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The course of a winner. Discipline to work tirelessly
Confidence to take on the best in the world
Putnam Investments is proud to be a primary sponsor of Keegan Bradley, winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship. putnam.com/keeganbradley
PERFORMANCE IN MOTION
Dedication to achieve one’s dreams
Tenacity to follow though
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Putnam Investments is proud to be a primary sponsor of Keegan Bradley. putnam.com/keeganbradley
Major achievement. Congratulations, Keegan, on a phenomenal rookie year on the PGA Tour. Your wins in the HP Byron Nelson Championship, the PGA Championship, and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf are significant accomplishments and a tribute to your hard work and perseverance.
PERFORMANCE IN MOTION
Interview With Keegan Bradley - PGA Tour Rookie by Greg Sampson
NEGM: What are some of your favorite memories of growing up in New England golf? KB: I grew up playing the U.S. Challenge Cup and actually live here in Jupiter with Jon Curran. Out on tour Team New England plays practice rounds together, looks out for each other and the fans yell GO SOX! I am very proud to be from New England. Keegan Bradley and Aunt LPGA Hall Of fame player Pat Bradley at Pebble Beach 2011
NEGM: You are the #2 rookie on e PGA Tour to date. To what do you attribute this early season success in 2011? KB: I would have to say I owe a lot to the Nationwide Tour and the great experience it provided me with. I was in contention many times in 2010 and it has prepared me to feel comfortable in contention on the PGA Tour. NEGM: You have some terrific sponsors in 2011. Can you tell me a little about them and their product? KB: ankfully after my junior year at St. John’s Mike Dunphy from Cleveland Golf took me under his wing. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened in my career. e tour staff is extremely helpful and as far as I am concerned they make the best equipment in the business. My dad Mark is friends with the XGrass owner, Steve White. Steve played for Clemson and is one of the best mid-ams in the country, which allows him to design great greens. eir product has a great feel; it ‘s the best I have ever used. It even holds an 8 iron.
NEGM: Favorite Courses In New England? KB: I love Quidnesset Country Club in RI but my absolute favorite is Portsmouth County Club in NH. NEGM: What is your best rookie experience to date? KB: I held my first ever press conference at Pebble Beach filled with journalists like Jim McCabe who covered my aunt Pat Bradley on the LPGA Tour and can relate to my career. Being around the best players in the world is super gratifying but seeing my name on the leader board at Pebble Beach was the ultimate. NEGM: Is it nice to be a member of Team New England on the PGA Tour? KB: I have such support from the fans. Even though I am from Vermont when I am asked I proudly say I am from New England. NEGM: ank you so much for sharing your thoughts with NEGM and the fans in New England. Best of luck throughout the season. See you at the Travelers? KB: anks Greg it was my pleasure. e Travelers is already on my schedule and hopefully the Deutche Bank Championship.
IF DISTANCE MATTERS
WEIGHT MATTERS. WHAT’S YOUR RIGHTWEIGHT?
CLEVELANDGOLF.COM
56 | New England Golf Monthly | March 2011
PGA Tour
Keegan Bradley Does New England Proud: Let’s Go Bruins!
