LIV Golf rebel Bryson DeChambeau was a notable absentee from Team USA’s Ryder Cup squad last year, but new captain Keegan Bradley has given dissidents hope of a route back into the fold
After being left out of last year’s Ryder Cup, Bryson DeChambeau may well be swinging back into Team USA’s good graces.
Following his jump to Saudi-backed LIV Golf and subsequent omission from the team by former captain Zach Johnson, DeChambeau and others have been handed a route back onto the roster. That’s after new captain Keegan Bradley‘s suggested he’ll take a far more lenient stance on the issue regarding player allegiances in golf‘s civil war.
DeChambeau, 30, has been an outspoken proponent for LIV Golf since ditching the PGA Tour in June 2022. And that seemed to play a crucial part in him missing out on Johnson’s selection ahead of Team USA’s devastating defeat in Rome last year.
In a move that caught many off guard, it was confirmed on Monday that Bradley has been handed the captaincy for the 2025 Ryder Cup, which will be held at Bethpage Black in New York state. Tiger Woods – a fierce opposer to LIV Golf – reportedly sidestepped the captaincy role, and next choice Bradley has a very different view on LIV credentials.
“I’m going to have the 12 best players on the team. I don’t care where they play,” said the skipper at a press briefing announcing his appointment (via the Daily Express). “We have a mission to win this tournament. I’m not worried about the LIV stuff. I want the best players on the team.”
Each Ryder Cup team will pick an agreed number of athletes based on their rankings in qualifying events, complemented by a select amount of the captain’s own selections. This was an equal split for the 2023 tournament, with six players earning their spots through competition while another six were handpicked by the skipper.
Currently, DeChambeau is second in the Team USA rankings, trailing only Scottie Scheffler in the pecking order. Brooks Koepka – another LIV loyalist – languishes at 34th position, although he has ample time to climb higher within the next year.
After being left off Johnson’s roster last year, DeChambeau openly shared his frustration and highlighted the lack of communication with those tied to LIV Golf. “It would have been nice to at least just have a call,” he said. “There’s numerous people that I think Zach should have called out here, and we didn’t get that.”
Hope remains that the rift between LIV Golf and the PGA may find a resolution ahead of the 2025 competition, which could smoothen the inclusion of LIV players. Ongoing discussions aimed at reaching an agreement continue, despite previous failed attempts to merge the organisations.
Given the situation, Bradley remains cautiously optimistic about the situation and added: “I’ll have to wait and see how everything shakes out, and my biggest concern is having the best players on the team.”
DeChambeau’s standing as a potential Ryder Cup pick has been boosted after winning his second US Open title in June, and he continues to shine in the LIV Golf League. So while Johnson made it clear he would prefer not to select players from the breakaway tour, Bradley has sent an early message that if you’re good enough, you can make his cut – regardless of which tour you’re on.
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