Keegan Bradley will face some tough decisions when naming his six captain’s picks for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
In September 2024, Jim Furyk’s Presidents Cup selections came under fire. Many felt Max Homa and Brian Harman were fortunate to make the 12-man roster.
After the likes of Harman and Sahith Theegala struggled in Montreal, there’s certainly scope for Bradley to shake things up for the highly-anticipated match against Luke Donald’s Europe in New York.
Amateur star Luke Clanton has been tipped to make the USA side, and there’s every chance of rookies making up an essential part of Bradley’s team.
Akshay Bhatia is another who’s been backed to debut at Bethpage; the 22-year-old, however, has other priorities this season.
Akshay Bhatia: 2025 Ryder Cup not a priority
Speaking after the first round of The Sentry, Bhatia was asked about the Ryder Cup and whether the event is a goal for him this season.
“It’s not necessarily a big goal of mine,” he explained during his media duties.
“Good golf and playing well in the majors is really important to me. I played with Keegan at the Tour Championship, so I got to talk to him a bit. I crossed paths with him a little bit more, and now, living in Jupiter, we are not too far from each other.
“I know it’s going to be a pretty cool venue for us Americans. I have watched plenty of tournaments there, so it will be a pretty cool week for us Americans.”
Akshay Bhatia makes Rory McIlroy-esque error
Given Bhatia’s career trajectory, it’s only a matter of time before he makes the USA Ryder Cup team. When he does, he will likely look back at these comments with regret.
Before Rory McIlroy‘s first Ryder Cup in 2010, the Northern Irishman called the event an exhibition. “It’s not that important an event for me. It’s an exhibition at the end of the day,” McIlroy said. “Obviously, I’ll try my best for the team. But I’m not going to go running around and fist-pumping.”
The Northern Irishman has since acknowledged that his remarks were a massive mistake.
Once Bhatia experiences the Ryder Cup and what it means to everyone on both sides, the bi-annual event will undoubtedly become a priority for him.
Despite the fact that USA players are now receiving payment for participating in the Ryder Cup, almost all would play for free – that’s how much it means to those involved- something Bhatia will learn as his career progresses.
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