Keegan Bradley Posts Heartbreaking Message About Missing Out on Ryder Cup Team

Keegan Bradley vocalized his desire to make the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team since last October, when he captured his fifth PGA Tour title at the Zozo Championship in Japan. His aspirations grew even stronger in June at the Travelers Championship, where he emerged victorious among a familiar New England crowd—one that reminded him of how special it was to represent his country at the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups. 

“I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake, basically,” Bradley said ahead of this year’s BMW Championship.

Bradley’s two PGA Tour victories this season helped him reach No. 11 on the U.S. Ryder Cup points list, but ultimately, his consistent play coupled with enthusiastic words about the biennial event weren’t enough to earn a captain’s pick from Zach Johnson.   

When Bradley got the phone call from the U.S. captain, his heart immediately sunk upon hearing Johnson’s tone.

“I could tell by the response from Zach when I answered the phone that I wasn’t on the team … I’m super bummed out,” Bradley told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis. 

On Wednesday—one day after the disappointing result was announced—Bradley took to Instagram to share a personal anecdote about how much it would have meant to compete for the U.S. team in Rome. 

In the message, Bradley points to how transformative his Ryder Cup experiences were, but he also acknowledges the painful moments, which were equally consequential in defining his memories with the team. 

“This is my suitcase from the 2012 Ryder Cup that I haven’t opened since that Sunday. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it till I won a Ryder Cup,” Bradley wrote.

In both of Bradley's appearances at the Ryder Cup, the U.S. team lost to the Europeans. Bradley was part of the infamous “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012, when the Europeans staged a historic Sunday comeback. 

For this year’s Ryder Cup, Johnson made it clear that compatibility and team chemistry motivated much of his decision-making. That has made the result even tougher for Bradley to swallow. 

“I’ve always been an outsider in the sport, but I have tried to get close to the guys I thought would be on the team. … I feel like moving forward I’m going to have to automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said to Golf Channel. 

Cameron Young, Lucas Glover and Tony Finau were also snubbed as Ryder Cup captain’s picks. Johnson ultimately selected Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns to round out his 12-man squad at Marco Simone Golf Club.