Keegan Bradley, not Tiger Woods, named U.S. Ryder Cup captain

Instead, the PGA of America tabbed Bradley to lead the team next year at Bethpage Black on Long Island. It’s an outside-the-box selection; U.S. Ryder Cup captains tend to be golfers on the downside of their playing careers. But Bradley, 38, is ranked No. 19 in the world and scored a PGA Tour win as recently as June 2023 at the Travelers Championship. Johnson passed him over for a captain’s choice spot on last year’s team, a move that was criticized at the time.

Bradley also never has been an assistant captain for a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team, which was perceived as a prerequisite for the Ryder Cup job. As a player, he has appeared on just two Ryder Cup teams — both of them losers, in 2012 and 2014 — and has a 4-3 match record.

“I am proud and excited to name Keegan Bradley as Captain of the 2025 United States Ryder Cup Team,” PGA of America President John Lindert said in a statement. “Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for this event will prove invaluable as he guides the U.S. Team over the next year and a half. We are confident that with Keegan at the helm, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has defined his career.”

After Johnson informed Bradley in August that he would not be on the 2023 team, Bradley posted a photo of his Ryder Cup bag from 2012, when the United States lost to Europe by a point. Bradley revealed that he had not opened the bag since the Sunday of that loss and would not open it again until he was on a winning Ryder Cup team.

“I am incredibly honored to accept this opportunity to Captain the United States Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” Bradley said in a statement Monday. “I would like to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for their trust in me as we embark on this journey to Bethpage Black. My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”

Woods captained Team USA to a 16-14 comeback victory over the International team at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia, but the Ryder Cup is seen as a step up in prestige. As a player, Woods appeared eight times at the Ryder Cup but posted a 13-21-3 record, and the Americans won the trophy just once with Woods on the roster.

Woods previously voiced concern that he would not have time to take on Ryder Cup captain’s duties. He is heavily involved in PGA Tour governance, having been named vice chair of the newly created PGA Tour Enterprises board of directors, and is among the key players trying to broker an agreement between the tour and LIV Golf’s Saudi funders. Woods also is still playing despite injuries that recently have limited his appearances to the major championships.

“I’m dedicating so much time to what we’re doing with the PGA Tour, I don’t want to not fulfill the role of the captaincy if I can’t do it,” he said in May. “What that all entails and representing Team USA and the commitments to the PGA of America, the players and the fans and, as I said, all of Team USA — I need to feel that I can give the amount of time that it deserves.”