by Emily Kay
PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley is having a blast. And why wouldn’t he be? e rabid Boston sports booster just won his first tour event last week to earn his way into next year’s Masters Tournament, has his LPGA Hall of Fame aunt fervidly rooting him on, his Boston Bruins are in the Stanley Cup, and he got a “Right on!” message from Bruins Hall of Famer Ray Borque. “[Borque] was going on and on about how badly he wanted the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup,” Bradley said during a Wednesday press conference prior to this week’s Memorial Tournament. “Coming from Boston and being such a huge Boston sports fan, it was cool to see him root for the Bruins after winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado.” Bradley and Bruins legend Borque, who had his own parade in Boston after capturing the Cup with the Avalanche in 2001, will no doubt be tuned in tonight when the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks begin their quests for Lord Stanley’s trophy. In the meantime, Bradley keeps pinching himself to be sure all his recent good fortune is for real. “I’ll just start laughing, smiling,” said Bradley, who will play Jack Nicklaus’ event on a sponsor’s exemption. “It seems like somebody’s going to tell me that it [winning his way to Augusta National for the Masters] didn’t happen.” In addition to Borque, the 24-year-old from Hopkinton, Mass., has a fervent fan in his aunt, Pat Bradley. e two texted back and forth after the younger Bradley de-
50
feated Ryan Palmer on the first playoff hole of last Sunday’s Byron Nelson Championship. “It’s so cool to talk to her about me winning,” Bradley said of his aunt, who hoisted a few trophies in her Hall of Fame career -- 31 tour wins and six majors, to be exact. “It’s amazing to me that Pat is so into it after playing [so many years]. It’s an honor for me for her to be so into it.” “I love playing out here. When I’m home, I wish I was here,” he said. “It’s just so much fun for me to play on the PGA Tour. Playing on the PGA Tour is a privilege and I won’t take it for granted.” Ladies and gentlemen -- your feel-good story of the 2011 PGA Tour season: Keegan Bradley. Oh, and go Bruins! IN HIS BAG: DRIVER: Cleveland Launcher UltraLite TL 310 (10.5°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 61 shaft FAIRWAY WOOD: Cleveland Launcher FL (14°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 83 shaft HYBRIDS: Cleveland Launcher DST (18°) with a Project X XHB6 shaft; Mashie TM3 (20.5°) with a Miyazaki C Kua 105 shaft IRONS: Cleveland CG7 Tour (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts WEDGES: Cleveland CG14 (52°, 58°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot XG Sabretooth BALL: Srixon Z-Star Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. You can follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.
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What’s in the Bag? PGA Champion - Keegan Bradley Driver:
Cleveland Launcher UltraLite TL 310 (10.5°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 61 shaft 3 Wood:
Cleveland Launcher FL (14°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 83 shaft 2 Hybrid:
Cleveland Launcher DST (18°) with a Project X XHB6 shaft; Mashie TM3 (20.5°) with a Miyazaki C Kua 105 shaft Irons:
Cleveland CG7 Tour (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts Wedges:
Cleveland CG14 (52°, 58°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts Putter:
Odyssey White Hot XG Sabertooth Ball:
Srixon Z-Star
twitter.com/keegan_bradley
54 | New England Golf Monthly | September 2011
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Taking It Long At Tuckers Point Bermuda
by Paul Adams PGA Director of Golf
Long Putters
ere is no objection to long putters. I used one for 7 years in a bid to correct the ‘yips’ a nervous stabbing at the ball with a putter longer than standard. e problem is when these long putters are anchored against the body (something I didn't do). Anchoring a putter against the belly or sternum provides a third point of contact between golfer and club and that serves as a fulcrum for making a pendulum putting stroke. Many believe our hands should be the only connection to any golf club and anchoring provides an unfair advantage. e major advantage I found is with makeable putts 410 feet I was much more successful, I however found that longer putts suffered, which may have been lack of practice rather than anything else. Recent success
In four of the last five weeks, long putters were used by the winner. Adam Scott, with his broomstick, captured the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in early August before, the following week, Keegan Bradley became the first player to win a major using the anchored belly putter. Webb Simpson won the Wyndham Championship the week after and a fortnight later his belly putter helped him gain a second win, this one at the Deutsche Bank Championship. e Rules of Golf state that a putter cannot be shorter than 18 inches, but there's no maximum length. However there is a rule saying that equipment must maintain "traditional and customary" use which could give them leeway to change their current stance. Users tend to fall into two groups of players, those that are afflicted with yips or something else that's not good, or people that have back problems. Do we want to take clubs out of the hands of people who almost can't enjoy the game anymore?
