Rory McIlroy - Keegan Bradley 'interesting pick' as Ryder Cup captain - ESPN

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland — Rory McIlroy was having dinner with European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald in London on Sunday night when Donald told him that the U.S. team had selected Keegan Bradley as its new captain.

«Yeah, definitely I think a surprise for everyone,» McIlroy said Thursday, after posting a 5-under 65 in the opening round of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. «I mean, it's certainly a departure from what the U.S. have done over the last few years, and, you know, time will tell if that's a good thing or not.»

When McIlroy was asked to describe the reaction at the table on Sunday, he said: «I think disbelief, probably. I think Keegan was probably in disbelief, at some point, too, but certainly an interesting pick.»

Bradley, 38, has never been a vice captain in the Ryder Cup. He competed in the international event as a player twice, most recently in 2014. The Vermont native attended St. John's University in New York, and he practiced and played matches at Bethpage Black Course on Long Island, the site of the next Ryder Cup matches on Sept. 26-28, 2025.

«It's an interesting appointment,» McIlroy said. «The youngest captain since Arnold Palmer I think was a playing captain as 34. But he knows Bethpage very well. He went to university in the area. He's obviously very passionate about the Ryder Cup.»

McIlroy said the surprising decision seems «quite reactionary» as a result of the European team's dominant 16½-11½ victory over the U.S. at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club outside Rome last October.

«It's obviously an unbelievable opportunity for Keegan and just speaking from a European point of view, it's really nice to have the continuity we've had over the years, with vice captains becoming