DORAL, Fla. — Make no mistake, Keegan Bradley burns to captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team again.
The 2025 loss to Europe this past fall at his beloved Bethpage Black left Bradley — as he said Wednesday — with “part of my soul torn out.’’
Instead of Bradley getting a chance at redemption, though, the PGA of America announced last week that 55-year-old Jim Furyk is getting a second chance to captain the U.S. side.
Furyk, who was losing captain in 2018 in France, will captain the U.S. in 2027 at Adare Manor in Ireland as the Americans try to put an end to Europe’s dominance on its home soil, where they haven’t won since 1993.
“I would love to have another chance just because it’s part of my soul that’s torn out,’’ Bradley, speaking for the first time since Furyk was named, said after playing his pro-am round before this week’s Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral. “I would love to get a chance to avenge [the loss], and I’m happy Jim’s got that.’’
Bradley, who’s on the Ryder Cup committee that selected Furyk, spoke out strongly in favor of Furyk’s second captaincy.
“He brings a lot of experience,’’ Bradley said. “He’s learned a lot over the years. He’s been a captain and is somebody that we all really look up to. I think the best thing to do is to have a known commodity sort of reset here.
“As a losing captain myself, I don’t know if [Furyk] ever thought he was gonna get this chance,’’ Bradley went on. “I think that it’s a pretty great feeling for him to get another shot at this. I think you actually learn more from being a losing captain than you do maybe in winning. Jim’s had the unique experience of losing a Ryder Cup and winning a Presidents Cup [as captain].’’
Bradley recalled how calm Furyk, as one of his vice captains, remained after the U.S. fell badly behind on the first day at Bethpage.
“I was trying to create a culture for the guys where they knew it was going to be a relaxed atmosphere, and Jim sort of brought that,’’ Bradley said. “I could also pick his brain about the analytical side and just the day-to-day things of being captain.’’
When asked about those who question the choice of Furyk, pointing out his losing record as a player (10-20-4) in the Ryder Cup and losing once as a captain, Bradley said, “You wouldn’t hear that from the players. I think the players are excited.’’
Bradley praised Furyk’s unflappable style as a captain.
“Jim captains a lot like he plays — steady,’’ Bradley said. “He’s not gonna get up and give you some fiery speeches. I’m getting up and giving speeches, getting the guys fired up and all that. Jim, he’s himself.’’
Bradley revealed that his returning as the captain in 2027 was not discussed in this process.
“I think having somebody that was close to making the team isn’t really what the position is about,’’ he said, referring to how close he came to making the 2025 team on points. “I don’t know if they totally expected me to be where I sat [in the points standings]. I was pretty high ranking in the world, and I don’t know if they wanted to go through that again.
“I think they wanted to go back to the more traditional route.’’
Bradley said he’d “love to’’ be one of Furyk’s vice captains in Ireland, but added, “That’s not up to me.’’
“I’ve still yet to be an assistant captain,’’ he said. “I would love to do that someday, but I certainly would understand either way because I’m in this weird spot where I’m going to try to make the (2027) team. I would get either side of it — being there or not there.”
“I know I’ll be rooting Jim on. Jim’s like a hero of mine, somebody that I really look up to. I’ll certainly be there for him. He knows that. I’m proud to have had him being my vice captain.’’
The 2027 Ryder Cup was supposed to be Tiger Woods’ to captain. Woods has close ties with JP McManus, the owner of Adare Manor, and he’d turned down the Bethpage job because he said he was too busy with PGA Tour policy board work.
When Woods got into his latest car crash and left the country to attend rehab, that ended any chance of him captaining in ‘27.
Bradley said he and all the other players are anxiously awaiting Woods to captain a U.S. Ryder Cup team.
“I think certainly when he’s ready, he’s going to do it,’’ Bradley said. “All of us players, all the way down the board, they want that. I know me personally, I would kill to play for Tiger and for him to be my captain. I don’t know if I’ll ever get that chance, but that would be so fun.’’
