Team USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has officially made the first decisions on his leadership team for next year’s tournament at Bethpage Black.
On Tuesday morning, the PGA of America announced that Bradley had selected Webb Simpson as one of his alternate captains. The New England native was named captain of the U.S. team on July 8.
The selection marks Bradley’s first as captain and a promising start to a strong team. Bradley and Simpson played together on Team USA in 2014 and already have the foundation for a strong relationship.
“Webb is someone I’ve long respected and admired both as a competitor and as a friend,” Bradley said in a press release. “He has extensive team golf experience and knows what it takes to win. Webb will be a valuable member of our leadership team and will be a trusted resource for me as I prepare for Bethpage Black next September.”
Simpson has played for the U.S. Ryder Cup team three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2018. His overall record is 4 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw, and 2 wins, 1 loss and 0 draws in Four-Ball. The 2025 Cup will be his first as an alternate captain.
“I am honored to have been selected by Keegan as my vice-captain in 2025,” Simpson said in a press release. “Playing in three Ryder Cups will be some of the highlights of my career. I have no doubt that Keegan will be a great captain and a great leader, and I couldn’t be more excited to get to work with Bethpage Black as we try to reclaim the Ryder Cup.”
Simpson is a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour, including winning the U.S. Open in 2012. He has also played in the Presidents Cup three times, helping the United States win in 2011, 2013 and 2019.
Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America via Getty Images Europe
Why Simpson is a good choice for vice-captain
This is a strong choice for Bradley, and Simpson’s experience as a Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup player will be of great help.
He may not have team golf leadership experience, but as a member of the PGA Tour’s policy committee, he does have some ability to delegate, putting Simpson in a position to make big decisions, which could come in handy at the Ryder Cup.
Needless to say, he’s young, which should be a plus for Team USA. The North Carolina native is 38 years old and still has connections with many of the players on this team. That’s not to say the previous co-captains weren’t, because many of them went on to do great things, but Simpson brings a fresh face.
He also isn’t part of the “men’s club” that seems to have dominated the Ryder Cup in 2021. Simpson will help Bradley make a fair selection and field the best 12 American players on his team.
Simpson is not a junior player, but he is a well-known and well-respected name in golf. Bradley made a great choice and this could be the start of a very interesting Ryder Cup leadership team for Bethpage Black in 2025.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Her Instagram account is @golf_girl_sl.
