When Keegan Bradley, a supposedly wide eyed rookie on the PGA Tour this season, lifted the final major trophy of the year, the PGA Championship in August, its unlikely his thoughts turned immediately to the prospect of representing his country in the Presidents Cup in November. Understandably there were more important things to consider as he savoured the play off victory that excited further the already excitable galleries in Atlanta. Yet, as the dust settled he must have thought his ticket on the plane to Australia would have been secured. Think again, for Keegan Bradley’s name was not included among the 12 stars to take on the Rest of the World.
The reasons are fairly straightforward, for starters Bradley, despite a memorable first year where he also won the Byron Nelson Championship, as well as his PGA triumph, hadn’t accrued enough points to finish among the top ten players in the two year qualifying race. Secondly, and here’s the debatable part, he wasn’t one of the captain Fred Couples two picks for Australia. Bill Haas and Tiger Woods were the names selected, Haas due to some timely superb season ending form culminating in his FedEx Cup success and Woods, well because he’s Tiger Woods and Couples had earmarked him for a slot come what may a long time ago.
Couples spoilt for choice
Bradley’s omission has caused a fair deal of controversy but if you compare it to other selection problems faced by America, in the largely barren years of team golf recently, this one can be deemed as nothing but a positive dilemma. To even suggest that a major winner would be left out of the American teams from the early part of this century would be laughable. However in 2011 Fred Couples is a lucky guy as the production line of American golfers keeps on churning them out, a second wave of talent has emerged this year to join the likes of Watson, Watney and Johnson who still seem pretty new themselves. Haas, Webb Simpson and Bradley were practically unheard of a year ago, now their names are appearing high on leaderboards and charging up the world rankings as fast as Woods is plummeting down them.
Watch out Tiger, Phil
The funny thing about American golf is that while for years its fans have been relying on just two figures to plunder the majors and keep their side of the Atlantic at the forefront of the game; those same two players have hardly set the world alight when it comes to team events. This season the playing exploits of both Mickleson and Woods have been overshadowed by the achievements of a new crop of stars and despite both of them making the plane to Oz, they may both have to raise their games next season if they are to appear in the real deal in Chicago.
It certainly seems that Europe’s position at the top of the world game at present is under threat from a resurgent USA. It remains to be seen if that applies to the team format but should Couples’ men prevail in Australia next month and a few successful fourball and foursome partnerships be formed then Medinah 2012 should be some spectacle, with the home side likely to prove very tough to beat. The fact that captain Davis Love III has 4 picks at his disposal this time for the big one is evidence of the extra quality and competitiveness in American golf these days.
The Ryder Cup is where the silver lining to poor old Keegan Bradley’s cloud lies. Thanks to his PGA win he proudly sits top of the USA points list for next year and a place in Love’s side to take on Europe beckons. I’m sure if that occurs, his disappointment at missing out on the Presidents Cup team will soon be forgotten.
Philip Nicholas - I am 45 years old, living with my partner and two kids in Leek, Staffordshire. My writing career has only just taken off in the last few ...
