GOLF – Keegan Bradley is getting used to hearing ‘U-S-A!’ chants everywhere he goes. After his stunning victory this past Sunday – and the ensuing Ryder Cup chatter that followed – Bradley will be the centre of attention at the Rocket Classic, which begins today at Detroit Golf Club.
Bradley, who will captain the US Ryder Cup team this September at just 39 years old, snatched the Travelers Championship title out of Tommy Fleetwood’s hands in a two-shot swing on the final hole Sunday in Connecticut.
Fleetwood, the 54-hole leader, arrived at the 18th tee with a one-stroke edge over Bradley, but the Englishman left his second shot short of the green and went on to three-putt for bogey. Then Bradley tapped in his birdie putt from inside 6 feet for his first win of the year.
Bradley may have a fascinating decision to make about whether to select himself as a playing captain. Or he may not have to make that decision at all: His Travelers title boosted him to ninth place in the US qualifying standings, and the top six as of August 17 automatically make the team.
For now, Bradley is focused on the job he has to do in Detroit.
“For me, the only time I can escape the Ryder Cup thoughts are when I’m inside the ropes,” Bradley said yesterday. “I’m able to escape the Ryder Cup a little bit when I get inside the ropes.”
The field at the Rocket Classic, previously called the Rocket Mortgage Classic, features five of the top 20 in the world rankings: No. 5 Collin Morikawa, No. 7 Bradley, No. 12 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, No. 17 Ben Griffin and No. 20 Patrick Cantlay. Marquee names Rickie Fowler and Tony Finau, the champions in 2023 and 2022, respectively, will also compete.
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