07 March 2024 , 20:30
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Netflix's Full Swing cameras captured the brutal moment Zach Johnson called Keegan Bradley to tell him he was not in his Ryder Cup team.
Bradley impressed throughout the 2023 campaign, which was topped off with a victory at the Travelers Championship last June. It appeared to be the perfect time to find form, with the Ryder Cup right around the corner.
After just missing out on an automatic spot in the Team USA setup that would head to Rome to defend their title, Bradley was reliant on a call-up from Johnson, with a whole host of names in the mix to earn one of the six places.
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Sadly for Bradley his phone-call was a tough one, with the skipper informing him he would not be involved, and the gut-wrenching moment was caught during filming of the recently released second season of Full Swing. Speaking to Bradley on the phone, Johnson said: "Hey buddy. Thanks for being patient with me.
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"There’s no easy way to say this my friend, I find it best to just go in a different direction this year. It’s nothing you did or didn’t do because you’re amazing on and off the course I just feel like it's best this year to go in a different direction. I would love to take 30 guys and I cannot. And just know that I am so grateful for you."
Offering a dignified response, Bradley replied: "OK Zach, I understand. Wishing you obviously good luck and hope that you guys go over there and win it." The United States captain quickly added: "Thank you Keegs, I appreciate you buddy," before hanging up.
Keegan Bradley missed out on a Ryder Cup spot (Netflix)Bradley opens up to the Netflix cameras about his Ryder Cup snub, but again showed his respect for Johnson's decision. "It’s anger, sadness, all the things but then it’s like there’s no wrong decisions with who’s on the team, everyone’s such a great player," the PGA Tour star commented.
"I love these guys, and one of the main reasons I wanted to make the team was I wanted to be around these guys. The energy that they have. And I see JT [Justin Thomas] the way he prepares and practices and if I was the captain, I would want him in my locker room."
Bradley has not featured at a Ryder Cup since defeat to the Europeans at Gleneagles in 2014, and since then has not opened his kit bag from that week in the hope of one day returning and winning the event. The 37-year-old - who was also involved in the defeat at Medinah in 2012 - said: "It’s heavy man.
"That’s probably my lowest point in my career [losing the 2014 Ryder Cup], was that moment, and I would love to change that. When I’m done and I’m retired, having a Ryder Cup win on my resume versus a loss would be a huge difference for me. I just hope, someday, I get to win a Ryder Cup and open that thing and just have, like, a peace-of-mind moment, because I’m thinking about the Ryder Cup every second of every day."