Padraig Harrington doesn’t imagine Keegan Bradley can play within the Ryder Cup and captain the US to victory over Europe at Bethpage Black.
The US skipper broke Tommy Fleetwood’s coronary heart on Sunday when he birdied the ultimate gap to win the Vacationers Championship and transfer as much as ninth within the battle for six automated locations on the facet to face Luke Donald’s Europe in September.
However Harrington is satisfied the American can’t achieve success as the primary taking part in captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 given the calls for on the captain and the gamers in a contemporary Ryder Cup.
“Keegan is a participant the Europeans don’t need to play towards,“ the Dubliner instructed SiriusXM PGA Tour.
“He’s not a simple individual to compete towards. Every thing about him, he is a very powerful competitor, you recognize, even his twitching and mannerisms, that is not straightforward to play towards.
“Just like the shot he hit there (into the 18th on Sunday), he is very ballsy on the finish of the day, he hits the photographs.
“So there are a variety of gamers that you would tee it up towards, and also you would not select Keegan as one in all them.
“He is only a good match participant. Gritty. Powerful. He will get it performed, even when he isn’t feeling his finest. He will do it.
“So that you need them in your group. Clearly, the complication now for the US is that he is the captain, and may he step down from the captaincy and play?
“He is undoubtedly within the 12 finest gamers. There isn’t any doubt about that. I do not assume he could be captain and play.
“So if that is what you are asking, the captaincy of the Ryder Cup is a lot greater a deal than something, and notably while you consider one thing like, I do know individuals say you had Tiger (as taking part in captain) on the Presidents Cup.
“For that, we all know the Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup will not be the identical factor. The stress ranges for the captain on the Ryder Cup, the necessities, the strain, the timing, the way in which it goes about, it is a a lot faster occasion.
“The Ryder Cup, I don’t in any form or kind assume a captain generally is a participant.”
After initially saying he wouldn’t be a captain’s choose for his personal Ryder Cup group, Bradley modified his tune after his win on Sunday, as he feels a vice captain like Jim Furyk might step into his sneakers.
“To be sincere with you, I by no means actually deliberate on taking part in.” Bradley stated on Sunday.
“I actually wished to only be the captain. I actually felt strongly about that. I need to serve the fellows. They requested me to do a job. I need to do it to one of the best of my talents.
“Now, with the wonderful vice captains that I’ve, and I’ve a greater perspective of taking part in within the Presidents Cup and being round a variety of the fellows, I really feel much more comfy if I went that route.
“I am actually happy with the fellows which might be vice captains and — you recognize, clearly, you bought Jim Furyk, one of many best gamers to play and likewise an extremely nice captain on the Presidents Cup.”
US star Collin Morikawa spoke about the potential of Bradley taking part in In New York when requested forward of the Rocket Traditional in Detroit.
“I imply, look, proper now he’s taking part in as probably the greatest People and probably the greatest golfers on the planet, successful a signature occasion,” Morikawa stated.
“The consistency I feel he’s introduced this yr, I’m certain there are already contingencies to be put in place as a result of it’s not prefer it wasn’t a chance that that would occur. That’s on him.”
