Fleetwood’s Slip Gives USA a Keegan Bradley-Sized Ryder Cup Dilemma

Fleetwood’s Stumble Gives US Bradley-Sized Ryder Cup Headache

As Tommy Fleetwood agonizes over yet another near-miss on the PGA Tour, the USA Ryder Cup team faces its own conundrum: can Keegan Bradley truly lead as both captain and player at this year’s event at Bethpage Black?

Fleetwood’s heartbreaking final-hole bogey at the Travelers Championship, which handed victory to Bradley, highlighted not only the Englishman’s ongoing struggles to seal a win in America, but also intensified the debate around Bradley’s dual role as captain and playing candidate for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Bradley: Too Good to Leave Out

Bradley, 39, now ranked seventh in the world and with five Americans ahead of him, has all but secured a place on form alone. But there’s a catch—he’s also the US Ryder Cup captain.

His win over Fleetwood makes it difficult to argue against his inclusion as a player, but combining leadership and performance at a Ryder Cup in the modern era is unprecedented. Not since Arnold Palmer in 1963 has a captain played. The intensity, media spotlight, and strategic responsibility today are of a completely different scale.

“There’s just no way you could be captain and play at the same time,” said Trevor Immelman, former Presidents Cup captain and CBS analyst. “You want your players to be focused on themselves, not leading others.”

Bradley insists he has plans to delegate much of the in-week management to assistants like Jim Furyk, Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner, and Brandt Snedeker, but only Furyk has prior captaincy experience—raising serious concerns.

Fleetwood: A Match Play Asset, Not a Closer

Fleetwood, meanwhile, has now posted six runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour. His brilliant tee-to-green game has never quite translated into victories in the US, mostly due to tentative putting in critical moments—exactly what let him down at TPC River Highlands.

Despite the personal pain, Europe will take comfort in his Ryder Cup pedigree. Fleetwood was electric in Paris in 2018 (4 points from 5) and sealed the winning moment in Rome in 2023. Even in Europe’s disastrous 2021 loss, he was only beaten once in three matches.

In Ryder Cup colours, Fleetwood transforms—perhaps the modern equivalent of Colin Montgomerie or Lee Westwood, players who often saved their best for team golf.

What Now for the USA and Bradley?

Should Bradley name himself and fail under the pressures of dual responsibility, the fallout could be monumental. If he leaves himself out, he risks weakening the American squad purely for the sake of optics and tradition.

Luke Donald, Europe’s captain, will be quietly optimistic. With McIlroy, Hovland, Aberg, Detry, and Fleetwood performing in the US, and America tied up in internal dilemmas, Europe may sense an opening—especially away from home.

Bradley’s determination is unquestionable, and no player will be more motivated. But motivation alone may not be enough to overcome the sheer weight of the challenge he has inherited.

Fleetwood vs Bradley at Bethpage? A tantalising prospect. But can the US captain play and lead without cracking under the pressure?