Rory McIlroy Weighs in on U.S. Ryder Cup Captaincy Dilemma

Certainly! Here is the revised article:

Owings Mills, Aug 14 (AP) — Rory McIlroy asserts that the enormity of the Ryder Cup renders it unsuitable for a captain active in matches. He's already declined any notion of taking on such a dual role himself. But his interest in the dilemma surrounding U.S. captain Keegan Bradley remains unabated.

"I definitely think he's one of the best 12 American players right now," McIlroy stated ahead of the BMW Championship. "That's why everyone is so interested and it's such a compelling case."

Bradley, age 39, holds the distinction of being the youngest U.S. captain since Arnold Palmer achieved the role at 34 in 1963. Bradley’s success, particularly his BMW Championship win and his strong PGA Tour performance, has placed him on the cusp of earning an automatic team spot.

To secure one of the six automatic slots, Bradley needs a victory at Caves Valley. Following next week's Tour Championship, he will announce six captain's picks.

The Ryder Cup, set for Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black, hasn’t seen a playing captain since Palmer at East Lake 62 years ago. During that era, the matches were notably less competitive.

Bradley ranks No. 10 in the Ryder Cup standings, No. 12 in the world, and No. 14 in the FedEx Cup. He has fewer than ten Americans ahead of him in each category.

"If I was the captain, I'd pick Keegan. I think he's played great," endorsed Patrick Cantlay. World No. 1 and team qualifier Scottie Scheffler echoed support, noting the strength Bradley would add.

McIlroy, who recently played alongside Bradley during the Travelers Championship which Bradley won, opined that without Bradley, “America aren’t going with their very best.” Nevertheless, McIlroy harbors doubts.

The Ryder Cup's current magnitude encompasses extensive media and logistical commitments for the captain. McIlroy highlighted these burdens as barriers to a captain’s active participation.

"If you'd have said it 20 years ago, I'd say, yeah, it was probably possible to do," he reflected. McIlroy believes playing competitively alongside captaining is improbable now. He compared Tiger Woods' limited play during his captaincy at the 2019 Presidents Cup.

Bradley acknowledged McIlroy’s viewpoints, noting his contemplations on the feasibility of a playing captain. His approach aligns with considering himself as he would any other potential pick.

“He might be right,” Bradley conceded about McIlroy's perspective. "We don't know. No one knows," he mused, realizing the unprecedented nature of his circumstance.

Bradley has often sought guidance throughout his career, but with this unique scenario, he faces the unknown alone. His quest for insight into harmonizing both roles remains unmet.

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