Keegan Bradley Conquers the Travelers Championship with an Epic Comeback
The Ryder Cup team captain, Keegan Bradley, staged a spectacular comeback to win the Travelers Championship. Bradley, three strokes behind with four holes to play, birdied the 18th hole in front of an euphoric crowd, securing the victory with a score of 68 strokes (-2).
This triumph reinforces Bradley’s position to take his clubs to Bethpage Black in September, for the matchups against Europe. He climbed to number 9 in the rankings.
Bradley defeated Tommy Fleetwood, who had secured the decisive point for Europe at Marco Simone two years ago.
With a one-shot disadvantage on the 18th hole, Bradley left his approach less than 6 feet from the hole. Fleetwood, seeking his first PGA Tour title, came up short and needed three putts for a bogey, signing a 72.
Bradley celebrated with a fist in the air. The New England favorite delivered a stunning finish at TPC River Highlands, culminating with a 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole and the final 6-foot putt.
“Of all the shots and putts I’ve made, I think I’ll remember that one the most,” he said about his final birdie.
Keegan Bradley
It was a tough blow for 34-year-old Fleetwood, who has a respectable record but has yet to win in 84 regular PGA Tour events. Henley called the referees.
Bradley has secured two victories against world-class fields in the last 10 months. Only Scottie Scheffler has won more since August among the players ahead of him in the Ryder Cup standings.
When asked on the 18th hole green if he should play, Bradley only replied: “Go, USA!”
Bradley tied with Fleetwood, who bogeyed three of his first four holes, going to the second nine. But the Englishman began to pull away with a couple of birdies and had a two-shot lead when he hit a wedge to 6 feet on the 14th hole.
Bradley made an approach over the green into a bunker, and the only thing he could do was get out to 40 feet and bogey to fall three strokes behind.
But he made the 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th. Fleetwood went long on the par-3 16th, chipped to about 20 feet for bogey to cut the margin to one stroke and set the tone for the turnaround that gave Bradley his second Travelers victory in three years.
Bradley finished at 15 under par, 265 strokes, and won $3.6 million for his first title in a signature event. He also won the BMW Championship, the second playoff event of the FedEx Cup, last August at Cherry Hills, outside of Denver.
Bradley, who turned 39 this month, won on the anniversary of a year in which he received the call asking him to be captain of the Ryder Cup.
Harris English (65) boosted his Ryder Cup hopes by tying for fourth place with Jason Day (68).
Scottie Scheffler, who shared the lead at 36 holes until a 72 in the third round, closed with a 65 and tied for sixth place with Rory McIlroy, who also shot 65. They were three strokes behind.
Scheffler and McIlroy have already secured a place on the Ryder Cup team. Bradley is also sure to be there. It remains to be determined what role he will play.
