Keegan Bradley started the day three shots behind the lead at the Travelers Championship and fired three bogeys and five birdies, finishing with a birdie putt from 5 feet, 8 inches at the 18th, to close with a 2-under 68 and win by one shot at 15-under.
“It was really strange, actually, because I didn’t really expect to have it to win, so all of a sudden I had a putt to win the tournament,” said the American. “I hadn’t led ever until the last putt, so really what dreams are made of. I’m really proud of myself for — it’s a lot of energy on that last hole with the crowd, and I did a great job of sort of staying in my own little zone and doing what I do best.
“I know how hard it must be for [Fleetwood]. He’s just an unbelievable player, and he’s fighting so hard to get his first win. It’s a weird thing to be on the other side of that. I do feel bad for him, but I got to go out and do what I need to do. But, you know, he battled today and I really hope that he gets his win soon.”
Bradley has now won eight times on the PGA Tour at the age of 39. He has won in back-to-back-to back seasons for the first time on Tour (2024 BMW Championship).
The US Ryder Cup Team Captain is projected to move inside the top-10 in the US Ryder Cup team ranking after entering the week at No. 17.
“I never really planned on playing [in he Ryder Cup]. I really wanted to just be the captain. I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys. They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities.
“Now, with the amazing vice captains that I have, and I have a better perspective of playing in the Presidents Cup and being around a lot of the guys, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route. I’m really proud of the guys that are vice captains and — you know, obviously, you got Jim Furyk, one of the greatest players to play and also an incredibly great captain at the Presidents Cup. “
England’s Tommy Fleetwood who held a three-shot lead after 54 holes produced five bogeys and three birdies for a final-round 72 to finish T2 at 14-under. He has now finished in the top-10 on Tour 42 times, the most of any player without a win since 1983.
“It was tough. A very different day condition-wise,” said Fleetwood. “Felt like it was very similar to Friday. I felt like I scrapped well, but also there was a period where I felt like I got a grip of, like, two 3-putts early on on 3 and 4 where you’re like, you know, I hit a good shot into 4 out of the rough there.
“3, again, feel I got that wind wrong a little bit, and had a lot of work to do and three putt.
“So there was that bit of it. I didn’t feel like I was playing too poorly. I felt like I was hitting a lot of good shots, and then if you look at — I really feel like from 7 onwards the shots I was hitting, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, I was very much in control and playing very well. I just — in the jaws on 12 and 14, I could have done with rolling that one in.
“Then you get to the end and, obviously, I didn’t really feel like I hit that many bad shots execution-wise, just sort of a couple of bad decisions and didn’t clean ’em up, which is pretty poor and things that I have to work on.
“I haven’t been in this situation for a while. I think, you know, when it sort of calms down — I’m upset now, I’m angry — when it calms down, look at the things that I did well, look at the things that I can learn from.”
American Russell Henley tied for second place after chipping in for birdie on the 72nd hole for a 69. He posted four rounds in the 60s in a single event for the second time in fourteen starts this season (Sony Open in Hawaii/T10).
Harris English of the USA and Australia’s Jason Day tied for fourth place at 13-under after rounds of 65 and 68 respectively.
American World No. 1 and 2024 Travelers Championship winner Scottie Scheffler closed with a bogey-free 65 to finish T6 at 12-under, his 70th top-10 finish on Tour.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made a single bogey to also post a 65 and tie for sixth place. He has finished in the top-20 in each of his six starts at the Travelers Championship, recording his best result this week.
