Justin Thomas makes unsurprising Ryder Cup admission

Justin Thomas Confirms Role in Selecting Keegan Bradley as 2025 Team USA Ryder Cup Captain

PGA Tour star Justin Thomas recently disclosed that he played a significant role in selecting Keegan Bradley as the 2025 Ryder Cup captain for Team USA. During a revealing discussion on the *No Laying Up* podcast with host Chris Solomon, the two-time major champion opened up about various topics, with the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy being a focal point.

Reflecting on the 2023 Ryder Cup, where Team USA suffered a decisive defeat at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Thomas acknowledged that Bradley deserved a spot on the team more than he did. “I think it’s not a secret, it’s not anything hidden why I probably ended up getting a pick and he didn’t,” Thomas admitted, addressing the ongoing perception that the US Ryder Cup team is sometimes seen as a “boys’ club.”

Thomas revealed that he had watched a Netflix episode that highlighted Bradley’s deep disappointment at being passed over for a captain’s pick, despite having a strong season with two PGA Tour victories. “It was tough [to watch], but I mean, it’s also like, it’s the reality. If you put our years against each other, Keegan deserved to be on that team more than I did,” Thomas confessed.

However, Thomas did express one minor criticism regarding the episode. He pointed out that US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson had also chosen two players, Rickie Fowler and Sam Burns, who were ranked below Bradley in the Ryder Cup standings. “I feel like that last spot, if you will, easily three or four names could have been thrown around. But it’s TV,” Thomas remarked. “And yeah, I jokingly was like, yeah, watching this, I don’t really feel like I should have made the team, and [I’m] rooting for Keegan to get this pick.”

When reflecting on his own performance in the 2023 Ryder Cup, Thomas was candid about his shortcomings. He finished the tournament with a 1-2-1 record and was benched for the opening session, during which Team USA was swept 4-0. “I mean, I feel like I let the team down,” he admitted. “I felt like I played terrible. I was gutted to not win more points. I was gutted to not be playing that first morning.”

The conversation then shifted to the surprising announcement on July 9 that Keegan Bradley had been named the 2025 Ryder Cup captain. The decision caught many in the golf world off guard, including players like Rory McIlroy, who expressed disbelief. The expectation had been that Fred Couples or Stewart Cink would take on the role after Tiger Woods reportedly declined the position.

Thomas, however, was not among those surprised by the decision. “I was on all the conversations and knew,” Thomas revealed. “And it was a tough, tough secret to keep, because Keegan and I practice and play a lot down here [in Florida], and I’ve become a lot closer with him over the past couple of years. I just respect his work ethic a lot, and he really gets after it.”

He further explained the difficulty of keeping the secret while practicing with Bradley. “We just coincidentally happened to play back-to-back weeks of practice rounds after I had known what was going to be happening, and that was tough,” Thomas shared.

Ultimately, Thomas believes that the decision to select Bradley as captain was thoroughly considered from all angles. “There’s a lot of conversation, there’s a lot of looking at it, hitting it from every single angle to make sure that this is what everybody on board felt like was the right thing and the best option,” he concluded.