Keegan Bradley's recent resurgent form has increased the chances of him playing his way into his own Ryder Cup side next year - but he now faces a dilemma over playing in next month's Presidents Cup.
It was a big shock when Bradley was selected as America's 2025 Ryder Cup captain, and he's already spoken about his desire to be a playing captain at Bethpage Black.
But things have been getting even more complicated thanks to his recent form that saw him win the BMW Championship, and he's unsure how to handle the scenario at the Presidents Cup.
His win moved him into 10th spot in the Presidents Cup standings, with the top six automatically qualifying and then captain Jim Furyk getting six picks - one of which seems highly likely to be Bradley.
He was already scheduled to be one of Furyk's vice-captains, so there's now the possibility of him playing as well as being part of the backroom team.
And whether doing that and getting experience of playing and leading, or just getting experience of being in the leadership group alone is still a big question for Bradley to answer.
"I think there's pros and cons to both sides," Bradley said of playing or not at the Presidents Cup. "I think certainly being a vice-captain would help me being a captain at Bethpage because when you're playing, your mentality changes a bit.
"You're more stressed out. You're thinking about, geez, I've got the alternate shot hole, I've got the tough drive. So there's other things in your mind.
"But also being inside the ropes with these guys in the battle, in the heat, reminding myself how tough this is, and if a situation arises where I am playing at Bethpage, playing this, playing at the Presidents Cup would certainly help.
"I've gone back and forth, and I think that there's pros and cons to both of them. Whatever happens, I'm going to have to figure out how to make the best of it."
Bradley has spoken to Furyk about options for his six picks, which now surely have to include Bradley himself - and which also is a tricky situation the Ryder Cup captain feels bad about.
"I think we've had some quick discussions, but he's largely left me to playing these last couple weeks," Bradley added.
"He was explaining to me a situation, I forget which Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup it was, he was in a very similar spot that I was; he was a vice-captain but he was still trying to make the team. So he knows what I'm going through.
"But I really - there's part of me that feels terrible I put him in this position. But I want to be as up front with him and honest with him, and he's been great."
Bradley has already been leaning on Furyk for advice about the Ryder Cup, but with regards to the Presidents Cup, he insists he will not play if they deem it better for the team for him to be purely a vice-captain.
"I want to do what's best for the team. I truly, truly mean that," said Bradley. "If what's best for the team is for me to play, then I want to play. If what's best is for me to be the vice-captain and there's better pairings, then I'm happy to do that.
"Jim has been an incredible leader. I've learned so much from him already. Jim is a guy that when I first came out on Tour, he was a guy that I really looked up to.
"To be able to be around him and sort of hear his insight, just a few of the little things that he's told me, has really, really helped and I think will help my captaincy at Bethpage."
