Captain of Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup, Keegan Bradley, has revealed that he will likely never move past the sting of the team’s defeat at Bethpage Black.

In his first public remarks since the close loss to Team Europe, Bradley described the experience as one of the hardest periods of his life.

He admitted that the weight of the defeat stays with him constantly, saying, “there’s no part of me that thinks I’ll ever get over this.” 

The 39-year-old captain talked about the emotional toll the Ryder Cup loss has taken, especially given the immense effort and preparation that went into leading the American team. 

The disappointment was deepened by the poor showing during the first two days of competition, where Europe took a commanding lead.

Bradley spoke about the sadness and frustration he felt witnessing the early struggles unfold despite the many months spent planning and strategizing for success.

“You put so much into it, and you have all this planning, and the first two days went as poorly as we could have ever thought,” he said. 

“The first practice day, I was out on the tee, and I was watching the guys walk down the fairway all together, and I said to myself ‘I wish I was playing – that’s what it’s all about. I’m missing out’.’”

Bradley also detailed how difficult it was internally to manage the situation as the team dug itself into a large deficit early on. He had to step outside to compose himself before continuing to lead his players for the final sessions.

Although Team USA mounted a strong comeback in the singles matches on the last day, winning a large share of the points, it ultimately fell short of overturning the European advantage.

He reflected on the uniqueness of his position as both a competing player and captain, which granted him a rare experience in professional golf.

Bradley noted that while this dual role was rewarding in terms of competing and winning other tournaments in the same period, it did not soften the blow of the Ryder Cup loss.