Keegan Bradley Mulls Vice Captains After Winning Ryder Cup’s Top Spot

After a snub less than a year ago, Keegan Bradley now has the keys to the kingdom.

Despite having two PGA Tour wins a year ago, he was passed over for the likes of Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas, who all were winless on the circuit in 2023.

Now, in a surprise 180, Bradley was named Ryder Cup captain for the U.S. team in 2025 after Tiger Woods reportedly didn’t want the job.

Keegan Bradley has been named the captain of the U.S. Team for the 2025 @RyderCup 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZYtG0siwgJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2024

So with the captain set and the mission being to take the Ryder Cup back from the European team that won it rather easily in Rome last year – against a team that will be captained once again by Luke Donald – who are the candidates to serve as vice-captains under Bradley at Bethpage Black?

Tiger Woods

One would naturally think that Woods will certainly be offered a spot, if anything. The PGA of America reportedly wanted him to serve as captain, and while Woods turned it down, it’s natural to think that he would accept a vice-captain spot to dip his toe into the proverbial water to see if he would want to be a future captain. Woods has taken a keen interest in the business end of the game, so this opportunity seems right up his alley.

Phil Mickelson

If Woods were to turn down a spot, a controversial pick could loom. Former PGA Tour winner Smylie Kaufman said “Lefty” would be a natural pick – if the politics could be ironed out:

“I think Phil Mickelson’s a really close friend to Keegan. But I have to imagine that since Tiger turned it down, it’s hard not to see Tiger being a vice-captain. And I just don’t see a world in which Tiger and Phil will be Vice captains together. So, with all that being said, I don’t know who else they could have picked.”

Bradley has often said that Mickelson was his mentor, including after winning the PGA Championship in 2011, and the two partnered at the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Clutch 💥@Keegan_Bradley makes it easy for his partner @PhilMickelson during the 2012 #RyderCup.#GoUSA pic.twitter.com/eAmcb5OGzn

— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) May 1, 2021

Steve Stricker and the Old Guard

Stricker captained the U.S. team to victory at Whistling Straits in his home state of Wisconsin in 2021. Having a former captain on his staff seems like a slam dunk for Bradley.

He was also a vice-captain in 2023. He was joined by Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, and Fred Couples. Stewart Cink was also rumored for a spot.

But Love III himself said that perhaps the event needs some new blood, so while maybe one of these names will be kept, perhaps we will see one of Bradley’s contemporaries getting a spot.

Some New Blood

Like Bradley, Lucas Glover won two PGA Tour events last year but missed out on making the team.

He is a veteran who could be added to the team. If players like Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, and Billy Horschel are not in line to make the team, a contemporary or two of Bradley could join him on the staff.

Cover Image via New York Post