US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints

Keegan Bradley has responded to Xander Schauffele's Ryder Cup recommendations (Image: Getty)

Xander Schauffele wants US Team Ryder Cup players to be able to focus more on the action at Bethpage Black next year and less on their off-course commitments.

But team captain Keegan Bradley has reminded Schauffele that those commitments are inescapable around such a big tournament, and the environment is always going to be different compared to individual events.

The time and effort involved in getting ready for and attending team dinners was one area Schauffele felt could be altered in order to get the best out of the Americans. "I would be the first guy to admit that I need to flee quickly," he said before The Open in July.

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"It just seems like it's all these little... even like team dinners or things of that nature, we can have them sort of quick and inside versus having to go out, dress up and all those things. It's just small things.

"I think there's two or three dinners that we have to go to that are kind of mandatory-ish, and I think if we cut it down to one or two versus three that would be a really big deal."

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Those comments were put to Bradley during a Ryder Cup press conference in New York on Tuesday. And though he was diplomatic with his response, the American effectively told Schauffele to grit his teeth and get on with it.

Xander Schauffele won The Open at Royal Troon in July (Image: Getty)

"Listen, you come into a Ryder Cup and you know you have a lot of obligations," he said. "You're going to have to do things that you wouldn't normally do at a major week - that is part of the deal.

"Xander is a leader of the US Team. He is a guy that everyone on the team looks up to, including their captain. He's just an unbelievable person and a critical part of our team. I think when he says that, he's just trying to look out for his other team-mates. He's nothing but amazing in the team room and with the players."

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Schauffele is one of the heavyweights of the US Team, having put together a sparkling 2024 season which saw him win both the PGA Championship and The Open, despite having never previously won a major.

Now sitting second in the world rankings, Schauffele is set to compete in his third consecutive Ryder Cup next year. The 30-year-old was present for the US Team's dominant win at Whistling Straits in 2021, as well as their defeat at Marco Simone in 2023.

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley dismisses Xander Schauffele complaints