one It’s a potential scenario that may be necessary to maintain some of the lofty status already afforded to the 2025 Ryder Cup. The initial noise at the event was so chaotic that Coco the Clown felt like a fitting mascot for Bethpage when the United States hosted the European competition.
Through this theoretical plan, Keegan Bradley continues his return to the top of professional golf. He is eligible to join the team for which he is temporarily captain. Because it was said to be impossible to combine playing on a modern Ryder Cup team with captaincy, Bradley had to relinquish his duties.
Enter Tiger Woods, who will now lead America with ease, skipping the media and other outside commitments he might not otherwise need. Woods led his country to victory – not a bold idea, as the home team won the Ryder Cup after Tuesday and Monday – thus writing a new, necessary chapter in a career that is currently drifting into oblivion. Chapter. He can remain at Adele Manor until 2027 and Woods has been tipped to become Ryder Cup captain due to his long-standing alliance with the Irish billionaire.
The likelihood of this happening or otherwise is for others to evaluate. Woods was in lengthy talks to serve as captain through 2025 before the PGA of America unexpectedly turned to Bradley. Bradley himself was shocked, admitting he had no discussions with officials before they offered him the position. Yes, it’s weird, but it’s also a harbinger of the road ahead. Bradley was more of a panic pick than a left field pick, as Woods was somewhat underwhelming and dragged out the process much longer than it needed to be. Any sense of U.S. Ryder Cup strategy disappeared when 38-year-old Bradley got the call.
It has been revealed that for anyone “lucky” enough to get a day-of ticket to the Bethpage tournament via public voting, the daily cost will be $750. You can do the math for a family of four. The volunteer package — the clues are definitely not in the title — costs $350. Both prices represent a disaster zone for public relations. It’s a huge sporting anomaly and the golf federation will be horrified when the idea of players getting paid to play in the Ryder Cup is raised, given the increasingly brazen cash grab the event represents. Among the formulaic touchpoints of the Ryder Cup – pride, passion, nothing like team golf – it’s worth remembering that the event long ago became the domain of the corporate class. That’s why Rory McIlroy’s explosion in a Rome parking lot was so important, because it was a rare display of authenticity.
Bradley spoke at a recent Ryder Cup press conference a year ago but was completely opaque about what would happen if he qualified for the U.S. team. Bradley is the 12th-ranked golfer in the world and the 7th-ranked American golfer on the same list. Even taking into account the qualifying difficulties associated with LIV, Bradley will likely be one of a dozen names that Team USA hopes to face McIlroy and company. Bradley’s desire to compete in the Ryder Cup again has been heightened by the fact that he was overlooked for Rome 2023.
However, this all clearly came as a shock to the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Rather than clarifying what would happen if Bradley makes the team, the key talking point is left up in the air. Bradley himself should make having a plan an absolute priority. “It’s so far away right now that I wouldn’t worry about it,” Bradley said. “Once we get closer to the game [if] I’m at the top of the standings and then we’ll start thinking about it.
Is it two months away from release? Two weeks? It was very confusing and far from anything European captain Luke Donald would have liked. Bradley was asked about the changes being implemented at the Ryder Cup venue. “I haven’t been to Bethpage in a long time, so I’m not sure about the changes,” he replied. Flying over his seat of four.
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Woods’ last announcement is usually a medical one. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to compete in December’s Hero World Challenge or the PNC Championship. The 15-time major winner is said to have been immersed in talks aimed at realigning elite golf after LIV changed the status quo.
Woods has an obvious horse in that event; his legacy is intrinsically tied to the PGA Tour, which must form some sort of alliance with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund before trying to do so with the same organization Confrontation and running out of money. We can only hope that Woods can be more impressive in board meetings than he has been in publicly articulating the direction his sport should take on countless occasions. Woods has been coy on that front. The statesmanlike speech many expected did not materialize.
The Ryder Cup position has commercial value to Woods, keeping him at the forefront of golf. The U.S.’s chances of winning in New York are much higher than in Ireland, which should appeal to him. That’s why Bradley might be considered a good appointment if he continues as captain. It’s the “what if” that makes this situation so ambiguous. If Team USA was anywhere near as serious about the Ryder Cup as they wanted those paying bettors to believe, they would have made a firm stand on Bradley long ago.
