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    Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley makes Rory McIlroy warning to US golfers

    By Sam Frost & Rudi Kinsella,

    6 hours ago
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4beVhu_0uscg2PU00

    Keegan Bradley has issued a stern warning to Rory McIlroy and his European Ryder Cup teammates ahead of next year's clash at Bethpage Black in New York.

    Bradley was an unexpected choice for the USA captaincy after Tiger Woods declined the opportunity . Despite being 38, he remains one of the most notable contenders on the PGA Tour.

    He still hopes to qualify for the 12-man team, but he is enjoying the captain's role. He has made it clear that the Europeans will be in for a shoc k when they arrive in New York next September to defend their title.

    McIlroy has been confident about Europe's chances since reclaiming the trophy in Rome last year. He reinforced his position with some pointed remarks to hecklers during a practice round at St Andrews last week.

    American tourists shouted to McIlroy as he played the Old Course: "New York loves you, the Bronx baby, the Bronx."

    The Northern Irishman retorted: "You're not gonna love us next year," referring to the upcoming battle at Bethpage. However, Bradley believes the New York crowd will definitely sway things and provide the Americans with a significant home-field advantage.

    "The New York fans are incredible fans; they're going to be passionate, they're going to be loud and they're going to be crazy, just like any Ryder Cup you go to, any away Ryder Cup you go to," he told the Fore Play Podcast. "They're going to be loud and they're going to cheer for their home team. It's going to be tough to play there if you're not an American. I don't know what else to say. I expect them to behave appropriately. I can't control how they are going to act but they are going to be fired up.

    "With 10,000 people on the first tee, it's going to be a tough place to play, just like Madison Square Garden is a tough place for the Celtics to go play the Knicks.

    "It's a tough place to play. "Bradley has made no attempt to play down the hype since being named captain last month, insisting next year's Ryder Cup has "The potential to be one of the greatest sporting events of all time".

    Forget about the outcome, you're playing golf's biggest event on golf's biggest stage in New York," he continued. "Everybody who has played Bethpage in a tournament knows how wild and crazy it is then.

    It's going to be great for golf and ridiculously golf for the Ryder Cup. ""I expect the fans to behave accordingly but I can't be out there scolding people. That never goes over well when you do that anyways, especially in New York."

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