Getty Image / Kevin C. Cox
PGA Tour golfer Keegan Bradley was arguably snubbed from the 2023 Ryder Cup team. He’d hoped to earn a spot through his play after winning twice on the PGA Tour this season but it ultimately came down to him needing a Captain’s Pick from Zach Johnson, and that pick never game.
The 2023 US Ryder Cup Team members include the captain’s picks of Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. They will join the six golfers who qualified automatically through FedEx Cup points standings. Those six automatic qualifiers are Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele.
Left on the outside looking is is Keegan Bradley who is currently ranked 18th in the world according to the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). Once he got news that he didn’t make the 2023 Ryder Cup team, Keegan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share what’s keeping him motivated: an untouched suitcase.
This is my suitcase from 2012 Ryder Cup that I haven’t opened since that Sunday. I promised myself I wouldn’t open it till I won a Ryder Cup.
That week changed my prospective on golf forever. The Ryder Cup suddenly became very important to me. pic.twitter.com/RFN6mqeiWH— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) August 30, 2023
During that week I had some of my best memories coupled with some of my darkest in my golf career.
I’m proud of the effort I put in to make this amazing team over a decade later.But it wasn’t meant to be.
— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) August 30, 2023
All of the support has been amazing, but it’s time now to get behind this US team.
I’m gonna be watching and pulling as hard as I can for them!
GO USA@rydercup @RyderCupUSA pic.twitter.com/JimmaNjEDi
— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) August 30, 2023
Prior to those comments, he spoke with Todd Lewis of the Golf Channel. Bradley said “I am super bummed out. I thought I put together a really good year with two wins, including (one) in Hartford over an elite field. I’m proud of what I’ve done.”
Keegan added “I think (Justin Thomas) is a generational talent… I’ve always been an outsider in the sport, but I have tried to get closer to the guys I thought would be on the team. I feel like moving forward, I’m going to have to automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup. That said, I am still pulling for the U.S. Team.”
Keegan won the Travelers Championship for $3,600,000. He earned $1,980,000 for winning the Zozo Championship in Japan. And he finished 10th at the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta for $990,000 last week. In total, he took home $8,897,330 with 2 PGA Tour wins and 5 Top-10s over 23 events he competed in.
Keegan Bradley earned his way onto the 2012 Ryder Cup Team. Europe won that year by 1-point. He was then a Captain’s Pick in 2014 when Team USA got routed by Europe, losing by 5 points (11.5 to 16.5).
Golf fans rallied behind him after his post on X, formerly known as Twitter. They responded with messages of “You deserved a pick this year” and “There are many of us Keegan that know you should be on this Ryder Cup team. Just keep digging man!”
He’s been playing incredible golf lately. Hopefully he gets another shot in 2025.