Sunday at TPC River Highlands produced unforgettable drama as Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley sealed a one-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley.
Bradley sealed the deal with a calm, 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole, finishing at 15 under par, while Fleetwood bogeyed 18 to drop to 14 under. Bradley’s win–his second Travelers title in three years–was a triumph of poise and precision under pressure.
“I still can’t believe that happened,” Bradley said. “You have dreams like that as a kid, of walking up to the 18 here…I actually had to wait a second to hit my shot because they [the fans] were going so crazy.
“I just really loved it. I loved every second of it.”
Tommy Fleetwood Falters
Fleetwood, looking to finally capture his first PGA Tour win, was in control most of the weekend. Entering Sunday tied for the lead after a third-round 63, the Englishman held steady until the final hole.
A pulled approach shot and a tough lie in the fringe led to a bogey, dropping him from 15-under to 14-under just as Bradley was lining up a decisive birdie. Fleetwood’s disappointment was obvious as he tapped in, marking yet another near-miss in a career full of them–now 42 top-10 finishes on U.S. soil without a win.
Henley, meanwhile, delivered one of the most electric moments of the day with a chip-in birdie from 51 feet on the 18th green, putting himself in a share of second and briefly threatening to push the tournament into a playoff. His short game was sharp all week, and he closed with a 66.
Bradley, ever composed, hit the fairway and green on 18 before calmly sinking a 6-footer to seal the win. It was a signature moment in front of an adoring crowd, and it vaulted him to ninth in the FedExCup standings–crucial positioning as the season barrels toward the playoffs. He also earned a $3.6 million winner’s check, part of the event’s $20 million purse as a PGA Tour Signature Event.
Big Names in Contention
While Bradley stole the spotlight, the leaderboard was crowded with star power. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy both posted 65s in the final round, finishing at 12-under and tied for sixth.
Scheffler, who entered the weekend as the favorite, couldn’t recover from a triple bogey on Saturday’s front nine, but rebounded nicely on Sunday. Harris English and Jason Day also turned in impressive performances, both finishing at 13-under and tied for third.
The low scoring was aided by receptive greens and soft conditions, despite sweltering heat that reached into the mid-90s. Earlier in the day, thunderstorms delayed start times, pushing tee-offs to nearly 11 a.m. The humidity didn’t slow the players down, but it certainly added an extra layer of challenge.
Fleetwood’s stumble at the end was more than just a lost lead. It continued one of the most unfortunate trends in modern golf. Despite consistently playing among the world’s elite and notching multiple wins internationally, he still hasn’t broken through on the PGA Tour. After the round, Fleetwood said he was “gutted” after the final round.
“I’ve not been in that situation for a long time. It’s probably the worst way to finish,” Fleetwood said.
“Leading by two with three to play. Leading by one going into the last and you don’t even make it to a play-off. It’s the worst way it could go.”
From 35-1 Long Shot to Contender
Heading into the week, Bradley was far from a frontrunner on the odds board. At +4500, he trailed the likes of Scheffler (+280), McIlroy (+1100), and Xander Schauffele (+1200). Still, Bradley’s form was solid; he’d climbed into contention on Saturday with a 7-under 63, putting him in position to shock the favorites.
“You can not even start an argument with me trying to explain that [Keegan Bradley] is not one of the 12 best American golfers in the world. In my opinion, he is one of the Top 6 or 7,” Analyst Trevor Immelman said.
Bradley’s gear gave him an edge this week. His driver, a Ping G430 LST with a Fujikura Ventus Black 6X shaft, provided low-spin power and accuracy off the tee. He carried both TaylorMade Qi10 3- and 5-woods for versatile long-range options.
For approach shots, he used a hybrid iron setup: forgiving Srixon ZX5 MK II in the long irons and precision ZX7 MK II for 6-9 irons–along with a Srixon Z-Forged II pitching wedge. His putting weapon of choice was the Odyssey Ai One Cruiser Jailbird mid-mallet, which helped him rank third in strokes gained putting for the week.
Bradley carded rounds of 64, 70, 63, and 68 to win the Travelers Championship.
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