'Darkest Time Of My Life Probably' - Keegan Bradley Opens Up On Ryder Cup Loss

Keegan Bradley says he has been going through the 'darkest time of my life' following the USA's Ryder Cup defeat at Bethpage Black.

The American captain honorably took the blame after his team's loss in New York, where Luke Donald's Europeans won 15-13 despite an intense final day comeback from the home team.

Bradley, speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge after his big win in The Skins Game on Black Friday, also responded to Justin Thomas' claim that the Bethpage Black greens were not at the desired speed.

"I mean, the darkest time of my life probably. I mean, I don't know how else to describe it. Certainly, definitely of my career," Bradley said on how the Ryder Cup defeat has affected him.

"There's always this letdown after a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup regardless of the outcome because the emotions are so extreme. It's Ryder Cup hangover and you're just exhausted and you're down, you know. That takes a toll on you.

"But there's just, it just was, it just was a tough time. Still is.

"But to be honest with you, the last couple weeks I've felt more like myself. Getting back, getting ready to play tournaments, playing the Skins game, getting ready to come play here.

"Really, it's been tough for all of us; not just me, the players as well.

"I feel like every time I see a player on the team here I want to just go give him a hug and sit down and chat. But I'm grateful for everybody.

"I'm in a unique position where I could make another team, which has never been done. I would love to do that."

Justin Thomas made headlines on Monday when he admitted members of Team USA had been questioning staff at Bethpage over the speed of the greens.

The two-time Major winner said Bradley wanted them at 13 on the stimpmeter but Thomas was adamant they were slower.

When asked by media, Bradley seemed to agree the putting surfaces were not as fast as he hoped but was not putting any blame on the course - having previously stated he wished he had set it up differently.

"Well, I do know that once the tournament starts on - the Sunday before the Ryder Cup, we lose control of the golf course, the home team," Bradley said.

"They were given specifications of where to keep the greens and they felt that they had done that. They did a great job.

"It's so difficult to figure out. There's so much going on and you want the greens at a certain speed and they're telling you that they are. You've got to take their word for it.

"But the greens are so flat that it's difficult I think to get the pace that we were looking for. But the course was in great shape.

"You know, the Europeans, they just played so great. I wish that we could blame somebody, but we can't.

"Blame me, I blame myself for that lost. It would be nice to blame that but we can't."

Bradley is among the star names in a stacked Hero World Challenge field this week in the Bahamas.