THE RYDER CUP

September 25, 2025

Keegan Bradley

Luke Donald

Bethpage Black Course

Pairings Announcement Excerpts

THE MODERATOR: Keegan, thank you guys both for coming up and setting the right tone. The displays of friendship, just what we need on the eve of this Ryder Cup.

Keegan, I'll start with you. The weather, first of all, I know you're familiar with what it's like over here. Where is your team at emotionally, what you did today and where you're at?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: We got here pretty early so today was a light day for the boys. We went out and played 1, 15, 16, 17, 18. Got the body loose. It's been an unbelievable week and we're excited to get this thing started.

THE MODERATOR: Luke, how has the week gone to this point?

LUKE DONALD: It's been great. We came last week and did a practice trip. I think the boys have got 54 holes in already over the last week or so. They're all in good form and good spirits.

Again, I think as Ryder Cups are -- the buildup is long. It's a long few days. I think we're ready, both of our teams, to get going.

THE MODERATOR: Luke, I'll start with you. Your first pairing out for tomorrow morning's foursome matches at 7:10?

LUKE DONALD: My first pairing is Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

THE MODERATOR: Keegan, who are you matching him up with?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas.

THE MODERATOR: Luke, go ahead. Match No. 2.

LUKE DONALD: Match No. 2, we have Ludvig Ã…berg and Matt Fitzpatrick.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.

THE MODERATOR: Luke, how about your third pairing out?

LUKE DONALD: No. 3, we have Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Collin Morikawa and Harris English.

LUKE DONALD: Our last one is Robert McIntyre and Viktor Hovland.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay.

THE MODERATOR: Sitting out for the United States: Burns, Ben Griffin, Cam Young, J.J. Spaun. And for Europe, Justin Rose, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry and Rasmus Højgaard.

Luke, what was the thinking behind Rahm and Hatton in that first match out?

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, we want to start strong, obviously. We know in match play, you've got to get off to a good start. But these guys have a lot of success together. As you said, Jon is 4-0 in foursomes, and Tyrrell with him 2-0 from Rome a couple years ago. They know how to win. They're a strong partnership. They get along very well. We're very happy to send them out first.

THE MODERATOR: Keegan, let's get to the first match out. We know you're a high-energy guy, passionate, and I think validating that feeling. What was the consideration sending Bryson and Justin Thomas out in the very first match?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Besides the fact that they're both phenomenal players, they bring a spark to our team. Bryson has been an incredible teammate in the locker room, and we really want him to lead our team out with Justin on the first match.

THE MODERATOR: There's so many dimensions to putting foursomes teams together: There's the data, blending the games, personalities, equipment, how they fit the golf course. Which of these did you give the most weight to?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think with foursomes, you definitely have to factor in personalities, but golf ball is really important as well, and then the analytical data is super helpful. We have so much information that can help us out.

But everyone really wanted to play with each other. So it was really easy that we needed to narrow these down because of how willing everybody was to play with each other.

THE MODERATOR: Keegan, you've played a couple of strong hands already. This is a strong American team. Where is your confidence level as a team? Is there a little bit of pressure on you or is it something you're relishing.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: First off, the locals want to see us win, first and foremost. I don't think they're too concerned about the course setup. We've got a really exciting team. We're really excited to play in front of our home fans and get out there and get the crowd going.

Our lineup, Bryson and Thomas leading us out and then we've got strong groups behind them, I think they're going to be having the crowd excited.

THE MODERATOR: Cam Young does not get to start early tomorrow morning. What's the potential plan for Cameron Young?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, Cameron Young, as well as everybody knows, there's four people to have to sit every session, which coming into my captaincy, that was the hardest thing.

As a player, you come in and you get told your partner and you're session and you're like, that's great. You don't really realize all that goes into every single pairing. It's difficult to have people sit because of how good every player is. Everybody on our team is willing to do what's best for the team and we have a plan and we're going to stick to it.

THE MODERATOR: Keegan, what weight do you give in anticipating tomorrow on the first tee who's going to go off first, who's going to hit that first tee shot? How do you make that decision?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, it is really interesting, and when we talk to the analytical team it's one of the rare courses where you can flip-flop really. It's that balanced. The par-3s are balanced. The long and short holes are balanced.

