Keegan Bradley on the Ryder Cup envelope rule: 'It has to change'

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Keegan Bradley is adamant: the Ryder Cup's envelope rule has to change for 2027 and beyond.

The rule, which is in the captain's agreement, says each captain must write down a name and seal it in an envelope. That player will be withdrawn from Sunday singles if an opposing player is unable to compete. This ensures both teams remain evenly matched, and the match is considered tied.

It came into effect Sunday, when Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw with a neck injury. Harris English was the player who had to sit out a match and was unable to play in singles, and it's a rule Bradley thinks has to change.

"I have a few ideas but I'm not going to tell you right now," Bradley said. "I mean, the rule has to change. I think it's obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup."

Had the rule been changed, the result would not have changed. Europe won the Ryder Cup 15-13, and if English got a full point, the Americans still would've lost on Sunday by one.

The envelope rule has been used before, including in a 1991 American victory and in 1993, when American Lanny Wadkins volunteered to sit out instead of the envelope being opened.

As adamant as Bradley is the rule needs to be changed, European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is quite the opposite and pulled out some history in explaining his reason why.

"I think it's been in place since 1971. The U.S. have used it before," Donald said. "I think it happened in 1991 with Steve Pate. That was a tight Ryder Cup, too, 14½-13½. It happened in 1993; Sam Torrance couldn't play with an injured toe. The U.S. won that one.

"We have contracts for a reason, a captains' agreement for a reason, for situations that occur. I want to center it back to Viktor; I would have had absolute faith in him to deliver a point today. He couldn't play. He was gutted."

Is the rule going to change? With both sides having differing opinions, it's hard to envision it, but it sounds like Bradley is interested in being a voice to invoke change.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Keegan Bradley says Ryder Cup's envelope rule has to change by 2027