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

As Tommy Fleetwood continues to wrestle pinch really to get complete nan winning statement connected nan PGA Tour, American play is trying to fathom really having a playing skipper mightiness activity astatine this year's Ryder Cup.

Both issues were brought into crisp attraction by Keegan Bradley's melodramatic triumph complete Fleetwood astatine nan Travellers Championship successful Connecticut past Sunday. It was nan Englishman's sixth runner-up decorativeness connected nan US-based circuit and this 1 "hurts".

A lot.

Fleetwood stumbled connected nan location agelong to fto successful his tall, broad-shouldered American force for a triumph that emphasises a increasing emotion that he should return to nan US Ryder Cup playing roster for this September's lucifer against Europe astatine Bethpage.

If nan title was adjacent week, Bradley's inclusion arsenic a subordinate would beryllium a nary brainer. Indeed, moreover pinch precocious golfing summertime to come, he has already done capable to warrant action from his skipper this autumn.

Ah. He is nan captain.

Who mightiness he time off retired if he has to prime himself? And is it imaginable successful nan modern era to do some jobs good capable to beryllium successful astatine both?

They are immense questions that could easy undermine nan American effort amid an expected cacophony connected Long Island successful New York. Cool heads will beryllium required amid a unit packed and passionately partisan din.

This was ever a imaginable dilemma from nan moment, a twelvemonth ago, that nan 39-year-old became a daze action to lead America's quest to regain that precious cookware of gold.

And nan Ryder Cup is simply a overmuch bigger entity than it was successful 1963 erstwhile Arnold Palmer was nan past playing captain.

In those days they played greeting and day connected each of nan 3 days and Palmer played each six sessions, winning 4 points, successful an wide 23-9 victory. It was regular worldly that hardly resonated beyond nan play village.

The modern Ryder Cup is 1 of nan biggest and astir trancsendent sporting events connected nan planet. Captaincy is each consuming; perchance contentious and arguable and often pivotal to nan last outcome.

Playing is exhausting too. Combining some roles efficaciously seems nigh connected impossible. Or astatine slightest it was thought to beryllium until Bradley sewage nan telephone from nan PGA of America's past leader Seth Waugh past year.

"We want you to beryllium nan first playing skipper since Palmer," was nan gist of Waugh's stunning telephone to a subordinate who had been cruelly overlooked arsenic a subordinate for nan 2023 conclusion successful Rome.

It was and remains a bizarre selection, a reflection that pinch Tiger Woods wanting to hold for nan 2027 match, nan US cupboard of candidates was bare.

"In my sentiment location is conscionable nary measurement that you could beryllium a skipper nowadays of a Ryder Cup aliases a Presidents Cup and play," said Trevor Immelman aft commentating for CBS connected Bradley's latest victory.

"There are truthful galore responsibilities astatine nan feet of nan captain. So galore decisions that person to beryllium made earlier nan tourney and past during nan week.

"You want your players to beryllium single-minded, focused connected themselves. To beryllium focused connected nan precocious unit business they are in.

"But now you've sewage a feline successful Keegan Bradley, who perfectly should beryllium playing."

South African Immelman captained nan International squad successful nan 2022 Presidents Cup and is successful complaint of nan charismatic world rankings which person Bradley riding precocious astatine number 7 pinch only 5 Americans up of him.

And if you deliberation nan OWGR is compromised by nan LIV induced divided successful nan men's game, Data Golf, which reflects each tours, presently puts only 4 Americans supra nan US captain. He lies ninth connected nan qualifying database for nan 12-man team.

"You cannot moreover commencement an statement pinch maine trying to explicate that he is not among nan 12 champion American golfers," Immelman added.

"So they're successful a reliable spot. The water's conscionable sewage a small murky for them, because really does he not play, correct now?"

Bradley insists location is readying successful spot for this situation, saying he would beryllium a playing skipper who would thin heavy connected his assistants.

Of those only Jim Furyk has captaincy credence pinch nan comparatively inexperienced Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker successful nan background. It is simply a acold from perfect situation.

Europe, meanwhile, person nan inspirational and analytical Luke Donald watching on, nary uncertainty wondering whether he tin utilization each this uncertainty to thief onshore a uncommon distant win.

Donald has witnessed a bid of European wins connected American ungraded this twelvemonth from nan likes of Rory McIlroy (three times including nan Players and Masters), Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka (twice), Thomas Detry and Viktor Hovland.

And Fleetwood should person added to nan database astatine TPC River Highlands past week aft dominating nan Signature Event until suffering 2 bogeys successful nan past 3 holes.

The certainty of his crippled that had garnered a winning position evaporated connected nan closing agelong and he 3 putted from disconnected nan beforehand of nan last greenish to let Bradley his birdie chance for glory.

The ambiance was akin to a Ryder Cup. The galleries were packed; Bradley, nan section leader who is accompanied by vociferous chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A" wherever he plays, was nerveless.

He emphasised his playing credentials for precocious September by slotting location from somewhat shorter scope than wherever Fleetwood had missed connected a adjacent identical line. Heartbreak for Tommy.

Getting complete nan statement is ne'er easy but nan Englishman seems to find it harder than astir for a man of his undoubted and sizeable ball-striking talents.

He has top-five finishes successful each 4 fields but while he has won 7 times connected nan DP World Tour successful a 15-year career, this is nan closest he has travel to breaking his duck connected US soil.

At nan cardinal moments his putting becomes tentative erstwhile for different world people talents it tends to beryllium clinical. There is simply a sizeable hurdle to beryllium leapt for him to postgraduate to nan glory that is commensurate pinch nan remainder of his golfing gifts.

But happily from a European constituent of position he is simply a different animal successful nan Ryder Cup, wherever matchplay dictates positivity connected nan greens. He won 4 retired of 5 points successful Paris connected debut successful 2018.

Two years agone he won 3 points retired of 4 and calmly secured nan winning infinitesimal against Rickie Fowler successful nan cauldron of an ever tightening last time successful Rome.

Even successful nan 2021 grounds trouncing by 19 points to 9 astatine Whistling Straits, Fleetwood was beaten only erstwhile successful his 3 matches.

Donald will beryllium thrilled to person him connected his squad again this twelvemonth wherever he is apt to resume a successful business pinch McIlroy.

In immoderate ways, Fleetwood is simply a modern balanced to erstwhile Ryder Cup rocks Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood, who individually ne'er rather fulfilled their imaginable successful nan biggest events but were usually men possessed successful European colours.

What chance Fleetwood clashing pinch Bradley again this autumn successful nan carnivore pit of Bethpage? What a delicious imaginable and contempt Sunday's defeat, nan Southport autochthonal remains 1 of 8 worldwide players supra Bradley connected nan Data Golf rankings.

Bradley was connected nan losing broadside nan past clip location was an distant win, astatine Medinah successful 2012, and mislaid again astatine Gleneagles successful nan pursuing match.

He has not played for nan US Ryder Cup squad since, but he apt will this clip and arsenic nan captain. No-one could beryllium much motivated.

It is simply a script that mightiness inspire, but nan wide demands could inhibit. And if they do, Fleetwood and co could capitalise.