This season has seen plenty of discussion surrounding Captain Keegan Bradley from the United States and what his decisions might entail for the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage this fall. The key question seems to be how Bradley will manage his roster, especially given his strong performance as one of the top American players.
On Thursday, Bradley opened the PGA Championship with a solid 3-under par round. When he signed his scorecard, he was tied for third, but he was pursuing an unexpected rival—his opponent who would later be part of the Ryder Cup line-up.
European captain Luke Donald delivered a surprising performance with a 4-under par at Quail Hollow, capturing the attention of the golf world. Bradley has consistently played well lately, and many feel he deserved a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team despite their loss to Donald’s European squad. Still, Donald hasn’t been particularly remarkable on the leaderboard in recent tournaments.
In fact, Donald has only played three times on the PGA Tour this season and missed all of those cuts. Out of seven starts last year, he withdrew from one event and missed five cuts. A little math indicates that he has one more tournament in 2024, where he managed his best finish, tying for 68th at the PGA Championship in Valhalla.
It’s challenging to grasp just how unusual Donald’s presence is at the top of a major championship leaderboard. Aside from his performance mentioned earlier, he has made only two major starts since 2018.
On Thursday, Donald kicked off the proceedings, and as Jim Nantz aptly pointed out, he took the literal first shot of the tournament. It seems like he’s ready to set a positive tone for the weekend.
Who could have predicted this, especially considering the slew of European victories we’ve seen this season? Rory McIlroy has nabbed wins at both The Players and the Masters, showcasing tremendous American talent throughout. The captaincy indeed adds a significant name to the mix.
Early as it is, the excitement is palpable.
