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Keegan Bradley set for Ryder Cup job that hasn't existed for 62 years after stunning PGA Travellers Championship win

Keegan Bradley set for Ryder Cup job that hasn't existed for 62 years after stunning PGA Travellers Championship win

The Sun4 hours ago

KEEGAN Bradley is set to become the first Ryder Cup captain to play in the event in more than 60 years after denying Tommy Fleetwood his first PGA Tour win.
Exactly a year after being handed the USA reins for Bethpage Black in September, Bradley's birdie on the last at the Travelers Championship coupled with playing partner Fleetwood's bogey saw him win by a shot.
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And Bradley, 39, admitted he is closer to selecting himself for the US dozen than at any stage since he took the role - setting up a potential Sunday singles rematch with the Southport golfer.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain when he led the US to a crushing 23-9 mauling of Great Britain and Ireland at East Lake, near Atlanta, in 1963.
But Bradley, now up to seventh in the world rankings and ninth in the US Ryder Cup standings - the top six qualify by right and the captain will select the other half of the team - is ready to rewrite the recent history books.
Bradley said: 'I never really planned on playing. I really wanted to just be the captain.
'I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys.
'They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities.
'But this changes the story a little bit.
'I never would have thought about playing if I hadn't won.
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'But this definitely opens the door to play.
'I don't know if I'm going to do it or not, but I certainly have to take a pretty hard look at what's best for the team and we'll see.
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'It's still June, so we've still got a long way to go. This definitely changes things a little bit, and we'll all get together and figure out the best way to do this.
'With the amazing vice captains that I have, and I have a better perspective of playing in the Presidents Cup and being around a lot of the guys, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route.'
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Fleetwood's stumble gives US Bradley-sized Ryder Cup headache
Fleetwood's stumble gives US Bradley-sized Ryder Cup headache

BBC News

time44 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Fleetwood's stumble gives US Bradley-sized Ryder Cup headache

