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Keegan Bradley has the Ryder Cup to thank for forging his longtime friendship with Michael Jordan, and the man who was recently named captain of America’s team has shed some light on how the NBA legend might contribute to the cause while shutting down speculation he’ll be serving in an official capacity.
Michael Jordan may have made a name for himself on the basketball court, but anyone who’s familiar with His Airness knows his passion for that sport rivals his love of golf; he boasts an impressive handicap of 1.9 and owns one of the most exclusive courses on the planet in the form of Grove XIII outside of Jupiter, Florida.
M.J. has also been a staple at the Ryder Cup since the 1990s (his absence at the 2023 tournament at Marco Simone marked the first one he’d missed in decades).
In 2012, he crossed paths with Keegan Bradley for the first time when it was held in Illinois, which marked the start of a relationship that led to the PGA Tour player (who resides in Jupiter and is a member at Grove XIII) becoming a Jordan Golf ambassador while reaping the benefits of the advice the retired superstar has given him over the years.
Earlier this week, Bradley was named the captain of the United States Ryder Cup team that is hoping to bounce back from its loss in Europe when the event is held at Bethpage Black in 2025, and his appointment to that role led to some speculation Jordan could be involved and even be named one the squad’s vice captains.
However, it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen.
After landing the captaincy, Bradley sat down with SiriusXM during an interview where he got the chance to address his relationship with Jordan.
Ryder Cup captain @Keegan_Bradley is very close friends with Michael Jordan.
Bradley says MJ will have a presence in 2025, but not in an official capacity.
"He's not going to be a vice captain. He's there for me if I need advice on golf, life, Ryder Cup. He's always there." pic.twitter.com/7fPVYmeNKI
— SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (@SiriusXMPGATOUR) July 9, 2024
Bradley shot down the notion of Jordan having any official role but admitted he’ll still have some influence, saying:
“He’s not going to be a vice captain. He’s there for me if I need advice on golf, life, Ryder Cup; he’s always there. He’s one of the best friends I can ever have. I’ll use his knowledge as I do for everything.
He goes to the Ryder Cup to watch it, and he’s passionate. He’ll be pissed if we lose, so we’ve got to win this Ryder Cup.”
That settles that.