Keegan Bradley, in his first comments since the US team lost the Ryder Cup, opened up about the “brutal” experience. in Bethpage and said he would “really enjoy playing in another one” before admitting, “I don’t know if I’ll get the chance.” Do you think Bradley has a better chance of being in Ireland in 2027 as a player or a second spell as captain?
Meaning: Neither. Maybe as assistant captain to Tiger Woods? Bradley poured his heart into his captaincy and I’m sure he would do the same again, but passion for the event is not a sufficient qualification. He did a mediocre job. Why rehire him? Whatever happens, the fact that we’re discussing this two years is yet another example of America’s gift for overthinking the Ryder Cup.
Colgan: I think he has a better chance to come as a player, but I don’t think his chances EITHER they are very good. A vice-captain feels much more in line.
Dethier: O you of little faith! At Keegan We Believe. One of the most passionate men in golf can channel another big dose of Ryder Cup frustration into a two-year treble and make this team. He’s never been a links golfer – but Adare Manor is not links. All good.
Melts: He may try to qualify for the team, but I think (hopefully) his days as captain are behind him. It turns out that being obsessed with the Ryder Cup doesn’t automatically make someone a good captain.
;)
Michael Bamberger
YouTube stars Good Good Golf made two sweeping announcementsnts last week: will serve as Title sponsor for a new PGA Tour event in Texas, and the group will also team with the Golf Channel to produce a new edition of the reality TV show, “The Big Break.” What news arouses your most interest?
Meaning: It’s hard for me to get too excited about who is or isn’t sponsoring a tournament, though this news definitely underscores the broader ongoing cultural shift in golf. I’m more interested in watching The Big Break reboot. I would think at a faster pace, given that attention spans have not increased any more. And maybe tougher, given the movement of everything these days.
Colgan: The first. It costs a lot of money to sponsor a PGA Tour event (like $12-15 million, according to recent reports). The fall series nature of the Good Good Championship may make it cost a little cheaper, but it’s still a wild amount of capital for a company of its size. I’m sure there’s a compelling business case, but I’m still fascinated.
Dethier: I am mostly fascinated by the change of identity that has taken place here. We usually think of Good Good and its smaller-scale YouTube Golf peers as a kind of future of golf — an alternative to the PGA Tour and the Golf Channel. Now they’re leaning into the PGA Tour AND the Golf Channel, touching on the past as they do. There is power in being a part of creation…
Melts: I am fascinated by the whole spectacle. I knew Good Good was big, but I didn’t think they sponsored a big tournament event. If nothing else, I’m glad to see Big Break making a comeback. It was always one of my favorite watches as a kid and I’m interested to see how the reboot turns out.
;)
James Colgan
The aforementioned tournament (The Good Good Championship) will be played as a fall event beginning next year and will take place in Austin, which not long ago hosted a regular PGA Tour stop. What does this move tell you about the future of the PGA Tour and how it plans to serve its audience?
Meaning: It’s no secret that the Tour, like golf itself, is bending over backwards to bring in a younger audience. This move is clearly in line with that effort. The September timing also seems like a good (good) fit – during what used to be called the fat season, as opposed to the traditional heart of the season. It’s a smart, relatively low-risk way to try something new.
Colgan: It’s hard to fathom the disappearance of the Maui event the same week that Austin returns to the schedule, but I’m glad to see one of the most beautiful towns on the golf course make a comeback.
Dethier: The tour has telegraphed its plans for a smaller, more meaningful headlining schedule. But it has also lasted several autumn events and now includes another one. Something has to give to bring these visions together – and soon.
Melts: Bringing Good Good on as the title sponsor certainly signals that the tournament is looking to cater to a younger audience, but does the sponsor of an event really matter that much? I’m not sure the name of the event will do much to spark interest in the younger demographic.
;)
Rory McIlroy’s slump after the Masters? Another major champion fought a similar battle in 2025
Josh Schrock
Former world number 1 and five-time major champion Yani Tseng won a weather-shortened Wistron Ladies Open on the European Women’s Tour on Sunday in Taiwan to claim her first win in more than a decade. Tseng has been open about her battle with the yips, but a move to left-wing style helped revive her career. Considering where Tseng was years ago, how unlikely was this victory?
Meaning: I interviewed Tseng at her home in Florida years ago, when she was at the height of her powers. She seemed so at ease with her life on and off the field that I was shocked to see her go off the rails. But this comeback is even more surprising. Ten years is a long, long time to keep fighting. It’s amazing that she kept it up, and even more amazing that she got another win.
Colgan: Impossible? I don’t know. But inspiring? yes! As someone who recently started looking at the target of my own shot to kick a bad habit of rage, I’m stoked to learn that there is hope … even if it ends up on the other side of the ball.
