Rory McIlroy claims Keegan Bradley should drop Ryder Cup captaincy if he makes USA team

Shocking Claim: McIlroy Says Keegan Bradley Must Drop Ryder Cup Captaincy If He Qualifies

Rory McIlroy has stirred the golf world with his assertion that Keegan Bradley must relinquish his role as Ryder Cup captain if he qualifies to play for the USA in the 2025 edition.

 

Bradley’s appointment as the captain for next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black surprised many, especially considering his strong familiarity with the course. At 38, Bradley still ranks among the world’s top 20 golfers and narrowly missed being part of Zach Johnson’s selection in Rome. Despite his new role, Bradley has indicated his intent to qualify as a player for the 2025 Ryder Cup, which would make him the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

 

However, McIlroy, reflecting on the possibility of taking on dual roles himself for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, believes that such a balancing act is unrealistic. “No, absolutely not,” the Northern Irishman asserted after his opening round at the Scottish Open. “I’ve contemplated it for Adare [in 2027], but there’s too much work that goes into it. I’ve seen what Luke [Donald] went through preparing for Rome.”

 

McIlroy emphasized the demanding nature of the captaincy, stating, “There’s no way you can be as good a captain as you need to be and be a playing captain as well. If you want to be the best captain you can be, you can’t play. And if you want to be the best player, you can’t captain. So it’s one or the other, especially with how big the Ryder Cup has become and how many things you have to do in the lead-up to the event.”

 

Given Bradley’s current ranking at 19th in the world, McIlroy acknowledged his significant chance of making the team. “If he does, I think he’s going to have to give that captaincy role to one of the vice-captains,” McIlroy added.

 

The decision to appoint Bradley came after it seemed Tiger Woods might take up the mantle. However, Woods turned down the role due to other commitments, leaving the PGA in a scramble to replace Johnson. McIlroy admitted that he and his European teammates were taken aback by Bradley’s appointment. “I think disbelief, probably,” McIlroy said, recalling the team’s reaction at a dinner attended by several of Donald’s squad members.

 

Reflecting on Bradley’s selection, McIlroy remarked, “I think Keegan was probably in disbelief at some point too, but [it is] certainly an interesting pick. Definitely, I think a surprise for everyone. But he knows Bethpage very well. He went to university in the area. He’s obviously very passionate about the Ryder Cup. It’s certainly a departure from what the US have done over the last few years, and time will tell if that’s a good thing or not.”

 

As Luke Donald prepares to lead Europe again in New York after a victorious campaign at Marco Simone Golf Club, all eyes will be on how Bradley handles his dual aspirations and whether he will indeed step down from the captaincy if he qualifies to play.