LIV Golf stars warned by USA captain Keegan Bradley despite Ryder Cup lifeline

Keegan Bradley has left no doubt that players like Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka have the talent to represent the USA at the Ryder Cup. However, he’s made it clear that their spots on the team aren’t guaranteed simply because of their names or past achievements.

With LIV Golf not being sanctioned by the Official World Golf Ranking, there’s no straightforward path for LIV players to secure one of the six automatic selections for the Ryder Cup. Their best chance to qualify lies in performing well at the majors, which are the only tournaments where they can earn points.

Despite this, it’s hard to argue against the inclusion of players like DeChambeau, the reigning U.S. Open champion, and Koepka, a five-time major winner, when considering America’s top 12 golfers. Bradley, who will be planning for next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, acknowledges their caliber. Last year, Koepka earned a captain’s pick from Zach Johnson for the Ryder Cup in Rome due to his strong showings at the majors, including a win at the PGA Championship.

However, despite their impressive resumes, DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Patrick Reed were left out of the team last year. The trio watched from home as the U.S. was defeated 16.5-11.5 by Europe at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, where the European team appeared more unified.

Bradley has made it clear that his decisions for the team won’t be swayed by politics. He emphasizes that all players, regardless of their affiliations, will need to prove their worth through their performances over the next 12 months. Speaking on the Fore Play Podcast, Bradley stressed his commitment to assembling the strongest possible squad.

“I firmly believe that I want the best players on the team, and next year, who knows what the situation will be with LIV and the PGA Tour,” Bradley said. “I’m not involved in any private conversations and I have no insider knowledge about the proposed merger between LIV and the PGA Tour. I’ve stopped trying to figure it out.

I think I owe it to the team to have the best players available. That could include LIV players or it might not. I know there are guys on LIV who are motivated to win the Ryder Cup, but I just want the 12 best players on the team.”

At 38, Bradley also reflected on his own experience missing the cut for last year’s Ryder Cup, even though he outperformed players like Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Nonetheless, he remains steadfast in his approach to team selection.

“You go with six automatic picks and six captain’s picks, just like it is now. If you finish seventh on the list, you should be on the team,” Bradley insisted. “But then I realized that if I’m the one choosing the team, and I think the seventh and eighth players should be on it, I can just make that happen. There’s no point in changing the system.”