One by one, Captain Keegan Bradley called out the names of his six picks, and not a single one was him.
“I grew up wanting to play Ryder Cup. I grew up wanting to fight alongside these guys, and it broke my heart not to play. It really did because you work forever to make these teams, but ultimately, I was chosen to do a job,” Bradley said. I was chosen to be the captain of this team, and my ultimate goal to start this whole thing was to be the best captain that I could be, and this is how I felt like I could do this.”
Pragmatism, wisdom, and selflessness prevailed. Imagine the added spectacle of the St. Johns University Alum, who played Bethpage Black in college, serving as a playing captain. A team victory would be one for the ages, yet every single shot on the way to one would be heavily scrutinized, becoming an unnecessary distraction.
Bradley wound up selecting Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns as his six picks. They join Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau, who previously qualified by finishing in the top six in the U.S. standings this season.
“I am immensely proud to select these six players for the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team,” added Bradley. “All six are incredibly talented and deserving of a spot on our team. Together with the six qualifiers, our team features a strong blend of Ryder Cup veterans and rookies, each bringing unique strengths and experience that will be hugely beneficial in our quest to reclaim the Cup next month at Bethpage Black.”
39-year-old Bradley finished 11th in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings and No. 11 in the Official World Golf Ranking, 8th best among Americans on that list. With a pair of big victories over the last 13 months, he has nothing to prove except that he can navigate the Americans to victory.
Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner, is making his fourth Ryder Cup appearance, the most among the 12 team members. The 32-year-old has a 7-4-2 record, including a 3-0-0 record in singles matches.
Morikawa, 28, is competing for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup for the third time. The two-time Major Champion has a record of 4-3-1 overall, including 2-1-0 in foursomes and four-ball, and went 3-0-1 in his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits in 2021.
33-year-old Cantlay, competing in his third Ryder Cup, brings tremendous match play experience and 5-2-1 career Ryder Cup record, highlighted by a perfect 2-0-0 mark in singles and a 3-0-1 performance four years ago in Wisconsin. Cantlay recorded 10 top-15 finishes this season on the PGA Tour, including a tie for second at the TOUR Championship.
Burns returns to the U.S. squad after making his 2023 debut and will bring his strong putting skills to Bethpage Black. The 29-year-old racked up six top 10 finishes Tour this season, including a tie for fourth at the BMW Championship and a (T-7) at East Lake Golf Club last Sunday. Burns ranked first on Tour this season in Strokes Gained: Putting (0.924) and Putting Inside 10 Feet (90.79%).
Griffin and Young join Spaun and Henley in making Ryder Cup debuts on Long Island.
Griffin’s pair of victories on the PGA TOUR this season earned him a coveted spot on the roster. The 29-year-old hoisted trophies at both the Charles Schwab Challenge and with teammate Andrew Novak at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
28-year-old Young, who grew up in nearby Westchester County, New York, wrapped up the 2025 season with a dominating six-shot margin in capturing the Wyndham Championship and posted top 12 finishes in each of his last four starts.