As Tommy Fleetwood continues to wrestle with how to get over the winning line on the PGA Tour, American golf is trying to fathom how having a playing captain might work at this year's Ryder issues were brought into sharp focus by Keegan Bradley's dramatic victory over Fleetwood at the Travellers Championship in Connecticut last Sunday. It was the Englishman's sixth runner-up finish on the US-based circuit and this one "hurts".A stumbled on the home stretch to let in his tall, broad-shouldered American opponent for a win that emphasises a growing feeling that he should return to the US Ryder Cup playing roster for this September's match against Europe at the contest was next week, Bradley's inclusion as a player would be a no brainer. Indeed, even with high golfing summer to come, he has already done enough to warrant selection from his captain this He is the might he leave out if he has to pick himself? And is it possible in the modern era to do both jobs well enough to be successful at both?They are huge questions that could easily undermine the American effort amid an expected cacophony on Long Island in New York. Cool heads will be required amid a pressure packed and passionately partisan din. 'Bradley remains a bizarre selection' This was always a potential dilemma from the moment, a year ago, that the 39-year-old became a shock selection to lead America's quest to regain that precious pot of the Ryder Cup is a much bigger entity than it was in 1963 when Arnold Palmer was the last playing those days they played morning and afternoon on each of the three days and Palmer played all six sessions, winning four points, in an overall 23-9 victory. It was routine stuff that barely resonated beyond the golf modern Ryder Cup is one of the biggest and most trancsendent sporting events on the planet. Captaincy is all consuming; potentially contentious and controversial and often pivotal to the final is exhausting too. Combining both roles effectively seems nigh on impossible. Or at least it was thought to be until Bradley got the call from the PGA of America's then boss Seth Waugh last year."We want you to be the first playing captain since Palmer," was the gist of Waugh's stunning call to a player who had been cruelly overlooked as a player for the 2023 defeat in was and remains a bizarre selection, a reflection that with Tiger Woods wanting to wait for the 2027 match, the US cupboard of candidates was bare."In my opinion there is just no way that you could be a captain nowadays of a Ryder Cup or a Presidents Cup and play," said Trevor Immelman after commentating for television on Bradley's latest victory."There are so many responsibilities at the feet of the captain. So many decisions that have to be made before the tournament and then during the week."You want your players to be single-minded, focused on themselves. To be focused on the high pressure situation they are in."But now you've got a guy in Keegan Bradley, who absolutely should be playing."South African Immelman captained the International team in the 2022 Presidents Cup and is in charge of the official world rankings which have Bradley riding high at number seven with only five Americans ahead of if you think the OWGR is compromised by the LIV induced split in the men's game, Data Golf, which reflects all tours, currently puts only four Americans above the US captain. He lies ninth on the qualifying list for the 12-man team."You cannot even start an argument with me trying to explain that he is not among the 12 best American golfers," Immelman added."So they're in a tough spot. 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Fleetwood a different animal at Ryder Cup Europe, meanwhile, have the inspirational and analytical Luke Donald watching on, no doubt wondering whether he can exploit all this uncertainty to help land a rare away has witnessed a series of European wins on American soil this year from the likes of Rory McIlroy (three times including the Players and Masters), Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka (twice), Thomas Detry and Viktor Fleetwood should have added to the list at TPC River Highlands last week after dominating the Signature Event until suffering two bogeys in the last three certainty of his game that had garnered a winning position evaporated on the closing stretch and he three putted from off the front of the final green to allow Bradley his birdie chance for atmosphere was akin to a Ryder Cup. The galleries were packed; Bradley, the local hero who is accompanied by vociferous chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A" wherever he plays, was emphasised his playing credentials for late September by slotting home from slightly shorter range than where Fleetwood had missed on a near identical line. Heartbreak for over the line is never easy but the Englishman seems to find it harder than most for a man of his undoubted and considerable ball-striking has top-five finishes in all four majors but while he has won seven times on the DP World Tour in a 15-year career, this is the closest he has come to breaking his duck on US the key moments his putting becomes tentative when for other world class talents it tends to be clinical. There is a considerable hurdle to be leapt for him to graduate to the glory that is commensurate with the rest of his golfing happily from a European point of view he is a different animal in the Ryder Cup, where matchplay dictates positivity on the greens. He won four out of five points in Paris on debut in years ago he won three points out of four and calmly secured the winning moment against Rickie Fowler in the cauldron of an ever tightening final day in in the 2021 record trouncing by 19 points to 9 at Whistling Straits, Fleetwood was beaten only once in his three will be thrilled to have him on his team again this year where he is likely to resume a successful partnership with some ways, Fleetwood is a modern equivalent to former Ryder Cup rocks Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood, who individually never quite fulfilled their potential in the biggest events but were usually men possessed in European chance Fleetwood clashing with Bradley again this autumn in the bear pit of Bethpage? What a delicious prospect and despite Sunday's defeat, the Southport native remains one of eight worldwide players above Bradley on the Data Golf was on the losing side the last time there was an away win, at Medinah in 2012, and lost again at Gleneagles in the following has not played for the US Ryder Cup team since, but he likely will this time and as the captain. No-one could be more is a scenario that might inspire, but the overall demands could inhibit. And if they do, Fleetwood and co could capitalise.

Club World Cup 2025: Fixtures, results, TV channel and why Chelsea are in it
Club World Cup 2025: Fixtures, results, TV channel and why Chelsea are in it

Telegraph

timean hour ago

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Club World Cup 2025: Fixtures, results, TV channel and why Chelsea are in it