We do have where we want the guys, and for the most part they like that, but there is an ability to switch. But we have a good plan. You're going to have to wait and see.

THE MODERATOR: Is there anything comparable to what you've feeling right now?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I can't tell you the sense of pride that I have. I came here to this golf course as an 18 year old kid with a dream to play on the PGA TOUR. To come back as the Ryder Cup captain and represent this specific 12 group, the 12 caddies, the wives, and be out here in front of these fans on this golf course has been the highlight of my life.

I had these dreams, but like I said in the opening ceremonies, I never got this far in them. To be in front of these guys in the team room and see how unselfish they are and see what great people they are, a highlight of my life.

THE MODERATOR: Luke, you talked about sending Rahm and Hatton out. I think that speaks for itself. They pass the eye test in every way. What other changes did you make from Rome and why did you make those?

LUKE DONALD: I think it's two years ago, Rome. Players evolve. Players change. Their profiles change. Again, you have to look at -- you're looking at personality matchups. We have so much options that it's really quite fun for me as a captain.

But we know the U.S. are going to be strong. They're strong in foursomes. They have some amazing partnerships there, and we wanted to bring our best as well, and this is what we feel is our best.

THE MODERATOR: The home team in Ryder Cups has won eight of the last nine, and America have led after the first session in four of the last five times. The task is a mighty one. How ready are you guys for it?

LUKE DONALD: I hope so. I've been preparing for 21 months for this. We understand the task at hand. We understand how difficult it is to win away. But we have done it. We've won four times since 1987 to the U.S.'s one winning away. It has been done, and we will certainly draw on those experiences.

But we're not coming in here with any complacency. We understand the task at hand and the atmosphere and the amphitheater we're walking into.

THE MODERATOR: You're going up against a formidable U.S. Team, but your biggest challenge this week is going to be the crowd. How have you messaged and prepared your team for what could be the most hostile environment in the history of the Ryder Cup?

LUKE DONALD: I think all you can do is have good communication, talk to the guys. There's a bunch of our players that have been in away environments before, so we're learning as a group. But we understand.

I think the messaging is these are 12 of the best European golfers in the world. They love to be challenged. They love to be in a Ryder Cup in an atmosphere like that. You can draw energy off the crowd as well.

I think we saw even at the opening ceremony, we had plenty of support behind us as well. New York is a melting pot. We understand the vast majority of the support will be for the U.S., but I think we can find some cheers, some European cheers in and amongst that chaos as well.

THE MODERATOR: Bob MacIntyre played in Rome, and he won two big tournaments in Scotland and Canada the last two years. We're starting to get a sense of the pugnacious quality to this guy. What can you tell us about Bob MacIntyre who's going out with Viktor Hovland in that last match with Xander and Patrick, a formidable duo?

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, Bob is a gritty Scottish fellow. He's a tough character. He's won in difficult situations, won with his dad on the bag in Canada, won the Scottish Open, the event he really, really wanted to get.

So I think you just look at someone like that; and two years ago Justin Rose did an amazing job with him getting him around the course. He went unbeaten two and a half points out of three, which is incredible for a rookie, but he's a much, much better player than he was two years ago.

THE MODERATOR: Where are the guys now? One of your jobs now is to manage the guys and key them back up again.

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, absolutely. We had to adapt a little bit yesterday when we found out the opening ceremony was moved up a day, and to be honest within 20, 30 minutes we had a plan in place. The guys still got out. Most of them played nine holes today. It was a little bit rainy but it wasn't too bad.

They're all back in the team room today watching this together, trying to recreate again what that will feel like. It's a bit strange having it on a Wednesday and having a day to think about it. That's not what we usually do.

I'm sure they're excited. I'm sure they're back in the team room, excited about those matchups and getting ready for that.

THE MODERATOR: How do you communicate to the players who don't get picked to go out there, especially veterans who might have expected to go out there?

LUKE DONALD: It starts early. It starts really early.

Again, we've had a pretty good idea of what our foursomes this morning was going to look like, even a few weeks out. You obviously have to make changes sometimes, depending on how the guys are playing. But to be honest, I've been so impressed with the practice the last week that everyone seems to be in good form, in good spirits. Everyone understands that when they're called upon, it's their time to try and contribute. They're not going to play every match, but they'll be ready when it is their turn.