A lot is going on in the golf world! With two majors coming, and LIV Golf Andalucia, it’s busy! But one news that has garnered a lot of attention is the 2025 Ryder Cup captaincy. The PGA of America honored Keegan Bradley to lead Team USA for the Ryder Cup. This is indeed good news as Bradley loves the course dearly. Then came the possibility of him choosing LIV golfers to play in the team, and he ensured that he would only pick the best ones out there, irrespective of the leagues they play in. On Tuesday, July 9, Bradley commented, “I still have a great relationship with Phil, but I don’t think he’s interested in being a vice-captain—and to be honest with you, he’s a captain someday, I think.” This confession sparked his respect and friendship bond with the 6-time major champion. Now, Lefty has returned the favor.
In a pre-tournament presser at LIV Golf Andalucia, Phil Mickelson became the unlikely hero among fans after he spoke about Bradley with nothing but respect and love. When asked about the second youngest Ryder Cup captain, he replied, “I was surprised at the pick, and I think it’s a great pick the more I think about it. He played a lot of golf at Bethpage when he went to St. Johns. His passion for the Ryder Cup is greater than just about any player I’ve ever seen.”
The 45x PGA Tour winner further added to the praise, stating, “I think he’s incredible. I’m really, really happy for him. I think we are all are really happy for him knowing how gut-wrenching it was to not be part of the team last year, but to now have the opportunity to lead and go forward I think is great.” Lefty extensively praised the 38YO and said that he has a lot of passion and love for the Ryder Cup, probably more than anyone he knows. Pretty big words! Right?
When asked about his 2025 Ryder Cup captaincy on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show, Mickelson bluntly emphasized that he was not the right guy to lead the team: “I’m a very divisive character right now, if you will, and I understand that.” Given his move to LIV Golf, Mickelson was the US vice-captain at the 2021 Ryder Cup but did not feature in the 2023 event. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was the only LIV player to feature in the 2023 US team, thanks to his stunning winning performance at the 2023 PGA Championship.
