The first toad of the Ryder Cup had to be swallowed by Keegan Bradley. And it wasn’t easy. The harmony, respect, admiration, and sincere friendship he shares with Luke Donald every time they appear together (this Monday was no different) turned into an awkward moment when he was asked about the money American players earn for the first time in this Ryder Cup.
The PGA of America decided some time ago to incentivise its golfers with money that was always dedicated to charitable organisations. Each golfer chose their own. However, from this edition in Bethpage, a personal stipend is added, which can be directed to a charitable cause or not. It’s up to each player. Bradley was jokingly asked about this matter, even poking fun at it, linking this issue to Europe’s greater desire to win the Ryder Cup.
Bradley got out of the predicament as best he could, but it wasn’t very convincing. It wasn’t easy either. “The PGA of America came to see me. They wanted to modernise the Ryder Cup. The charity dollars haven’t changed since 1999, and they asked me to, in a way, guide the process to update it in 2025. It’s similar to what is done in the Presidents. I think it’s a personal decision for everyone. Many guys don’t like to say what they’re going to do with their money, but we are going to donate. The decision is made after the Ryder, so there will be time to deal with that,” he explained.
When he says that we are going to donate, it’s not clear if he means all team members. He certainly will, although he wasn’t too keen to talk about it. “It’s a personal decision. I don’t donate to charities to publicise what we do. The guys on our team are incredible people and do many extraordinary things with charity money and with their foundations. Many don’t like to share that kind of information, and I feel the same.”
Regarding whether Europe gains a first point because their players don’t receive money, Bradley, visibly uncomfortable, was more blunt. “I don’t care what Europe does or thinks. I care about what my team does. We did the best we could, and I think a lot of good will come from this. I think the players will do many good things with this money, and I think it’s great,” he concluded.
It was really the only tense moment of a press conference that went smoothly. Both captains praised each other. Bradley acknowledged to Luke Donald that he always treated him with great respect from the beginning, even though when he arrived on the PGA Tour in 2011, the Englishman was the World Number One. They often play together and share meals, dinners, and time. In fact, Donald admitted that when Bradley is in contention to win a tournament, he supports him. “Without a doubt, the best moment of this Ryder will be when everything ends on Sunday, and whatever happens, we can share a glass of wine,” they both acknowledged.
As much as their relationship is excellent, since they spend a lot of time in Florida, where they are neighbours, the only goal is to win, and they will dedicate all their efforts to it. Donald explained that the course is set up to make birdies. “Bethpage is a tough course, but it resembles a US Open. There’s little rough, and the greens have an acceptable speed. Birdies will have to be made,” revealed the Englishman. It’s the territory where the American player feels most comfortable, traditionally more reliable from 150 metres down and better putters.
Both captains have made significant gestures to motivate their teams from the first day at Bethpage. Bradley, for example, gathered them all before heading out to play the practice round on the 1st tee and they formed a huddle with their hands together in the centre while listening to the United States anthem. “It’s very powerful to be on that 1st tee without an audience. Every second the guys are together experiencing a powerful moment, I think it brings them closer. It was a lot of fun to be there with them, share that moment, and listen to the national anthem. I really had this vision for about a year, and being there seeing how excited they got was a very special moment for our team,” he points out.
For their part, although the European team didn’t go out to play the course this Monday, they were hitting balls on the practice range. The colour of the outfit chosen for today was salmon. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was a nod to 1987, the first time Europe as we understand it today won a Ryder Cup away from home. “I think it’s always important to unite around something. The history, our unity, and celebrating what we’ve done in the past and the legends who have preceded us is really important. Yes, this will be a difficult challenge. We haven’t been close to winning three of the last four away Ryder Cups. My job is to close that gap. That colour reminds us that we have won quite a few times. We’ve won away four times since 1987 and have been close on other occasions. It can be done, it’s been done before, and we’re here to try to do it again,” he concluded.