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The winners of the 32-team event will take home up to $125 million. Teams will share $525 million (about £400 million) in participation fees, but this pot will not be distributed evenly. The appearance fees going to Europe's 12 clubs will be on a sliding scale from $38.19 million at the top end to $12.81 million at the bottom, determined by a ranking based on 'sporting and commercial criteria'. Where is the tournament being held? It is being held in the US. Twelve venues will be used across the country, with the final to be staged at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The other venues are Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville), Camping World Stadium (Orlando), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle) and Audi Field (Washington). Why are Chelsea in the Club World Cup? The tournament features clubs from each of the six international confederations and there were 12 places available for European clubs, decided by Champions League performances over the past four seasons. As a result, recent European Cup winners Chelsea (2021) and Manchester City (2023) qualified. Only two clubs per country can qualify, meaning 2022 Champions League finalists Liverpool were not included. One spot in the tournament was reserved for a team from the host nation, which enabled Fifa to shoehorn Lionel Messi's Inter Miami into the draw. Is the tournament controversial? In short, yes. The involvement of 32 teams has added even more games and, in the process, cut rest time for the world's top players. This has attracted criticism and led to the threat of strike action by some players. In June, Fifpro, the global footballers' union, took legal action against Fifa over player burnout at the expanded Club World Cup. There is also the issue that a lot of players' contracts will run out in the middle of the tournament and concerns about stadiums being far from sold out. Past winners 2000: Corinthians – Beat Vasco de Gama (0-0, won on penalties) 2006: Sao Paulo – Beat Liverpool 1-0 2007: Internacional – Beat Barcelona 1-0 2008: AC Milan – Beat Boca Juniors 4-2 2009: Manchester United – Beat LDU Quito 1-0 2010: Barcelona – Beat Estudiantes 2-1 (AET) 2011: Inter Milan – Beat TP Mazembe 3-0 2012: Barcelona – Beat Santos 4-0 2013: Corinthians – Beat Chelsea 1-0 2014: Bayern Munich – Beat Raja Casablanca 2-0 2015: Real Madrid – Beat San Lorenzo 2-0 2016: Barcelona – Beat River Plate 3-0 2017: Real Madrid – Beat Kashima Antlers 4-2 (AET) 2018: Real Madrid – Beat Gremio 1-0 2019: Real Madrid – Beat Al-Ain 4-1 2020: Liverpool – Beat Flamengo 1-0 (AET) 2021: Bayern Munich – Beat UANL Tigres 1-0 2022: Chelsea – Beat Palmeiras 2-1 (AET) 2023: Real Madrid – Beat Al-Hilal 5-3 2024: Manchester City — Beat Fluminense 4-0 Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo insists lessons will be learnt from Friday's loss to Flamengo at the Club World Cup. The Blues capitulated in the second half in Philadelphia, surrendering a lead to lose 3-1 to the Brazilians and finish with 10 men. Most of the damage was done in a torrid six-minute spell in which they conceded twice and had Nicolas Jackson – just four minutes after coming off the bench – sent off for a reckless tackle. The result leaves them second in Group D with a win and a loss and potentially facing a more difficult route through the competition, with a possible clash against Bayern Munich in the last 16. 'It was difficult to take, but now we are focusing on the next game,' said Caicedo. 'For sure, we need to learn from this game. We need to react. 'I think the team played well but you need to be focused for 95 minutes in this game because, in one second, you can lose the game and that was what happened.' City chief defends tournament Manchester City chief executive Ferran Sorriano has defended the Club World Cup, claiming it is part of the 'globalisation' of football. The enlarged Fifa tournament has drawn criticism for adding to fixture congestion, player fatigue and flagging interest from fans. Many stadiums have been far from full. There is also, though, the prize of £97 million for the winners with Soriano declaring that City are targeting the Club World Cup after a season which ended without a trophy. City began their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca – ranked below Cardiff City and Wrexham in the Opta rankings – at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia with thousands of empty seats. However Soriano defended such fixtures. 'You have to have teams like Manchester City playing teams from Morocco, Korea or wherever. That's part of the globalisation of the No 1 sport in the world,' he said. 'I think it's a great initiative and we are very happy to be here. 'I think it's something that was very much needed, soccer is a global sport and we have to make it global. It's very important to be here because we are a global football club. We have our roots and we are proud of them.' How do you qualify for the next one? Good news for Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli, who are in already by dint of their Asian Champions League triumph over Kawasaki Frontale in May. They will be joined by PSG (France), Cruz Azul (Mexico) and Pyramids (Egypt, duh) as winners of the European, North American and African equivalents. The winners of each of those continental tournaments for the following three years will also make it, plus four years of Copa Libertadores champions from South America. The two non-champion teams with the strongest performances from the Libertadores in that period will be given a place, plus the highest-ranked team over four years of the Oceania Champions League. Uefa gets eight high-ranking non-champion teams from the Champions League, with one spot left for the host nation. That is to be determined but could be the World Cup hosts for 2030: Spain, Morocco and Portugal, which could require a creative solution. Could it be beefed up to 48 teams, like the World Cup?

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