NEW YORK — For the second consecutive Ryder Cup, the question of LIV Golf and the role the Saudi-backed circuit will play in the qualification process lurks in the background.
Who will play from LIV Golf? You have to figure that Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning U.S. Open champion, will play on the U.S. team. You also have to assume Brooks Koepka, should he remain healthy throughout 2025, will as well. It would be hard-pressed to leave a five-time major champion off the U.S. roster, a team that faces tremendous pressure of trying to win back the Cup on their home soil at Bethpage Black.
Nevertheless, during Tuesday’s ‘Year-to-Go’ Press Conference at The Times Center in Midtown Manhattan, Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley reaffirmed his stance regarding LIV golfers.
“I’m going to take the 12 best players,” Bradley said.
“So if we feel like there’s a few guys there, one guy, two guys, whatever it is, then we’re going to do that. But we’re too far out to figure out how this is all going to play out. But we’re definitely going to take the 12 best players, however that shakes out.”
One of the architects of LIV Golf is Phil Mickelson, the six-time major winner who played alongside Bradley at the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups.
“Early in my career, I really took for granted Phil’s leadership that he gave me,” Bradley said of Mickelson.
“I was playing with one of the best players ever to touch a golf club… What Phil did for me was create a relaxed atmosphere, and he told me, ‘Don’t worry about putting it four or five feet by. I’ll make them coming back.’ Little stuff like that helped me. He mentored me before the event. Took me to dinner. He talked to me nonstop throughout the year about the pressures and what would come, and I really learned a lot. It hasn’t been until now that I’ve really realized what an incredible thing it was that he did for me.”
Since Mickelson mentored Bradley back then, professional golf has significantly changed. Mickelson has come to champion LIV Golf’s cause while hoping to “re-shape how the PGA Tour operates,” as he told Alan Shipnuck in a 2022 interview. Both of those developments have rung true since; however, the sport at the highest level remains divided.
That said, after the press conference, Christopher Powers of Golf Digest asked Bradley if he envisioned a role for Mickelson at next year’s Ryder Cup.
Bradley all but ruled that out.
“To be honest, I have not gotten that far, but I don’t think he is really interested in doing it,” Bradley said.
“I owe a lot to [Mickelson], and I think he has done so much for the American side of the Ryder Cup, but I am not so sure he is looking to become a vice-captain.”
Bradley has already tabbed Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker to serve as vice-captains for next year. He will likely add two to four more, given that Zach Johnson had six assistants in Rome a year ago. Captain Jim Furyk, meanwhile, had four in Montreal at last month’s Presidents Cup.
“I have two vice-captains that I’ve named, and I sort of had to put this all on pause during the Presidents Cup because I was really nervous about playing, and I couldn’t think of both [that and the Ryder Cup],” Bradley added.
“But now we’re going to ramp up this whole vice captains and team and everything. So I haven’t gotten that far yet. But we’re starting to really think about it.”
But one thought has already entered his mind: Mickelson will not serve as a vice-captain.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
