Keegan Bradley names Snedeker and Simpson as Vice Captains for the 2025 Ryder Cup: Who’s next?

Bradley is a young Ryder Cup captain and his Vice Captains fit that profile too. The US Captain is only 38 years old, Webb Simpson is 39 and newly named Vice Captain Brandt Snedeker is 43. So far youth is the common denominator for this group of captains compared to the team in 2023 in Rome:

Maybe Bradley is on to something and feels like the guys making the decisions need to be closer in age to the players and the modern Game. That said, Steve Stricker was hugely successful in 2021 at the age of 54 with a group of vice captains that is almost identical to the list above with the exception of Phil Mickelson, who wasn’t in Rome due to his move to LIV Golf and the controversy surrounding him.

Who are the other Vice Captain candidates for the US Ryder Cup team?

Let’s see first who Bradley probably won’t pick. With LIV relations still rocky at best, there probably won’t be any Vice Captains who come from the list of players who went to the Saudi-backed tour. Bradley mentiond Mickelson in an interview: “I still have a great relationship with Phil. I don’t think he’s interested in being a vice-captain,” he said. Some younger guys, who probably won’t make the team on points like Justin Thomas or Jordan Spieth probably won’t be on Bradley’s list as they are part of the boys’ club that kept Bradley off the 2023 Ryder Cup team in Rome.

Only Bradley knows who will be his Vice Captains, but if we believe that he’s going for a generational change and getting rid of some of the old guard (see list above), some possibilities could be:

Brendon Todd: He’s in the age group of Snedeker and Simpson at 39,but the PGA Tour veteran lacks Ryder Cup experience.

Chris Kirk: Same thing as with Todd, he’s 39, a tour veteran, but does have Ryder Cup experience.

Ryan Moore: In that group of 40-45 year olds, Moore was part of the Ryder Cup team that won in 2016 at Hazeline, so definitely on Bradley’s short list.

Jimmy Walker: Also has the right age (45) and has experience on Tour and at the Ryder Cup in 2014 and 2016.

Lucas Glover: Another in the age range at 44, but without Ryder Cup experience. That said, he has played on successful Presidents Cup teams in 2007 and 2009 and was also snubbed by Zach Johnson last year.

Paul Azinger: OK, bear with me here. He’s definitely not in the age range that Snedeker, Simpson and Bradley are in, but he has the experience and seems to be out of the boys’ club. His preparation for the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla was impressive and even turned into a book “Cracking the Code.” A long shot, I know, but only Bradley knows who can help him lead the Americans to victory in 2025 at Bethpage.