2025 Ryder Cup: Keegan Bradley appointment as captain ‘surprising’ – Xander Schauffele

Despite winning twice on the PGA Tour last year, Bradley was not given one of six captain’s picks by Zach Johnson, who gave the nod to Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas.

As a result, Bradley – who played on the losing US teams in 2012 and 2014 – will perhaps be driven to prove a point and Schauffele has backed him to bring passion and intensity to the team’s bid to regain the cup after a 16½-11½ defeat by Europe last year.

“He is so laidback off the course,” added 30-year-old Schauffele, who won his first major in May at the USPGA Championship.

“If you get him in like a dinner setting, he loves sports and he’ll talk about sports all night long.

“He’s a very passionate individual. On the course he’s intense, that’s just how he competes and how he is.

“As a captain, he’s going to have a mixed bag and he’s not going to be afraid to hold a speech with the guys and get everyone going.”