Phil Mickelson Gives Major Props To Keegan Bradley Following Ryder Cup Picks

In a world where you can't please everyone, it comes as no shock that there are mixed reviews about the six captain's picks Keegan Bradley made for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. The first-time captain has, however, received a huge vote of confidence from Phil Mickelson following his selections and press conference on Wednesday.

Most signs pointed to Bradley using one of his captain's picks on himself, which would make him the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer wore both hats in 1963. Bradley won on the PGA Tour earlier this year and finished 11th on the team points list, but ultimately decided to solely serve as team captain, explaining that he had made that decision "a while ago."

After Bradley passed on himself and the opportunity to be a playing captain, Mickelson took to X and shared his compliments.

As for his six captain's picks, Bradley's first three selections went directly down the final points standings by announcing Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and Ben Griffin. He then called the names of Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns, who finished 14th, 15th, and 16th, respectively, in the standings.

"I was chosen to do a job. I was chosen to be a captain of this team, and my ultimate goal was to be the best captain I could be, and this is how I felt I could do this," Bradley said shortly after making his six captain's picks.

Bradley being appointed captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup team was one of the biggest surprises in the history of the biennial event. He was essentially the ‘first player out’ when picks were made for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy, a lopsided loss for the U.S.. Therefore, appointing him captain in 2025 in what would likely be his final shot at making the team as a player was a head scratcher.

The decision could look genius or moronic at the end of September, depending on which side hoists the cup at Bethpage Black.