In one of the most thrilling finishes of the PGA TOUR season, Keegan Bradley staged a sensational late rally at the Travelers Championship, birdieing the final hole in front of an ecstatic home crowd to seal a 2-under 68 and a one-stroke victory over England’s Tommy Fleetwood.
Trailing by three shots with four holes to play, Bradley surged back with a clutch 35-foot birdie on the 15th and a precision approach on 18 that left him just under 6 feet from the pin. As Fleetwood three-putted for bogey from nearly 50 feet, Bradley calmly sank his birdie putt, punctuating the win with a fist pump that sent the TPC River Highlands crowd into a frenzy.
“Of all the shots and all the putts I hit, I think I’m going to remember that one the most,” Bradley said of his final birdie.
The win is Bradley’s second in 10 months against elite competition and pushes him to No. 9 in the Ryder Cup standings — reinforcing his case not just as Team USA’s captain, but potentially as a playing captain at Bethpage Black this September.
When asked if he deserved to play in the Ryder Cup, Bradley simply declared, “Go USA!”
Fleetwood, who was seeking his first PGA TOUR win in his 85th attempt, started shakily with three bogeys in his first four holes. He rebounded with birdies and looked poised to close out the tournament until late stumbles on 16 and 18, the latter proving decisive.
Russell Henley tied Fleetwood for second after chipping in for birdie on 18 and carding a 69. In a show of remarkable integrity, Henley also called a one-stroke penalty on himself earlier in the tournament after his ball moved ever so slightly during a chip — a change only he noticed.
Bradley, a New England native and fan favorite, thrived in the sweltering heat, sinking an electric 65-foot putt on the 9th and battling through a bunker miscue on 14. The roar of “U-S-A!” echoed across the course with every pivotal moment, culminating in chants of celebration as he walked off 18 at 15-under 265, earning $3.6 million — his first win at a Signature Event.
The triumph comes exactly one year to the day since Bradley received the call naming him U.S. Ryder Cup captain. At 39, he now has two high-profile victories in less than a year, including the BMW Championship last August.
Harris English and Jason Day tied for fourth, while Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy each shot closing rounds of 65 to finish tied for sixth. Both have already secured spots on the Ryder Cup team.
As for Bradley, his role at Bethpage remains to be finalized — but with performances like this, the golf world may soon be watching a captain who’s not just calling the shots, but playing them, too.