The last big question before the 2025 Ryder Cup has been answered: Keegan Bradley has awarded his six wildcards. The US team is now complete – and the option of a playing captain is off the table. After his victory in the Travelers Championship, many had hoped for a comeback as playing captain – the first since Arnold Palmer in 1963 – but Bradley has now put an end to the speculation. Bradley will remain on the sidelines, not on the pitch. He is now focusing fully on his role as conductor. “It broke my heart not to play, but I was chosen as captain,” he explained – and left the field to the players who have earned their place.
Ryder Cup 2025: Bradley relies on a mix of veterans and newcomers
Bradley first picked two familiar names for the wildcards. Justin Thomas, who is making his fourth Ryder Cup appearance, is, according to Bradley, “the heartbeat of our team” and someone who was “born to play Ryder Cup”. Collin Morikawa also gets the nod again. This will be his third participation and the captain made it clear: “He will do everything he can to help our team win.” Both players are firmly anchored in the US team and are expected to lead their younger colleagues.
Ben Griffin is a Ryder Cup rookie who will be playing in the Ryder Cup for the first time. For him, it is “the greatest honor of his career”, as he said himself. Cameron Young also gets a place after establishing himself with consistent results in recent years. Patrick Cantlay returns, a player who has long since established himself as an integral part of the team with his calm, analytical manner. Third appearance, solid form, reliable in team formats – a logical pick for Bradley. Sam Burns rounds off the sextet, for him it is his second appearance and first in front of a home crowd.
The seeding list is set: These six are automatic qualifyers
The six picks fit into a framework that already stood through the automatic qualifiers. Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau had already secured their places. Scheffler leads the team as the world number one, while Spaun brings the tailwind of his US Open victory with him. Schauffele, Henley, English and DeChambeau round off the line-up. Bradley made it clear that he consciously made the decision against himself: “There was a moment when I would have put myself in the team. But the others have earned their place.” That ends the debate about him – and Team USA is ready for the Ryder Cup in Bethpage.