Keegan Bradley has reportedly been handed a major boost in his hopes of being a playing captain at the Ryder Cup.
The Team USA skipper has suggested he could feature at Bethpage Black in September.
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Bradley has been handed a boost in his hopes of playing at the Ryder CupCredit: Getty
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Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain back in 1963Credit: Getty
It would make the 39-year-old the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
On that occasion, Team USA cruised to a dominant 23-9 victory at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bradley’s chances of emulating the golf legend have now increased after the latest Ryder Cup development.
According to The Telegraph, Team Europe captain Luke Donald has agreed to a key clause proposal for the event.
The rule change will allow a vice-captain to give on-course advice to players.
It paves the way for Bradley to select himself as one of six captain’s picks.
The former PGA Championship winner is currently outside of the automatic qualification spots in 10th.
Players have until the end of next month’s BMW Championship to guarantee themselves a place on Team USA.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is the only American player to do so ahead of this year’s tournament.
Meanwhile, Bradley’s impressive recent form has caused a desire for him to take part of the first time in 11 years.
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Donald has agreed to a rule change allowing vice-captains to give on-course adviceCredit: Getty
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Bradley’s win at the Travelers Championship last month prompted calls for him to choose himselfCredit: Getty
His victory at the Travelers Championship back in June was his eighth career victory on the PGA Tour.
Bradley is also fresh from finishing tied for 30th at The Open Championship over the weekend.
Addressing the decision last week, he said: “I’ve been playing some pretty good golf – but so have a lot of other Americans.
“If I was sitting here without being captain then making this team would be my number one goal – that doesn’t change with me being captain.
“I would be sitting here thinking ‘I’m right there and have a great chance of making the team’.”
The last of his two previous Ryder Cup appearances came back in 2014 after missing out two years ago.
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Bradley was overlooked by captain Zach Johnson, who instead selected the lower-ranked trio of Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas to make up his team.
This time around, the world number seven will make the decision, with five vice-captains on hand to support him at Bethpage.
Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner, Jim Furyk and Gary Woodland have been named as Bradley’s vice-captains.
Meanwhile, Donald will once again be assisted by Thomas Bjorn, Edoardo Molinari and Jose Maria Olazabal.