Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley teamed up at the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Harry How/Getty Images
The shocking news of Keegan Bradley’s ascendance to the U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy reverberated throughout the golf world this week. It was a popular topic at the PGA Tour-DP World Tour co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open. But it also headed south, to Sotogrande, Spain.
There, the stars of LIV Golf were prepping for the LIV Golf Andalucia event at Real Club Valderrama, and they were no less interested in the stunning Ryder Cup development.
Among them were arguably the two most high-profile LIV players, both former U.S. Ryder Cup members: Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
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Both players were pleased by the pick, with Mickelson noting that his reaction turned swiftly from surprise to excitement.
“I was surprised at the pick, and I think it’s a great pick the more I think about it,” Mickelson said on Wednesday in his pre-tournament press conference. “He played a lot of golf at Bethpage when he went to St. Johns. His passion for the Ryder Cup is greater than just about any player I’ve ever seen. His love for the Ryder Cup is more than anybody I know. I think he’s going to lead with that type of passion.”
Mickelson also commented on how great it was for Bradley considering the captain’s pick snub that kept him off the U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall.
“I think he’s incredible. I’m really, really happy for him. I think we all are really happy for him knowing how gut-wrenching it was to not be part of the team last year, but to now have the opportunity to lead and go forward I think is great,” Mickelson said.
DeChambeau, who sat next to Mickelson as well as Henrik Stenson during their joint press conference on Wednesday, sounded similarly enthused about Bradley’s pick, especially when it comes to the new U.S. captain’s age.
“Yeah, look, I’m excited for him. I think it’s a great opportunity for him, especially as it relates to younger players. He’s going to see that younger threshold, and obviously relate to them a lot more, I would say, because of his age. I mean, what he is he, 38 or something like that?” DeChambeau remarked. “So yeah, he’s seeing the younger generation’s game. He’s out there still playing and competing, and it’s great to have some relate ability.”
Perhaps underpinning Mickelson and DeChambeau’s positive opinions toward Bradley’s captaincy is their recent histories with the Ryder Cup, and what Bradley has already said relating to LIV Golf players being a part of his team in 2025.
At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, then-U.S. captain Zach Johnson selected LIV’s Brooks Koepka as one of his six captain’s picks. He did not pick DeChambeau (or, famously, Bradley) though Bryson’s game was not in the fine form it is now. Mickelson, who before LIV arose was assumed to captain the U.S. team in 2025, was not named a vice captain.
As for Bethpage Black and the 2025 Ryder Cup, Bradley was perfectly clear when asked if he would consider adding LIV Golf players to the team.
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“I’m going to have the 12 best players on the team. I don’t care what, where they play,” Bradley said at the press conference announcing his captaincy on Tuesday. “So we’re, we have a mission to win this tournament. I’m not worried about the LIV stuff. I want the best players on the team.”
Bradley’s endorsement of having LIV players on the Ryder Cup team, should they earn it with their play, was received well by DeChambeau, as he shared on Wednesday.
“As far as picking the best players, that’s the right approach,” DeChambeau said. “I couldn’t be more happy for him as captain.”
On Mickelson’s potential involvement as a vice-captain, Bradley offered another positive, unifying message, noting his fond memories of playing with Mickelson at the Ryder Cup, but saying Mickelson deserved to be a future captain rather than an assistant.
“I still have a great relationship with Phil. I don’t think he’s interested in being a vice-captain,” Bradley said. “And to be honest with you, he’s a captain some day, I think. But I haven’t spoken to Phil, I don’t want to speak for him at all, but I think he’s pretty busy with what he’s doing. I have nothing but great things to say about Phil and our memories together, and what we did at the Ryder Cup is really my fondest memories of the game.”
The degree to which Mickelson’s relationship with the PGA of America ruptured amid the LIV-PGA Tour feud is far beyond that of DeChambeau or Koepka. But Bradley’s wide-open philosophy toward LIV players’ involvement in the Ryder Cup at least leaves a small chance we could see something truly unthinkable at Bethpage next fall: DeChambeau ad Koepka on the team, with Mickelson and Tiger Woods on the sidelines as vice captains.
Just don’t bet on it.
