A superb contest to Travelers Championship as Keegan Bradley, the US Ryder Cup captain, snatched his second victory at the tournament in three seasons in a truly dramatic fashion on Sunday.1 He edged out England’s Tommy Fleetwood, denying him his first PGA Tour win, right there on the final hole.2
A Thrilling Climax at the 18th
Heading to the 18th tee, Bradley was actually trailing Fleetwood by one stroke. But he pulled off an incredible approach shot, landing his ball just six feet from the pin. Meanwhile, Fleetwood’s shot fell short of the green. The pressure was on, and Fleetwood’s par putt from just inside seven feet agonizingly missed to the right. Bradley then coolly sank his tension-filled birdie putt, securing the title! He shot a two-under-par 68, finishing at 15-under 265 for 72 holes, beating both Fleetwood and American Russell Henley by a single stroke at TPC River Highlands.3
Bradley’s Big Win and Ryder Cup Buzz
This win marks a significant moment for the world No. 21 Bradley, who also won the Travelers in 2023. It’s almost exactly a year since he was named this year’s Ryder Cup captain, and this victory has certainly sparked more conversations about him potentially playing for the US team against Europe in September at Bethpage Black. Bradley, who even drained an amazing 64-foot birdie putt earlier in the round on the ninth hole, now has eight career PGA titles, including his major debut win at the 2011 PGA Championship.4
Heartbreak for Fleetwood
For Tommy Fleetwood, currently ranked 17th in the world and an Olympic runner-up, it was another tough blow.5 Despite seven wins on the DP World Tour, he’s still searching for that elusive PGA Tour victory. This was his 42nd career top-10 PGA finish, a testament to his consistent play but also the frustration of not quite closing it out. Fleetwood, who led for most of the day, suffered heartbreak with bogeys on both the par-three 16th and again on the 18th.6
The drama was intense leading up to the final hole. On the 17th, Fleetwood escaped a fairway bunker over water to land 24 feet from the hole, while Bradley was 41 feet away; both managed two-putt pars, setting up the thrilling finish. Then, on the 18th, Fleetwood made a last-minute club change and used a wedge from the fairway, but his ball landed short of the green, almost 50 feet from the hole. Bradley’s nine-iron, however, dropped perfectly inside six feet, setting up his winning birdie.
Other Top Finishers
Australian Jason Day and American Harris English, who had a strong finish with four birdies in his last six holes, shared fourth place at 267.7 Even top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and second-ranked Rory McIlroy had solid rounds, both shooting 65 to tie for sixth at 268.8
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