Phil Mickelson showed true colours with Keegan Bradley as Ryder Cup captain speaks out
He is the leader of Team USA, but Keegan Bradley is now tasked with leading his side with the same charisma as his former mentor, Phil Mickelson.
Phil Mickelson was a mentor for Keegan Bradley (Image: Getty Images)
Keegan Bradley has urged Team USA’s veterans to offer the same gentle leadership as Phil Mickelson did for him when he was a rookie. In July, almost one year after missing out on being a captain’s pick for the 2023 team, Bradley was named as skipper for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The 38-year-old still has memories of being a rookie with the red, white and blue where he played under Mickelson at the 2014 competition. While Mickelson has been alienated from the American golfing establishment since playing a part in the launching of LIV Golf in 2022, Bradley has nothing but positive things to say about the six-time major winner.
Now he is the one leading the team, the Vermont native pledged to follow Mickelson’s example and urge his senior colleagues to do the same.
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During a Ryder Cup press conference, Bradley was asked about the influence Mickelson had on him on the Perthshire Course all those years ago. He said: “Really, early in my career, I took for granted Phil’s leadership that he gave me. I was playing with one of the best players to ever touch a golf club.
“In alternate-shot, he just said, ‘We’re going to play your ball’. You know, things that I took for granted over the years, knowing who I’m going to play with in every Cup that I play on.
“What Phil did for me is he created a relaxed atmosphere, and he told me, ‘Don’t worry about putting it four or five feet by. I’ll make them coming back’. Little stuff like that, really, it helped me.
“He mentored me before the event. Took me to dinner. Talked to me nonstop throughout the year about the pressures and what’s going to come and I really learned a lot, and it hasn’t been until now that I’ve really realised what an incredible thing it was that he did for me.
Bradley spoke honestly about Phil Mickelson (Image: Getty)
“So it’s important that I communicate to the veterans of the team to do that for these rookies and for these younger players on our team.”
Bradley still has one year to go before the action starts at Bethpage Black. When asked if Mickelson could potentially join him as the vice-captain of Team USA, the 2011 PGA Tour winner had his doubts.
He added: “To be honest, I haven’t gotten that far. Personally, I don’t think he’s really interested in doing it. I owe a lot to Phil and I think he’s done so much for the American side of the Ryder Cup, but I’m not so sure he’s looking to come in as a vice-captain.”
The Ryder Cup starts on September 26 at Bethpage Black, Long Island. Bradley will be leading his side onto the course against Luke Donald and the rest of Team Europe.
