When Keegan Bradley was announced as the US Ryder Cup captain for 2025, it seemed that many thoughts quickly turned to what that would potentially mean for Phil Mickelson.
Keegan Bradley has played seven matches during his Ryder Cup career to date, with five of those coming in the four-ball and foursomes. The man alongside him in all five of those sessions was, of course, Phil Mickelson.
The pair formed a formidable partnership at Medinah in 2012. And ultimately, Davis Love III’s decision to rest them for the Saturday afternoon session was one of those which appeared to come back to haunt USA as Europe fought back from 10-4 down to win.
They would also win their opening match two years later. However, after losing later that day, Tom Watson controversially sat both Mickelson and Bradley out of all of Saturday. Bradley has not been involved in a Ryder Cup since.
Keegan Bradley reflects on Ryder Cup partnership with Phil Mickelson
But the 38-year-old is now preparing to captain the US at Bethpage next year. Given his form this past season – as well as his performance in the recent Presidents Cup – Bradley looks to be in with a real chance of becoming a playing-captain.
Ahead of next year’s event, Bradley was asked in a press conference about the impact being partnered with Mickelson had on him as a rookie. And he suggested that it was more important than even he realised for an incredibly long time.
“Early on in my career, I really took for granted Phil’s leadership that he gave me. I was playing with one of the best players to ever touch a golf club. In alternate shot he just said, ‘we’re going to play your ball’. Things that I took for granted over the years, knowing who I’m going to play with in every cup I play on.
“And what Phil did for me is he created a relaxed atmosphere and he told me, ‘don’t worry about putting four, five feet by, I’ll make them coming back’. Little stuff like that, really it helped me. He mentored me before the event, took me to dinner, talked to me non-stop throughout the year about the pressures and I learned a lot.
“And it hasn’t been until now that I’ve really realised what an incredible thing it was that he did for me, so it’s important that I communicate to the veterans of the team to do that for these rookies or these younger players on our team.”
Bradley’s challenge is to find that magic within his team
It really felt back in 2012 that America had found themselves a devastating partnership which could thrive for years to come. Certainly, few would have believed you had they been told in the days after Medinah that Bradley would not play in another Ryder Cup after 2014 for at least a decade.
Mickelson lost all three matches he played alongside Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler in 2010 at Celtic Manor. So it was significant that he and Bradley gelled so well in Illinois.
Bradley’s task now is going to be finding those inspired pairings which have the potential to blow the Europeans away.
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