US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley baffled by Bryson DeChambeau's achievement

Keegan Bradley paid a glowing tribute to Bryson DeChambeau and insisted the LIV Golf star will be crucial to Team USA's chances of regaining the Ryder Cup next month.

DeChambeau earned his place on merit, finishing sixth in the American standings despite playing in only eight qualifying events, an achievement that Bradley described as "incredible".

The US captain has also been impressed by DeChambeau's commitment to the cause, explaining how the two-time US Open champion had "gone out of his way" to attend team meetings while making it abundantly clear how determined he was to earn a third Ryder Cup appearance.

Bradley's team is now complete after he named his six captain's picks on Wednesday, resisting the temptation to select himself despite his excellent form this season.

Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns were added to the six automatic qualifiers for the showpiece in New York, which gets underway on Friday 26 September.

Before unveiling his picks, Bradley paid tribute to Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley and Harris English before revealing his admiration for DeChambeau.

"I have a lot to say about Bryson," said Bradley. "One of the most incredible things is he qualified for this team off of eight starts, which is unheard of. 

"But what I'm most impressed about Bryson is the effort that he's made to be a part of this team. He's had to travel, go out of his way to meet us in our places, and he's gone above and beyond what we would ever ask of a player.

"That's the thing I'm most proud of. You can go on and on about what an incredible player he is and golfer, but what he's done for this team, putting in the extra effort, is amazing to see."

Bradley is adamant that DeChambeau will be a team player at Bethpage, and that being the only player from the LIV Golf Tour in the squad will not cause any issues with team harmony.

"The simple fact is that Bryson DeChambeau is one of the best golfers on Planet Earth," Bradley added in an interview with Golf Central. "We can pair him up with a lot of guys, and he can play with anybody.

"He is just rabid to get out there and represent his country at Bethpage Black, and he’s a really great weapon for us.

"Bryson has been absolutely incredible throughout this whole process, and whatever Tour he plays on, it doesn’t matter on that first tee at Bethpage Black.

"All that matters is that we have 12 strong US players who are willing to come together and win the Ryder Cup."