Keegan Bradley Selected by Jim Furyk as One of Six Presidents Cup Picks

Keegan Bradley, appointed as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the upcoming event at Bethpage Black in New York, is set to participate in this month’s Presidents Cup as a competitor. On Tuesday, he was named one of Jim Furyk’s six captain’s picks for the tournament.

Originally slated to serve as a vice captain, Bradley will now take to the course as a golfer. Furyk confirmed that a new vice captain would be selected to fill Bradley’s previous role.

Joining Bradley in the captain’s picks are Sam Burns, Russell Henley, Brian Harman, Max Homa, and Tony Finau. These selections are pivotal as the U.S. team prepares for the competition.

On the other side, the International team captained by Mike Weir features a mix of talent, including three Canadian players: Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, and Mackenzie Hughes. Rounding out the picks are South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, and Australia’s Min Woo Lee.

The Presidents Cup is scheduled to take place from September 26 to 29 at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada.

Furyk highlighted Bradley’s impressive performance during the FedEx Cup playoffs, particularly his victory at the BMW Championship, which secured his place in the Tour Championship. Furyk noted, “Getting it done when you have to is a good thing. A guy that grinded it out and came up in big moments is what you want on your team.”

Both Harman and Homa’s selections came as a surprise to some, considering their recent forms. Homa, who went a perfect 4-0 during his Presidents Cup debut in 2022, and Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, bring valuable matchplay experience to the team.

“I think he’s a great teammate,” Furyk remarked about Homa, mentioning his ability to thrive in partnerships and his emotional leadership qualities that bring the team together.

The U.S. team also boasts automatic qualifiers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, and Sahith Theegala. Each of the top 12 golfers from the U.S. points standings made the cut.

For the International team, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, South Korea’s Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, Byeong Hun An, along with Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day, have secured their spots.

Notably, some familiar names were left off the U.S. team, such as Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, Sahith Theegala, and Chris Kirk. Thomas has a strong history in the Presidents Cup with a record of 10-3-2 over the last three tournaments.

Furyk expressed regret over these omissions, stating, “I think when you look at it, there’s about 16 or 18 guys that I’d love to have on this team. At the end of the day, I love JT. I probably know him as well or better than any members of my team. He’s a great team room guy and will play on a ton of these teams in the future.”

Weir, the International team captain, faced tough choices as well, considering Canadian players Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, but ultimately chose Hughes, known for being one of the best putters on the tour.

Weir shared his sentiments regarding the difficult selections, saying, “I can’t tell you how tough those calls were to those guys. I respect them, and they’re like brothers – they’re Canadians.”

Historically, the U.S. team has displayed dominance in the Presidents Cup, winning 12 of 14 matches since its inception in 1994 and tying once. The last match concluded with a victory for the U.S., winning 17½-12½ at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina in 2022.

“No doubt, they’re a strong bunch,” Weir stated regarding the U.S. team. “Golf is golf. Our guys believe they can win. Match play is different. I believe in these guys, and I totally believe they will perform well.”