Mission accomplished.
Bradley became only the third man to win in his Major debut, matching Ben Curtis at the 2003 British Open and Francis Ouimet at the 1913 US Open with his own epic achievement at Atlanta Athletic Club.
“I made a lot of history in the game,” Pat Bradley said after her nephew’s triumph. “Now it’s time for Keegan to make his own history and he’s off to a wonderful start.”
Pat Bradley won 31 LPGA titles and claimed five Major titles, including a career Grand Slam, taking the 1981 US Women’s Open, 1986 Dinah Shore and LPGA Championships and the now-defunct DuMaurier title in 1985 and 1986.
Her inspiration helped as Keegan fought back after a triple-bogey six at the 15th hole with birdies at the par-4 16th and par-3 17th and had some help from Dufner, who took bogeys on 15, 16 and 17 to fall into a 72-hole deadlock.
In the playoff, Bradley birdied 16 again, Dufner made bogey at 17 again and while Dufner birdied 18, Bradley two-putted for par and the Wanamaker Trophy as well as a $1.44 million top prize. “I’m just so very proud of him, the way he fought back and brought it home. It’s a wonderful win,” Pat Bradley said.
Keegan is the son of Mark Bradley, the golf professional at Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club in Wyoming. “My dad gave me the opportunity to be able to play endless golf when it was not snowing in Vermont,” Bradley said.
“Endless golf, all day long, which is as much as I could get, and it has paid off.” As Pat Bradley put it: “Keegan honored his dad with this win”.
One key to Bradley’s success down the stretch came because he struggled down the stretch at Bridestone Invitational last week in the final round and spoke with psychologist Bob Rotella.
“Last week in the World Golf Championships, I had kind of a horrifying back side,” Bradley recalled. “I had a chance to win. I was in contention at the time and I finished and it was scary. I completely lost it.”
Bradley also sought some advice from rivals Phil Mickelson and Camilo Villegas and it paid off. “I was able to put that behind me and it definitely crossed my mind – here we go again,” Bradley said. “I was able to come back and I felt great.
“Phil has been great to me. He’s just told me to, you know, stay more patient out there. And the major thing I tried to do this week was under-react to everything – whether it was a good thing or a terrible thing.”
Bradley’s victory snapped the record six-Major US win drought since Mickelson’s Masters triumph last year and even Dufner took his hat off to the man who beat him.
“He seems to be a really confident player,” Dufner said. “He has got a lot of good things going for him. He’s got a great pedigree with Pat Bradley in his family. I’m sure he’s picked up some things from her about winning and attitude. He has probably got a pretty strong future out here.”
