Keegan Bradley has always given off an air of someone who could never quite fit in with the popular kids at school.
Always on the outside looking in with the occasional acknowledgement from those whose approval he so desperately craved, but any notions that he would become one of the crew were short lived as he was frozen out of the inner circle just as quickly.
That’s carried on throughout his professional golf career with his on course spat with Miguel Angel Jimenez far more memorable than his 2011 PGA Championship victory.
A standout performer for the US at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah, Bradley sat out the entire Saturday in Gleneagles two years later despite winning a point on Friday morning and he hasn’t been seen in the Stars and Stripes since.
Even in 2023 when he was inside the top-20 in the world and with a win, ironically at the Travelers Championship, the frat boys still walked all over him as Zach Johnson elected to select Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas ahead of him.
Now Bradley has won the Travelers again, his second PGA Tour victory since being announced as Team USA Ryder Cup captain twelve months ago and he now sits at his highest ever world ranking of 7th.
Bradley revealed to Golf Channel how he “definitely wasn’t going to play” if he hadn’t won in the year before but that his success at TPC River Highlands “definitely changes things.”
He said: “It’s such an unbelievable thing that, I’ve spent 15 years of my career here – every year my goal is to make the Ryder Cup team. And then this would be the year where I was like ‘You know what, I’m excited to just be the captain.’ But then, of course, something like this happens.
“This definitely changes things. I definitely wasn’t going to play [the Ryder Cup] if I didn’t win. I want to put my team in the best position to win. If we get down to it and me playing is how that happens… I will play if I feel like it’ll help the team.”
Even without winning, Bradley already had a legitimate case for a wildcard pick if he wasn’t the captain himself while he also has a top-10 at the PGA Championship.
The American has the third most wins on the PGA Tour (4) since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Obviously Scottie Scheffler (12) and Rory McIlroy (7) have more.
But Bradley beating Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday felt Ryder Cuppy. The chants of USA, USA, the feverishness of the crowd. What’s likeable about Bradley is his intensity and how he creates an atmosphere for better or worse.
However, his behaviour is very much all about me and that stems from being the odd character he is. He is still very much the outsider.
Even his celebration when the putt went in was a textbook Ryder Cup celebration. It’s like he is trying to get himself amped up so much because he knows full well he will be one of the twelve Americans teeing it up in Bethpage Black in September.
And at just 39 years of age, why wouldn’t he be bang in form?
The great Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain in 1963 and Bradley is set to be the next.
How that plays out is anybody’s guess but it only adds another layer of intrigue to what should already be a blockbuster event.
The Europeans have had a brilliant season on the PGA Tour, winning eight events so far this year and their Ryder Cup rankings look a lot stronger than that of the USA.
Rory McIlroy has already qualified while Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre and Sepp Straka all look certainties as do Ludvig Aberg, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland.
The US top-6 lacks star quality with JJ Spaun, Russell Henley and Justin Thomas not striking any fear into European hearts, add to that Collin Morikawa is winless for the last three seasons while Bradley in 9th is surrounded by inexperience around him in Ben Griffin and Maverick McNealy.
Bradley brings a furore which is perfect for the Ryder Cup, especially in New York with an already hostile atmosphere set to challenge Luke Donald’s Europeans.
The question remains how Bradley’s personality and ego will blend with the rest of his team WHEN he plays.
Is there a great love for Captain America? Probably not the superhero they want….
Anyway, what’s Miguel at these days?
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