However, which group would Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley fall into? ey are healthy young players without bad backs nor afflicted by the yips. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
Was the long putter actually the key to the spate of recent wins? Clearly, putting played a key part in those wins but it's also worth noting that Scott, Bradley and Simpson (in the first of his wins) all topped the allround rankings (a measure of eight different stats categories from driving to putting) during the week of their wins. In other words, good putting helped complete the picture. It wasn't the sole reason for their success. Conclusion:
It's inevitable given the flood of recent winners that golfers of all levels will be curious to see what all the fuss is about when it comes to long putters. But, like Mickelson, they might find that long putters aren't magic wands that can provide a quick-fix. So how do you try one, to see if it’s for you?
e key thing to understand is that the same fundamental rules should be in place, the arms should be under the shoulders so that they can rock smoothly without any compensating movements. Paul Adams | PGA Director of Golf Rosewood Tucker's Point 20 Tucker's Point Drive, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, HS 02 T 441.298.6930 C 441.300.6930 F 441.293.5149 rosewoodhotels.com
30 | New England Golf Monthly | November / December 2011
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The PGA Grand Slam Champion Of Champions Keegan Bradley Rewrites The Record Books for A PGA Tour Rookie
SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda - PGA Champion Keegan Bradley won his first PGA Grand Slam title on October 19th as he edged Charl Schwartzel by a single shot in a final round that tightened up on the front nine and remained nip-and-tuck the rest of the way home until on the final hole Bradley won it. After hitting what he called the best shot of his life to eagle No. 7 in the first round, Bradley hit an equally good approach at No. 17 on Wednesday, though he gave most of the credit for that to his caddie, Steve Hale. "Pepsi (Hale) talked me into hitting that 3-hybrid and it was the right club," said Bradley. "I actually wanted to hit a 4. A few times during the tournament Hale (nicknamed Pepsi for drinking like a million of them) changed me up on some club choices and it worked out.” e Victory capped off a season of 4.4 million dollars in tournament winnings for the most money ever earned in a rookie season in the history of the PGA Tour. Not to mention throwing out the first pitch at Fenway and tossing the coin flip at a Patriots game, all in the same year. Not bad for the 25 year old diehard Boston sports junkie. Keegan Bradley, after completing his final event at the WGC –HSBC Championship in Shaghai, China, has finished what some may say is the best rookie season ever on the Tour. He is a shoe-in for e Rookie of e
Year, and in the running still for Player of e Year. His season started out with making 4 cuts in the first 4 events with 3 top 25 finishes and over $300,000. in earnings in the first month of the season. In March Keegan had a top 10 finish at the Valero Texas Open and won over $170,000. He followed that up in May with his first win on the PGA Tour at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and took home the trophy and a cool $1.17 million. In the next 10 weeks Keegan missed only 2 cuts and took home the trophy again at the PGA Championship and another $1.44 million and finished it all off with his 3rd victory of the year in Bermuda at e Grand Slam of Golf a 2 match of all the 2011 major winners. It has been some time since I have seen this familiar look in the eyes of a New England competitor on a world stage. A stark stare and a level of intensity that says ‘I want this!’ written all over it. I remember it well from Brady and Bruschi and Schilling in 2007. And who can forget the intensity that Larry brought to the game. I see it again, only this time it’s golf, and this kids the best at this game of golf that’s come through these parts in some time. I love golf and I don’t miss Tiger. I am so looking forward to next year, go get them Keegan!
November / December 2011 | New England Golf Monthly | 31
CLEVELANDGOLF.COM
LIGHTWEIGHT RINGS TRUE AGAIN
MORE COWBELL! Cleveland, Launcher and the CG logo are registered trademarks of Cleveland Golf / Srixon. MASHIE is a trademarks of Cleveland Golf / Srixon.
CONGRATULATIONS KEEGAN BRADLEY - 2011 BYRON NELSON CHAMPION
DUST OFF THAT COWBELL BRADLEYS! Great win Keegan! Your family has a long tradition of ringing the Cowbell for family victories. It looks like it’s about to get a lot more use. At 24 you are the youngest winner on Tour this year and you helped give the Launcher Ultralite Driver its second win in a row. Being among the leaders in Driving Accuracy and Driving Distance really shows what can be done with Lightweight equipment. Thanks so much for being a part of the Cleveland family. Now……….MORE COWBELL PLEASE!