Report: Luke Donald agrees to Ryder Cup rule change, helping Keegan Bradley's path as playing captain
Telegraph Sport reported Monday that Team Europe and captain Luke Donald have agreed to a rule change in the captain's agreement that will allow one of Bradley's assistants to act as a de facto captain if Bradley is playing during a session.
'Keegan can only change the overarching contract with Luke and Ryder Cup Europe's approval,' a source told Telegraph Sport. 'The contract between the teams includes things like how many vice-captains a team can have, etc. That is used year on year and captains rarely change that. But Keegan went to Luke with this clause and Luke generously agreed. We don't want any bad blood between the camps.'
Only the captain is allowed to give advice to players in the Ryder Cup, such as what clubs to hit on a par 3 or where to aim in a fairway. But as Bradley, who looks set to become the first Ryder Cup playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963, continues to plan to play, he's making adjustments to allow his assistants to step in if he is on the course.
The report suggests Jim Furyk, who was Team USA's captain in 2018 during a defeat in Paris, would step up into the role of captain when Bradley is playing.
Bradley sits 10th in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings with four weeks to go until the top six earn automatic selections on the team. While it's unlikely Bradley rises that far, his recent form suggests he's one of the 12 best Americans to take on Bethpage Black come September in New York.
Now, a change in the rules further paves the way for him to be a playing captain.
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