– Well, it wasn’t just talk. Keegan Bradley (-15) has won the Travelers Championship again (he also won in 2023) and now he truly positions himself as a contender for that prehistoric figure of player-captain in the Ryder Cup. He always maintained that, if he qualified, he would have no problem performing the dual role, and he has never completely ruled out selecting himself if he found himself in great form and just outside those top six spots that automatically grant entry to the team. It’s true that not even this victory, which awards so many points, puts him among the top six in the American Ryder ranking at the moment, but it does place him on an interesting launchpad.
– The veteran player from Vermont’s surprise victory has also served as a good warm-up for American fans for the duel in three months at Bethpage. His role as captain has weighed heavily on the other side of the ropes, so the simple and famous war cry, “U.S.A., U.S.A” (read as “yuesei, yuesei”) was heard throughout the day, much more than in previous days and tournaments, especially considering that Bradley was trying to catch up and surpass an Englishman… The final birdie with which the captain snatched the tournament from Tommy Fleetwood (-14) was celebrated on the 18th at TPC River Highlands with a great explosion of joy and a decibel level typical of a Ryder, with no mercy for the defeated.
– Oh, the defeated. Once again, Tommy Fleetwood has come close, now with six runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour, and he will hardly find such a splendid opportunity to finally win on the American circuit again, as today he would have only needed a round at par to clinch victory. It was one of those times, Tommy, when the tournament was really yours, especially since your main threats (Bradley, Henley, and Day) couldn’t quite mount a sustained and intimidating assault on the lead. Bradley started today three shots off the lead and only needed a two-under round (68, on this par 70) to win, on a course that isn’t exactly a beast.
– Can it be concluded then that Fleetwood handed over the tournament more than anything else? It’s painful, but it really was the case. The Englishman never found his rhythm, too inconsistent from the tee and also on the greens. Despite everything, he still reached the 18th hole as the leader with a one-shot advantage (as mentioned: the tournament was his) and even hit a good drive… Then, the drama. A poor second shot left the ball at the front of the green, a timid first putt that fell well short, and a final missed putt from 1.80 meters away. Next to him, Bradley had left himself a birdie chance from a meter and a half that he wasn’t going to miss, and immediately after, he began celebrating the victory wildly, with much and varied gestures to the crowd, as legitimate as they were slightly exaggerated… So, Ryder aroma.
– Scottie Scheffler (-12) and Rory McIlroy (-12) both delivered final cards of 65 strokes to climb to a more than respectable sixth place. Although it wasn’t the best score of the day. That honour went to the magnificent 63 signed by a certain J. J. Spaun (-7), who seemed somewhat out of sorts during the first two and a half rounds but finished the tournament much stronger, with a grand and revealing display of courage and self-respect. We will keep a close eye on his performance to see if the affable Californian has truly taken a liking to the spotlight and star matches.
