Keegan Bradley’s first speech in Bethpage Black as Ryder Cup Captain Hit most of the right notes.
He introduced his team with pride and a little humor (thanks to “New Jersey Native” Scottie Scheffler). He played in his St. Johns -roots – The ‘grit and dirt’ of Queens, someone? He even delivered a handful of lines directly from the heart and admitted that the captain of the Ryder Cup was an experience that he never dreamed far enough to reach.
But there was a time when the eyebrows lifted almost everyone involved – one line that aroused more than a handful of chuckling from the Ryder Cup stage and in the crowd. The moment in question, as roughly paraphrased by a speech viewer?
“I remember that I fell in love with the Ryder Cup for the first time, as a 13-year-old boy on my father’s shoulders in 1999 in Brookline,” said Bradley. “I will never forget about looking at the winning putin Rose on the 17th hole on Sunday and everything that represented.”
It was a moving anecdote and a story that helped Bradley’s love and passion for the event of the week contextualization. But there was one small Detail is missing: Bradley had received the wrong Justin.
Of course Bradley had meant To name Justin LeonardWhose 45-foot Birdie Putt on the 17th hole in Brookline sent Jose Maria Olazabal and gave the Americans an unthinkable comeback victory.
The only problem? He had said Justin Rose’s Name, referring to the competitor during this week’s Ryder Cup for the rival European side.
Bradley’s blunder was a small one, to be sure, but it caught the attention of the euro side, which could not control their laughter while Bradley continued his speech.
All in all, the moment was only a small footnote on another successful captain debut for CAPPT. Keegan at Bethpage Black. His speech in particular contrasted against that of the European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who delivered a handful of harsh lines about the virtue of Team Europe’s decision to play for free during this year’s Ryder Cup.
In the end, Bradley will be much more remembered as an American captain than his Justin-Mismatch on Wednesday afternoon. The cup starts on Friday afternoon and we learn Thursday at 4 p.m. when Justins (Thomas for the Americans, Rose for the euro) are part of the procedure. You can bet that Bradley will have the correct name.
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