Keegan Bradley throws jab at Rory McIlroy after making Ryder Cup picks

Keegan Bradley took aim at Rory McIlroy after making his six captain's picks on the 2025 US Ryder Cup team.

Bradley, much to the surprise of circulating reports on social media, declined to pick himself on the team for Bethpage. 

Instead he opted for Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.

They join Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Russell Henley and Harris English on the team. 

Earlier this summer, McIlroy admitted the role of player captain was no longer possible at a Ryder Cup.

McIlroy also last week said he has already personally turned down ever acting as a player captain on the European Ryder Cup team. 

That's despite the fact late great Arnold Palmer performed the feat successfully in 1963. 

Palmer skippered the stars and stripes to a commanding 23-9 victory over Great Britain at Atlanta Athletic Club. 

When pressed for comment by a reporter as to whether he had any interest in becoming a player captain so he could prove McIlroy and others wrong, Bradley took aim at the five-time major champion and other critics. 

"I am just not worried at all what they [Europe] do or what they say, I care about our team," said Bradley.

"Not quite sure how he would know if it's not possible given no one has ever done it really so... 

"I sit through this process and wish I could call Arnold Palmer and get his advice.

"The simple fact is that the Ryder Cup is a completely different animal than it was in the 60s, so even that would be difficult.

"But they can comment on what I can and cannot do, no one would have known. I was confident that if I did play I had incredible vice-captains I could lean on and an incredible team I could lean on. But I said on this process, I was going to do what's best for the team and this was the decision that I thought was best."

Bradley admitted during his press conference that he was set on playing on the team when he won the Travelers Championship in June.

But those plans soon changed as a result of his dip off in form and the rise of others, notably Cameron Young and Sam Burns. 

"The decision was made a while ago that I wasn't playing," said Bradley.

"The last 48 hours we had the team set, we weren't scrambling at all.

"It was a tough decision and at one point I was playing a while ago, but all these guys stepped up in a major way and it's what I wanted.

"It was a difficult decision but I'm really happy with these six players and I'm glad it's over."

On missing out on a third team as a player, Bradley did reveal there is some heartache. 

"I grew up wanting to playing Ryder Cups so it's broke my heart not to play," he added.

"You work forever to make these teams, but I was chosen to be captain and my ultimate goal is to be the best captain I can be.

"If the team was better with me on it, then I would have done it, but I 100% know this is the right choice. These guys played great down the stretch and it made my decision so much easier."

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald will make his six captain's picks on Monday.