U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley told Sports Illustrated on Wednesday that many of the players who make the American team plan to tee up at a Fall Series event in preparation for the late-September showdown against Team Europe at Bethpage Black.
It's a noteworthy decision considering the Americans' preparation for the 2023 Ryder Cup came into question after a decisive 16.5-11.5 loss to Europe in Italy.
The majority of the U.S. team didn't play competitively between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup that year - a four-plus-week stretch. All 12 of Europe's players, meanwhile, stayed sharp by competing in the BMW PGA Championship two weeks before the Ryder Cup.
Bradley told Sports Illustrated that while it won't be mandatory, he expects players to tee it up at the Procore Championship in Napa, California, starting Sept. 11, in preparation for the Ryder Cup two weeks later on Long Island.
"No one is required to go," Bradley told SI. "The boys feel like this is the best course of action to be ready to play at their highest level at Bethpage."
Bradley, the world No. 10, said that will include himself if he decides to play on the team. His strong season, capped by a win at the Travelers in June, has him ranked 10th in the latest Ryder Cup standings. The top six automatically qualify for the U.S. team, and another six will be selected by Bradley as team captain Aug. 27.
