Keegan Bradley was always conscious of the fact that, in comparison to elite amateurs and nationally ranked junior golfers, his unusual upbringing and address did not get him the attention he desired.
He made a mental note of it, sealed it up inside, and allowed it to simmer for a while, igniting a fire that burned inside him. Bradley, however, never experienced anything other than pride in his identity and his origins.
For instance, the time he requested the driver of the St. John’s team bus to slow down before stopping. “I used to live there,” he said.
He indicated the small hamlet of Bolton in central Massachusetts, where there is an RV site called Crystal Springs Campground. It was there that Bradley spent his formative years as a young adolescent living with his father, Mark, in a 28-foot caravan they affectionately referred to as ‘Tin Cup II’.
The brief halt and sparse conversation ended with Bradley telling the driver to go to the college team’s tournament.
Bradley, though, had a very obvious message. He wanted his teammates and friends to understand how much he had enjoyed his upbringing as a ski racer in Vermont, even though it only lasted a short while, and how nothing had ever been provided to him.
This was okay since Bradley learned early on in his golf career that he would have to work hard for everything. This was okay since Bradley learned early on in his golf career that he would have to work hard for everything.
Only, it’s interesting to consider whether he ever imagined tens of thousands of supporters yelling “Keegan, Keegan, Keegan” as they did on Sunday at TPC River Highlands as this local New Englander finished off a victory at the Travelers Championship.
“When I felt a little lacking, I would occasionally gaze at the crowd. If I simply gazed into the crowd, they would applaud, and I made an effort to simply absorb that energy,” said Bradley.
It was only logical that the 62-63-64 scores Bradley had strung together to take a one-stroke lead into the final round would result in the most boisterous atmosphere of his 13 visits to TPC River Highlands. Thunderous cheers greeted his early progress, and when Bradley birdied the 12th hole to move to 26-under and take the lead by six, you nearly had the impression that the crowd was calling for Red Auerbach to light up a cigar or to tear down the goalposts.
“I can’t even describe what that felt like,” Bradley stated to the audience, which included his mother Kaye, sister Madison, Uncle Chris, and numerous other people. Ah, but Bradley controlled his emotions as the audience let theirs out. He was aware that at TPC River Highlands, “every hole is a birdie hole,” but that there is also danger around every turn.
He also provided evidence for it. A soggy tee shot on the 13th par-5, a short approach on the 14th par-4, and three missed putts from a poor lie in a deep swale resulted in another bogey. Then, at the 15th hole, he missed a short birdie putt.
“When I overlooked that. Okay, this is definitely becoming a touch tight, I thought. I needed to refocus.” Bradley said.
Bradley was three shots ahead and at 23-under when he bogeyed the 16th par-3. It’s gut-check time, and he is better off being in that position. He proves himself like he has a Ph.D. at it.
The directors of those prestigious junior tournaments never treated him with respect. When the prestigious institutions also declined to recruit him, it erupted. Bradley will always be grateful to St. John’s for doing so, fortunately, he did a lot of amazing things in college to disprove everyone.
Kevin Velardo, a St. John’s player who traveled down to see Bradley play for the Travellers, remarked, “What I always remember was how he came back each year so much better than the year before.”
Bradley’s entry onto the PGA TOUR in 2011 and subsequent victories, including his first-ever attempt at a major (the PGA Championship), have been well-documented for years. Bradley has also consistently been a force. One may contend that at the age of 37, he is having his best season (two victories, a second, and three additional top-10 finishes) and that this ecstasy at the Travelers, his sixth career victory, is on par with what he accomplished at the Atlanta Athletic Club 12 years ago.
This is mostly because he has years of experience under his belt, plus having a wife and two sons, Logan and Cooper, changes the way he sees the world.
“With what happened out here today and the amount of satisfaction, you can compare past tournament victories. There is no comparison between success before family and success after family,” said Bradley.
It was a reason for a celebration that he didn’t want to end that he passed the gut-check test by making a rock-solid par at the watery 17th, “arguably the toughest hole on the course,” and that he had some breathing room on 18 to close with 68 for 23-under 257, three ahead of Zac Blair (62) and Brian Harman (68).
He is from Vermont, has skied in New Hampshire and Maine played golf in Rhode Island and came to the Travelers Championship for the first time as a teenager to follow David Duval, one of his favorite golfers.
Oh, and he currently resides in Newburyport, Massachusetts, at least throughout the spring and early autumn.
“Because I love living here and I’ve missed it. My sister and I both reside in the town, and Jillian’s parents are only two hours away,” he said when asked the reason for this.
Yes, it makes sense that he will continue to spend the winters in Jupiter, Florida, honing his golfing skills. But he is a New Englander through and through, and this was a victory for the locals on their own soil.
“My hometown is one of my favorite aspects of who I am. To hear the supporters clap for me like they would for a sports team means a lot because of the unique affinity that New Englanders share with one another,” he said.
Since the “Tin Cup II” days, when he lived with his dad, a club professional, he has come a long way.
Even though staying in a caravan was unusual, the cause still sticks in his mind.
In order for Keegan to play on a top-notch high school team, his father relocated to Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to accept a job.
He appreciates his father for doing it. His father is proud of the way his son seized the opportunity and ran with it. Bradley needs his victory to be remembered by the kids if he wants it to be an everlasting memory.
“This is for all the young people who, like me, grow up in cold climates and cannot play golf. I hope students realize that if they put in the time, work hard when they can, and love the game of golf, they can still succeed there. I hope people realize they are capable of doing that.” he said.
