying, your mentality adjustments a bit,” Bradley mentioned Tuesday.
“[When you are playing,] you’re extra stressed. You’re pondering, ‘Geez, I’ve received the alternate shot gap or the powerful drive. So there’s different issues in your thoughts.”
Bradley has not performed in a Ryder Cup since 2014 and made just one Presidents Cup workforce, representing Workforce USA at Muirfield Village in 2013.
A decade has handed since Bradley was a part of an American locker room. It’s not like Bradley has misplaced that feeling or the understanding of how these relationships work, however he can be higher served to help Furyk in decision-making. He would be taught to guide a workforce on this compelling competitors, one that may set him up properly for the Ryder Cup subsequent fall.
But Bradley is at present probably the greatest Individuals on the planet. He arrives at East Lake ranked fourth within the FedEx Cup rankings and has an awesome probability to win the trophy and the $25 million that comes with it.
He is aware of that, too.
“Being contained in the ropes with these guys within the battle, within the warmth, reminding myself how powerful that is, and if a scenario arises the place I’m enjoying at Bethpage, enjoying this, enjoying on the Presidents Cup would definitely assist,” Bradley mentioned.
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“I’ve gone forwards and backwards, and I believe that there are execs and cons to each of them. No matter occurs, I should determine learn how to make one of the best of it.”
A situation can come up wherein Bradley makes subsequent yr’s Ryder Cup workforce. He must end among the many high six within the Ryder Cup standings as a result of he beforehand mentioned he wouldn’t choose himself as a captain’s choose. He nearly made this yr’s workforce, ending eighth within the standings. Final week’s BMW Championship finalized Workforce USA, as Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, and Sahith Theegala completed among the many high six. However now Furyk has six captain’s picks to make, and Bradley is amongst his choices.
“You’ve at all times received to keep in mind that these guys had been gamers, too, and Jim is a Corridor-of-Fame participant. He was explaining a scenario to me; I forgot which Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup it was; he was in a really comparable spot to me; he was a vice-captain, however he was nonetheless making an attempt to make the workforce. So he is aware of what I’m going by means of,” Bradley mentioned.
“I believe because it involves this week [at the Tour Championship], I believe with the totally different [starting-strokes] format and stuff like that, I believe it shouldn’t come down to at least one week that you just determine whether or not an individual goes to play a month later. However there’s a part of me that feels horrible about having put him on this place. However I wish to be as upfront with him and sincere with him, and he’s been nice.”
As patriotic as he’s, Bradley needs to do what’s finest for the workforce. However regardless that he’s at present one of many PGA Tour’s high gamers, watching this Presidents Cup from outdoors the ropes, lending his opinion to Furyk, and studying from these good minds will assist the Individuals in the long term.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Be sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
