Open Championship 2025: Keegan Bradley refusing to rule out playing as a captain for USA at this year's Ryder Cup

Bradley will lead the States against Europe when the biennial competition gets under way at Bethpage, New York in late September.

Question marks have remained whether Bradley will pick himself to play and become the first captain since Arnold Palmer back in 1963 to do so.

The 39-year-old is currently ninth in the Ryder Cup point standings for the USA – with the top six automatically qualifying, with Bradley then having to make the choice of six captain’s picks.

Bradley made the comments after producing a stunning second round of 67 to move to -3 at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Lifting the Claret Jug would move Keegan into the top-six in the Ryder Cup standings should he emerge victorious and lift his second major – meaning he will automatically qualify to compete.

When asked if it’s difficult to separate playing duties from his role as captain, he replied: “Well, I've said this a million times, but I really can just be a player when I'm inside the ropes. It's the only time I can sort of not be the captain.

"When I'm inside the ropes with a card in my pocket, I really can just focus on playing, and then when I leave here, I'll be the captain again. It's impossible for me not to be.

"When I'm around the guys or talking to my vice captains or whatever that is or planning for Bethpage. But when I'm inside those ropes and I don't have my phone on, I'm a player, and that's a big help.”

He added: “I want to make sure I put the team in the best position to play. I have to really figure out how this would work. But I've got great vice captains. Jim Furyk is, like, the best. He knows how to do this. Sneds (Brandt Snedeker) and Webb (Simpson) and Gary (Woodland), they're a great team to lean on.”