It is fair to say that Keegan Bradley’s relationship with the Ryder Cup has been a turbulent one, with the 39-year-old yet to experience a victory in three attempts.
Unfortunately, the Ryder Cup has inflicted plenty of pain upon Keegan Bradley over the years. But it was, sadly, not the first team event to break his heart by any means.
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The 2011 season was hugely significant in Bradley’s career. He earned his PGA Tour card the previous year and went on to win on his major debut at the PGA Championship.
He would have been forgiven for thinking that would be more than enough to earn him a place on Fred Couples’ American team for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.
However, Couples left himself in a difficult spot.
Geoff Ogilvy criticised the decision made on Keegan Bradley before the Presidents Cup
The Team USA captain had essentially announced Tiger Woods would get one of his two picks three months early. Meanwhile, Bill Haas went on to win the FedEx Cup.
With that, it was Bradley who missed out. And one person who was far from impressed with the decision was Geoff Ogilvy, who was preparing to make his third appearance in the event on the Internationals side.
Speaking in comments reported by the Guardian the month before the event, Ogilvy admitted that he was baffled by how Couples had handled making his picks.
“You can’t ever say that picking Tiger Woods is a bad selection, but the way he picked him, I don’t agree with the way he picked him, announcing it months early, basically telling the guys who are on the fringe of the US team there’s really only going to be one pick,” he said.
“Keegan Bradley is the obvious one. He’s won two tournaments this year, one of them being a major, and he hasn’t made the team, which is astonishing really that you can do that in a year and not make the team.
“I’m not going to stand up and say Tiger is a horrible pick, but I’m going to say it’s very disappointing that Keegan Bradley doesn’t get to play. That’s where I’m at with it.”
How Fred Couples’ picks performed at the Presidents Cup amid criticism
Ultimately, Couples can argue that he was vindicated with Team USA winning 19-15 in Australia. However, his picks did not have the best week.
Woods and Haas won 3.5 points from 10 matches between them across the event. Woods also suffered a record defeat on the opening day, with the world number 50 and Steve Stricker being beaten 7&6 by Adam Scott and KJ Choi.
Bradley would make his debut in the event two years later, helping Team USA win at Muirfield Village.
He would, however, have to wait more than a decade for his next appearance.
On that occasion, it was Bradley who sealed the winning point at Royal Montreal in what he hoped was going to be a statement ahead of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
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