Keegan Bradley has largely remained out of the limelight since the Ryder Cup, having been the center of attention before the tournament.
Bradley captained the USA Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black in September, when they lost 15-13 to Team Europe.
Many golf fans blame the PGA of America for the USA’s Ryder Cup struggles, which involved a disastrous first two days.
The home side did manage to produce a superb fightback on Sunday, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to defeat Luke Donald’s side.
Despite the result, Bradley could still be a Ryder Cup captain in 2027, when the team event heads to Adare Manor in Ireland.
What many US players have told Davis Love III about Keegan Bradley since the Ryder Cup
Brandt Snedeker, a vice-captain of Bradley’s, is another potential candidate, as discussed by former Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
He commented on 5 Clubs: “Brandt has a lot of respect, especially after the last two years of The Players.
“Everybody has always loved Brandt Snedeker, that is why he was chosen to be Presidents Cup captain and assistant to Keegan.
“But they saw him for two years help Keegan run the show, and they ran a great show. Trust me. I was on the edge of the bubble.
“They ran a great programme. We just got out-putted, incredibly, and the green got soft. And we flat out got out-putted.
“Brandt did everything he could to get those players ready. The players know that. A lot of those players inside the team room tell me they have never tried so hard for their captain, Keegan Bradley. So part of the problem is that they were trying too hard.
“But I think Brandt’s leadership. Webb Simpson is an unbelievable leader on and off the golf course. We have good people in there.
“I think behind the scenes, whatever Tiger [Woods] does, or Davis does, or Steve Stricker does, we need to do a behind-the-scenes and give the next group a little bit more information and support. But I was excited about everything at Bethpage, except from the final score.”
Davis Love III suggests what changes the USA need to make for Ryder Cup success
Love III wanted Bradley to play at the Ryder Cup, with the latter having weighed up that decision in the build-up to Bethpage.
He was in contention to be a playing captain in New York, but ultimately decided against picking himself after missing out on an automatic qualification spot.
Should more American golfers play DP World Tour events?
But it is a different area entirely that Love III feels played a key role in the USA’s defeat, as he suggested the changes they need to make for the next edition of the Ryder Cup.
He said: “I would figure out how to putt like the Europeans did on Friday and Saturday, that would be the first thing.
“Our analytics team told me a lot of stories about tee to green on Saturday we won, and we lost a whole bunch of points because they putted so incredibly well.
“You go back to Hazeltine, our team putted unbelievably. We made so many birdies. The first two days at Medinah, we putted unbelievable.
“But then you go to Valderrama all the way back in 1997, Tiger Woods, Davis Love and Justin Leonard won majors, but we didn’t putt any good.
“How do we elevate our game when we show up at the Ryder Cup, like we do when we show up at a major championship?
“I think we put too much pressure on ourselves in the Ryder Cup and we free it up, as Bob Rotella says, in the Presidents Cup.
“We just need a little attitude adjustment and that’s it. There are a lot of little things we can do to help the team play better and as captains we need to do that and get them out on the golf course.”
The European players did indeed putt superbly in New York, helping them build a very healthy lead going into Sunday’s singles matches.
But so many other factors will have played a part in their fantastic victory, including the meticulous preparation carried out by Donald and his background staff.
He has now guided Europe to back-to-back Ryder Cup victories, with the USA last lifting the prestigious trophy in 2021.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
