PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 20, 2021

Keegan Bradley

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Keegan Bradley, who posted a 3-under 69 today. Terrific play all the way through really, Keegan. Maybe talk about the good feeling you got early and rode it right through and what you experienced out there a little bit today.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I played so good today. I hit the ball about as good as I can hit it. I just -- some days you get out there, and you go, I'm going to aim it at that tree and draw it off that tree, and it comes right up that tree and does what you think. Today was one of those days.

I made one sort of bad swing on 18 but got away with it and made a great par on 18. But today was a fun day. The course is nerve-racking and difficult to go out there and shoot that score, I'm proud of that.

Q. You obviously played well here in 2012. Do you draw any good mojo from that, or is that so long ago that it feels like a different lifetime?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's so long ago, but in the back of my mind, I know this is a good course for me. That sort of proves that from 2012. It's a much different -- the holes are all lengthened. I don't remember many shots from that tournament, but I do know that this is a ball striker's course and that I'm very comfortable out here. It's better than not playing well in 2012, but I love this place, and it's a fun course to play.

Q. Do you feel like you have changed a lot and your life has changed a lot since then?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I was -- I have two kids now. It was a totally different time in my life. I remember sitting upstairs here. I was finally on the Ryder Cup team. That's the one memory I have is sitting in the locker room and sort of realizing that dream of making a Ryder Cup team. The points were done after the PGA then when it was played, and being so proud of that and being so in awe.

That's really the memory I have here, but it's just a great venue to play golf in a major.

Q. Keegan, you mentioned the poor drive on 18. Are you a little bit surprised? Or I guess what are your thoughts on having that grandstand 10 to 15 yards off the edge of the fairway?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's definitely comforting that it's there. It's the right side of the hole, the bunkers are so dead over there. I wasn't trying to hit it in there by any means, but definitely from that up tee, it's in play. I feel bad for all those people up there. They'd better have their hard hats on today. They're going to be firing them in there all day.

I don't think from the back tee it's in play at all, but from that up tee -- the PGA of America does a great job of setting up the courses, and they did that today.

Q. Keegan, I know it's only 18 holes, but how does it feel to see yourself back up at the top of a leaderboard in a major?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's great. Any round you come out of a major and play well at, it feels good because you know the courses are set up tough. It's a little more pressure. The atmosphere's different. So when you go out there and you perform, it feels good, especially on a course like this.