Captain’s Call: Bradley’s Six Picks Shape a Ruthless, Balanced Team USA

Captain Keegan Bradley has made his six U.S. Ryder Cup selections, and the blueprint is unmistakable. He wants a roster that blends major-championship poise with shot-making aggression, underpinned by players who can win holes in bunches or strangle a match by refusing to miss fairways and greens. The picks signal confidence in form and fit rather than reputation alone, a crucial distinction with Bethpage Black promising a relentless, high-pressure cauldron. This group can attack in four-ball and suffocate in foursomes, which is exactly the mix required on a long, demanding golf course that rewards conviction off the tee and precise iron control. With the New York crowd ready to amplify every swing, these choices read like a plan to seize momentum early and never hand it back.

Selection Strategy: Fit Over Fame, Chemistry Over Guesswork

Bradley’s selections show an emphasis on repeatable ball flight, reliable temperament, and clearly defined roles. He has leaned into players whose strengths translate directly to match play, whether that means laser-straight approaches for alternate shot or hot-putter ceilings in four-ball. The balance between marquee winners and ascending performers creates lineup flexibility, giving the captain multiple pathways to build session identities. These picks also hint at pairings that complement skill sets rather than merely reputations, which is where the U.S. has occasionally stumbled. Above all, the message is that form, course fit, and competitive nerve carried the day.

Justin Thomas: The Spark Plug Returns

Justin Thomas brings a proven match-play edge, the kind that turns tight sessions with a single surge of shot-making and swagger. His iron play remains a weapon, but it is his emotional thermostat that often swings momentum, especially when the stakes rise and the crowd leans in. Thomas’s short-game savviness and fearlessness on eight-to-12-foot putts make him a natural closer in tight finishes. He also offers lineup versatility, comfortable leading out in four-ball or taking on a pressure-packed anchor shift when needed. When the U.S. requires a jolt, Thomas has a track record of delivering the moment rather than waiting for it.

Collin Morikawa: The Foursomes Metronome

Collin Morikawa is built for alternate shot at a venue like Bethpage Black, where fairway positions and precise windows into firm targets decide holes. His iron control shrinks greens and simplifies partner putts, which is the hidden math of winning foursomes. Morikawa’s calm cadence steadies a side under stress, and his miss pattern is disciplined enough to keep doubles off the card. In four-ball, he may not be the loudest scorer, but he sets a floor that frees a partner to swing freely. In a week where minimal mistakes win as many holes as birdies, his value grows with every session.

Ben Griffin: The Steady Hand With a Quiet Killer Instinct

Ben Griffin is the surprise with substance, a pick earned by consistency, balanced ball-striking, and a putting stroke that shows up when scorecards turn to match sheets. He is unflustered and organized, the kind of player who makes the routine look inevitable and the stressful look manageable. That translates beautifully to alternate shot, where tidy tee-to-green work compounds into easy pars and opportunistic birdies. Griffin’s temperament suggests he will travel in any pairing, giving Bradley an option to stabilize a session or protect a volatile scorer. When the atmosphere tightens, his ability to keep the ball in the right places becomes a quiet advantage.

Cameron Young: Power With Purpose for Bethpage Black

Cameron Young’s speed is headline material, but it is his willingness to swing to targets rather than yardages that makes him dangerous in match play. Bethpage rewards conviction off the tee, and Young’s ability to create short irons into long par fours flips holes before an opponent can respond. He is a four-ball force, where green-light lines and fearless approaches can stack red numbers quickly. In foursomes, a discipline-first game plan turns his power into positional dominance, especially when paired with a precise iron player. If the U.S. wants to set a tone in the opening session, Young is the kind of player who can make a match feel one-sided in a handful of holes.

Patrick Cantlay: The Human Silencer

Patrick Cantlay’s value comes from a game that is unbothered by noise and a tempo that refuses to chase. His tee-to-green control reduces golf to geometry, which is how foursomes matches get suffocated into concession range. Cantlay is also a superb live-odds thinker, choosing targets that protect position while still applying scoreboard pressure. He will not win every hole with fireworks, but he rarely hands one away, and that attrition wears down opponents in the middle of a long day. On a course that punishes impatience, Cantlay’s discipline is a feature, not a constraint.

Sam Burns: The Putter That Can End a Match Early

Sam Burns is here because streaks decide four-ball, and his putter can turn a close contest into a runaway. When the read and speed align, he holes the kinds of putts that demoralize, especially after an opponent’s safe two-putt. Burns also brings more structure tee to green than he often gets credit for, which expands his usefulness in alternate shot when paired with a fairway finder. He is comfortable taking the aggressive line when strategy calls for it and confident enough to throttle back when the match is already leaning his way. In front of a charged home crowd, his swagger and scoring surges travel extremely well.

Pairing Picture: Roles That Click

The roster now offers multiple clean pairing archetypes without forcing chemistry. Young, with a high-speed driver, creates ideal foursomes chemistry, while Thomas, alongside a steady hand, can green-light aggression without risking doubles. Cantlay fits as a session anchor who can play with anyone, and Griffin profiles as the glue who keeps lines tidy and pace calm. Morikawa and Burns headline a four-ball wave that can blitz a vulnerable stretch and flip a session’s tone. The point is optionality, and Bradley has it in spades.

Final Thoughts

These six choices feel intentional and playoff-proof, tailored for a venue that rewards conviction, structure, and emotional control. Justin Thomas brings the spark, Collin Morikawa brings the blueprint, Ben Griffin brings the ballast, Cameron Young brings the throttle, Patrick Cantlay brings the governor, and Sam Burns brings the dagger. Together, they form a set of answers to the questions Bethpage Black will ask, and they give the captain multiple ways to script mornings and close afternoons. Nothing about a Ryder Cup is linear, but this roster construction looks built for turbulence as much as for talent. With the picks made, the plan is visible, and the U.S. has the pieces to execute it.