Justin Thomas was a rookie on the PGA Tour when the Americans established the “Ryder Cup Task Force” to improve team continuity and restore U.S. dominance after years of struggles.
A decade later, Thomas, now part of the Ryder Cup Committee, helped choose Keegan Bradley as the next captain.
Bradley’s selection was unexpected because he had only played in two Ryder Cups and lacked experience as an assistant, which was part of the task force’s new approach. The plan aimed to groom future captains through assistant roles and maintain continuity from one Ryder Cup to the next.
Phil Mickelson expressed optimism about the plan in 2015, saying, “I’m excited about where we are now, and I’m excited about where we are headed — not just into 2016, but really for the next 10 or 20 years.”
Is this the end of the task force’s influence?
“Yes and no,” Thomas commented at the Scottish Open. “I want us to choose the best captain, regardless of their resume or fitting a specific mold. The key is whether the players will be motivated to play for him and if he will gel with the team.”
“This is what we hope for moving forward,” he added. “Next year is our focus now.”
Davis Love III was the first captain chosen under the task force for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine, where the U.S. team secured victory against a European squad with six rookies, five of whom never played another Ryder Cup.
His assistants included Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, and Tiger Woods. Furyk then took over as captain in 2018 in France, with Stricker, Woods, and Zach Johnson as his assistants.
Next up was Stricker in Wisconsin, with Furyk assisting again, along with Davis Love III and Johnson. Johnson then led the team at Marco Simone near Rome, continuing the trend of home sides winning each time.
Keegan Bradley’s appointment broke from the usual pattern. Since 2014, he hadn’t been involved in Ryder Cups or Presidents Cups, except for his appearance in a Netflix series where he learned he wasn’t selected as a captain’s pick.
Rory McIlroy, an avid follower of Ryder Cup dynamics, was taken aback by Bradley’s selection, like many others. “I think Keegan was probably in disbelief, at some point, too,” McIlroy said, smiling. “But certainly an interesting pick.”
When asked if this move diverged from the Ryder Cup task force’s original 2014 plan, McIlroy couldn’t say definitively but noted that players still had input. Justin Thomas, Zach Johnson, and Jordan Spieth are on the committee.
“It seems like a reaction to what happened in Rome,” McIlroy said, referring to the Americans losing their seventh consecutive away match.
What stood out most was that Bradley claimed he was never formally interviewed. The job offer came directly over the phone. Thomas mentioned playing a practice round with Bradley before the call and finding it “awkward to act normal.”
Other names considered if Tiger Woods wasn’t interested included Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, both of whom had served as assistants. This was the established approach.
“I don’t think anyone is ever a clear choice, especially when thinking outside the box,” Thomas remarked. “It wasn’t an obvious decision initially, but after discussions, everything clicked into place at the right time for all of us.”
“Once that idea took hold, there was no turning back.”
Bradley will be 39 next year when the 2025 matches are held at Bethpage Black, making him the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer, who was 34 when he served as a playing captain in 1963 at East Lake. He was the last playing captain in the Ryder Cup.
Bradley is currently ranked No. 19 in the world and stated clearly that he intends to compete on the next team if he qualifies.
Playing as both captain and player hasn’t been seriously considered in the Ryder Cup since Tom Kite was captain in 1997, the same year he finished runner-up (by 12 shots) to Woods at the Masters and ended the season 35th on the PGA Tour money list.
Woods served as a playing captain at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2019, where he posted a 3-0 record. However, the Presidents Cup doesn’t garner the same level of attention, promotion, or external pressure as the Ryder Cup.
Securing a spot on any American golf team is challenging nowadays, despite Bradley’s world ranking. Thomas believes it could be feasible because the U.S. has enlisted former caddie John Wood as team manager to handle logistics.
McIlroy’s name was floated for the 2027 matches at Adare Manor in Ireland, particularly if Woods becomes the U.S. captain. A Woods-McIlroy captaincy would generate significant hype.
But McIlroy dismissed the notion as a fantasy. “It’s been mentioned, and I’ve said, ‘No way.’ There’s no way,” he said. “If you want to be the best captain, you can’t play. And if you want to be the best player, you can’t captain. It’s one or the other, especially with how important the Ryder Cup has become.”
