After tying for 59th on the FedEx St. Jude Championship, newly minted Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley had no thought if he would advance within the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
He teetered across the fiftieth place within the standings, the edge that sends the highest 50 gamers to this week’s BMW Championship and, extra importantly, to all eight Signature Occasions subsequent season. It’s a giant deal for PGA Tour execs, particularly for Bradley, who has an enormous job over the following 12 months.
“The highest 50 is among the most necessary numbers for us as gamers so we will play in these massive tournaments and earn FedExCup factors,” Bradley defined.
“I wish to be with the fellows and the Ryder Cup workforce. I wish to be taking part in with them, on the vary with them, within the locker room, within the match.”
Tom Kim’s heartbreaking collapse over the ultimate three holes on Sunday despatched him packing for the season whereas it gave Bradley life. Subsequent 12 months’s captain made the highest 50 on the quantity regardless of taking part in poorly in Memphis.
“Sunday afternoon was one of many hardest afternoons of my PGA Tour profession. It was actually brutal,” Bradley stated.
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“I had the FedExCup standings, the protection on, the featured holes, my telephone. I had all of it going. But it surely was powerful.”
Bradley then flew out to Colorado on Monday. As quickly as he acquired to Fort Pines, Bradley started to work on dialing in his numbers and rising accustomed to the altitude. In doing so, he felt a sense of tranquility fall over him.
“It’s such a aid to be right here. I simply felt rather a lot calmer right now,” Bradley stated.
“However I performed actually, very well.”
Certainly, Bradley fired a 6-under 66 on Thursday, a spherical that featured six birdies and no bogies. He led the sector in strokes gained approaching the inexperienced, which traditionally has not been his sturdy go well with. Discovering fairways all the time helps with discovering greens, although. One all the time results in one other, as Bradley discovered the quick grass 12-of-14 occasions on Thursday. He then hit 16-of-18 greens in regulation, rating first among the many area throughout spherical one.
“It’s a must to put the ball within the fairway on this course,” Bradley stated.
“Should you put the ball within the fairway, you’re going to have lots of scoring golf equipment. You’ve acquired to have grasp in your numbers with the altitude. We did job of that right now. You’ve simply acquired to hit as many fairways as you’ll be able to.”
Ought to Bradley proceed to play effectively, he’ll undoubtedly make it to Atlanta for the Tour Championship. Solely the highest 30 gamers within the FedEx Cup standings make it to East Lake. However he has 54 holes between from time to time.
Then once more, Bradley has already achieved his objective—simply being right here within the first place.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
