Keegan Bradley downplays playing captain possibilities after top 10 finish at PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley stuck around Sunday evening at Quail Hollow Club to ensure he was among the first to congratulate Scottie Scheffler on his third major title after winning the PGA Championship. Bradley and Scheffler shared a quick embrace before Scheffler stepped into scoring to sign his card and make the five-shot win official.

Bradley, though, wasn’t lingering merely as a spectator. He had finished his final round just a few minutes prior, a 1-over 72 that ended in a T8 finish.

It was Bradley’s first top-10 finish in a major since the 2022 U.S. Open (T7), and it bolstered the notion that the 38-year-old might make his own Ryder Cup team this fall. Bradley entered the week 29th in the American points race, but with double points offered at the majors, he’ll make a significant jump with his result at Quail Hollow when the standings refresh.

“He’s playing some of the best golf of his career. I think if you take him out of the captaincy, you’d want him as a player, right?” said Sam Burns, who finished T19. “I think he’s got as good a chance to get in the top six as anybody. He’s playing really well.”

Bradley, however, was downplaying those playing captain possibilities as Scheffler was putting the finishing touches on another win.

“I don’t know. I’m just trying to be a player right now,” Bradley said. “Honestly, it’s not even crossing my mind at this point.”

Bradley started the day six shots off the lead, and he faded early with bogeys on three of his first seven holes. But his back-nine rally included the lone eagle of the day on the par-5 15th hole after his fairway wood from 257 yards nestled to within 15 feet of the hole.

While 12 Americans will tee it up at Bethpage Black in September, Bradley has previously stated that he would not consider himself for a pick – instead putting the onus on making the top-six cutoff after the BMW Championship in August. He stayed true to that plan despite a week where he finished just two shots out of second place.

“I’m the captain right now,” Bradley said. “If we get down to the Playoffs and I’m in the picture, then I’ll start thinking about it. But I’m thinking of myself as a player first.”

Two of those six automatic spots appear spoken for, with Scheffler extending his lead at the top while PGA runner-up Bryson DeChambeau will move up from his No. 5 spot. The others currently inside the automatic qualifying threshold are Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Russell Henley.

Burns made his Ryder Cup debut two years ago in Italy, and while he’s hoping to play his way onto Bradley’s squad this fall, he admits that pulling double duty could be a tall task.

“I think for this Ryder Cup, doing both is going to be very difficult. I would think you’ve got to pick one or the other, right?” Burns said. “I know all the other guys would have full confidence in his decision. (But with) What this means for the Americans, being in New York, it kind of just carries a little more weight.”