Keegan Bradley has described life after Crew USA’s Ryder Cup defeat as “one of the toughest times” in his life and fears he might by no means “get over” dropping to Crew Europe in New York.
Bradley was captain for the 2025 contest at Bethpage Black, the place Luke Donald’s European group dominated the primary two days earlier than closing out a 15-13 victory and profitable title defence on American soil.
Europe’s win was the primary – by both group – in an away Ryder Cup because the 2012 ‘Miracle at Medinah’, with Bradley’s pairings and course set-up amongst these questioned after Crew USA’s residence loss.
Talking publicly for the primary time since that defeat, Bradley mentioned at a Vacationers Championship media day: “You win, it’s glory for a lifetime. You lose, it’s ‘I’m going to have to sit with this for the rest of my life.
“There is no a part of me that thinks I will ever recover from this. Because the Ryder Cup to now has been one of many hardest occasions in my life.”
Crew USA wanted a record-equalling singles show to keep away from a heavier defeat, successful 8.5 factors on the ultimate day and threatening a historic comeback after Europe had constructed a seven-point lead over the primary two days.
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A have a look at a few of the greatest photographs from the ultimate day of the Ryder Cup, the place Crew USA produced a powerful singles fightback to cut back Europe’s successful margin
“You put so much into it, and you have all this planning, and the first two days went as poorly as we could have ever thought,” Bradley admitted. “Then we had that incredible rally on Sunday.
“What I’ve tried to take away is the incredible memories I had with the guys – the times in the locker room and the emotional times we had together.”
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Watch a few of the greatest photographs from the 2025 Ryder Cup, the place Crew Europe claimed a powerful victory
Why playing-captaincy ‘would have been unhealthy’
Bradley’s victory on the Vacationers Championship in June raised the potential of him being the primary playing-captain on the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963, one thing he now acknowledges would have been a mistake.
“I’ll forever wonder and wish that I had a chance to play there,” he mentioned. “The primary follow day, I used to be out on the tee, and I used to be watching the fellows stroll down the green all collectively, and I mentioned: ‘I want I used to be taking part in. That is what it is all about. I am lacking out.’
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Crew USA captain Keegan Bradley heaped reward on Luke Donald after Crew Europe clinched the Ryder Cup
“By the second or third day I was like ‘It’s a good thing I’m not playing,’ because I was so physically exhausted. … Good thing I didn’t do it, because it would have been bad,” Bradley mentioned. “I just didn’t think I could do both jobs.”
Bradley mentioned he’s nonetheless making an attempt to emerge from the “Ryder Cup fog” and change focus again to being a PGA Tour participant, though stays hopeful of representing Crew USA once more sooner or later.
“I really would enjoy playing in one more [Ryder Cup],” Bradley admitted. “I do not know if I will get the prospect.
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Talking on the Sky Sports activities Golf podcast Andrew Coltart and Wealthy Beem analyse Keegan Bradley’s captaincy through the 2025 Ryder Cup
“This effing event has been so brutal to me. I don’t know if I want to play. No, I do. It’s such a weird thing to love something so much that just doesn’t give you anything.”
What’s subsequent?
The following Ryder Cup takes place at Adare Manor in Eire from September 17-19, 2027 – the second time the occasion has been held in Eire and the centenary staging of the biennial contest. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
