"USA captain Keegan Bradley opts out of playing in Ryder Cup at Bethpage"

Keegan Bradley has decided against taking on the dual role of player and captain at the upcoming Ryder Cup, a feat not seen since 1963. The U.S. team leader revealed his six wildcard selections on Wednesday, choosing not to include himself despite his strong world ranking.

Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns were the players selected. Speaking at a press conference in Texas, Bradley described the past year as "the most incredible of my life" while explaining his choices.

"The choice to step aside was made some time ago," Bradley said. "There was a point this season when I was in contention, but these players rose to the occasion and earned their spots through performance."

Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, JJ Spaun, Harris English, Russell Henley, and Bryson DeChambeau had already secured their places on the team through qualification. Among the notable absentees are Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka, both of whom struggled this season.

European captain Luke Donald will announce his six selections next Monday. The competition, set for September 26-28, marks the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup, with the U.S. aiming to reclaim the trophy after their 16½-11½ defeat last time.