– Just concluded as the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley wasted no time in making his mark, launching a stunning public broadside against the sport’s governing body by declaring the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system “rigged.”
The fiery declaration came mere hours after his official appointment was announced, signaling a captaincy that will likely be as combative and passionate as his playing style. Bradley, a veteran of two Ryder Cup teams, positioned himself as a fierce defender of the PGA Tour loyalists he will now lead at Bethpage Black next year.
“The system is rigged right now,” Bradley stated unequivocally during his introductory press conference. “It’s been going on for a long time, and it’s a shame. The [world ranking] number next to our players’ names does not reflect how they’re playing.”
While Bradley did not mention the rival LIV Golf circuit by name, the target of his accusation was clear. The OWGR has repeatedly denied LIV’s applications for its 54-hole, no-cut events to earn ranking points. This has caused the rankings of top LIV players, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka, to plummet, while PGA Tour players accruing points in eligible events have seen their positions solidify or rise.
Bradley’s core argument is that this dynamic unfairly punishes the very players who have remained committed to the traditional tour, potentially skewing the automatic qualification process for his team.
“How are you supposed to qualify for the team based on a system that isn’t fair?” Bradley questioned, his voice rising with emotion. “I’m going to have to look at players who are playing the best, regardless of what a number next to their name says. But the guys who have stayed and done what they’re supposed to do, they’re the ones being hurt right now.”
The OWGR has consistently defended its position, stating its criteria—including a 36-hole cut and guaranteed access for qualifying players—are applied uniformly to maintain a credible and consistent measure of global performance.
Reaction to Bradley’s salvo was immediate. Many within the PGA Tour sphere celebrated his outspoken stance, seeing him as a powerful advocate for their cause. However, critics suggested the new captain was unnecessarily politicizing his role from day one and undermining the objective system used for decades to determine tournament fields and team qualifications.
Bradley’s comments set a defiant tone for the 2025 matches. They strongly suggest he will rely heavily on his six captain’s picks and his own judgment of current form, potentially bypassing the OWGR-driven automatic qualification list to assemble his team. This approach guarantees that the debate over the legitimacy of the world rankings will be a central, and deeply contentious, storyline throughout the entire buildup to the Ryder Cup.
