Bryson DeChambeau Will Be 'Important Piece' to USA Ryder Cup Team, Keegan Bradley Says

Bryson DeChambeau played well in another major championship and has nothing to worry about when it comes to his expected place on the United States' Ryder Cup team later this year.

"Bryson is going to be a very important piece to us winning the Ryder Cup," U.S. captain Keegan Bradley told Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig on Sunday. "He brings so much. He brings energy, passion but most importantly, he's one of the best players on the planet."

The comments were notable because DeChambeau may need Bradley to select him with a captain's pick.

While the top six automatic qualifiers are guaranteed a spot on the team, DeChambeau's spot at fifth in the team standings is precarious at best because he can no longer earn any more points this year with just LIV Golf League events remaining on his schedule.

By comparison, PGA Tour players still have four more events and then the first two FedEx Cup playoff tournaments to battle for positioning.

For his part, DeChambeau said he spoke briefly with Bradley this week at the Open Championship and was among the potential Ryder Cup players who had a note left in their lockers.

"It meant a lot," he said. "This year's no joke. We're tired of it. We're tired of losing."

Europe won the most recent Ryder Cup in Rome in 2023, although the Americans won the previous one in 2021. Still, the European team has won five of the seven Ryder Cups since the 2010 event.

That Bradley sees DeChambeau as a surefire selection comes as no surprise. After all, he has six top-10 finishes in 10 LIV events this year and has been a force at the major championships despite not winning one.

He finished in a tie for fifth at the Masters, a tie for second at the PGA Championship and a tie for 10th at the Open Championship, which ended Sunday. While he missed the cut at the U.S. Open, three top-10 finishes in the four events underscores his position among the game's best players.

And he will look to use that position to help the Americans get back to their winning ways at the Ryder Cup.