THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 14, 2022

Keegan Bradley

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. I'm sure it's not easy to come over here right now, probably not enough time. I'm just curious what's going through your mind after being so close.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Man, I'm so bummed out. That was tough. I played really well today. Really well all week. I had a two-shot penalty on Friday and still was right there.

Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time thinking of words to say. I'm pretty bummed out, but proud of the way I played. Proud of the way Scottie and I battled out there.

Q. What do you think was harder? Was it the three-putt on 17 take a lot out of you or was it more having a tough second shot there on 18?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, figured I probably had to make birdie to have any chance. It's probably not a shot that I probably would have tried otherwise, but you're trying to win the tournament.

Yeah, man, I played so good. It's a bummer, but it's a big event that I was up near the lead with a chance to win on Sunday, so that's always good.

Q. You handled the penalty so well the other day; what do you take out of this? I know it's so quick, but you haven't been in contention like this right there for a while now. The way you handled today, the way you handled Friday, what do you take out of that?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, first off, I think the USGA needs to smarten up and change that rule. It's so silly. They try to make the rules easier, and they never get it right.

I've been playing pretty good for a while. I've been working hard at home at The Grove with my coach Darren May, and things have been going really good. I've played really good at the start of this year. I've had a lot of good top 20s, top 15s. I was talking to Scottie and my coach earlier this week in the practice rounds, and everyone was like, just be ready, because one of these weeks soon coming down on the back nine you're going to be there. Just be ready.

I had that two-shot penalty, and it didn't even faze me. It pissed me off really and made me more focused.

This is not an easy golf course. Every shot is hard. Every single one you hit has got water or something going on, especially with 30 mile-an-hour winds.

Q. You said it didn't faze you, but at any point during the round today do you think to yourself, if it hadn't been for that --

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, yeah. I tried to tell myself on Friday -- they told me on the second hole, which was my 11th and blowing 30 miles an hour. I was 3-under at the time or 2, I forget, and it got me so pissed off that it refocused me. And I tried to tell myself that maybe -- I think I played the rest of the holes 1-under. Maybe I don't play those holes 1-under because it was so difficult, the conditions. I tried to tell myself that that maybe is going to make me shoot a lower score in the end. Who knows. Who knows. Can't tell at this point.

It was a fluke thing. I was saying a million things had to happen all at once for this to happen. It was perfect timing, it was the gust -- if I take one second longer or one second shorter, this never happens. I've spoken to a bunch of the guys. Not one player knows this rule. We all thought common sense says you put your coin down, that's where your ball is. I didn't want to break the rules by moving my coin. I was trying to do the right thing.

This day and age, if you do something like that, it's going to be seen. Thank God they did or I could have been DQed.

Q. So you putted it from where it ended up?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: No, I put the coin down, and as I'm going to grab it, a huge gust of wind and it went. The rule actually states you have to pick the ball up, so the coin means nothing for whatever reason that no one -- I'd like to hear the USGA's explanation for that. They seem to like to screw everything up.

But I'll know that going forward, and I know a lot of the guys I spoke to inside, that'll help them hopefully.

Q. Looking at today, can you describe what the feeling was today, when you were making that run and you were playing so well? Right up until the last two holes obviously, you were right there. I think it was down to one shot back. Just being in that cauldron in a tournament like this?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it felt really great. I was actually pleasantly surprised how calm I was. I really felt calm. I was having fun. I wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest.

This is a course when you're in 50th place you can feel uncomfortable, so truthfully I really felt good.

I feel great when I get myself in those positions. I hope to do that more the rest of the year.

Q. I know we've spoken to you a few times about it, things happened fast for you with the major coming so quickly and the team events which you've cherished a lot, and then you kind of got away from that a little bit. What is your hunger to try to get back into those high-ranking spots and just get back to where it was? And did you take it for granted a little bit because it happened so quickly?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Not really. I sort of expected it early on, so I guess you could say I did, but I really felt like I was a good enough player to be on those teams. I feel like I can bring a lot to those teams, especially now that I'm older. I watch all those tournaments, and I would kill to be on those teams, and I feel like I will be.

Q. On 17 what did you hit? What were you trying to do?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I hit pitching wedge. It was 136. Wind was off the right. Almost felt like it was helping for a little bit. I was trying to go right over the bunker, and I hit a really nice shot and a gust of wind came up. I actually got worried there for a second because I really hit it and it was spinning in the water.

I hit a pretty good putt. The second putt I thought I made it. I had the big collar behind my ball. Yeah, it's a bummer.

Q. Were you just protecting a little bit on 18, the tee shot there? Obviously you don't want to go left.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I mean, a little bit. I tried to hit it hard, and it just didn't turn. It's just a brutal shot. You can stand there and hit 100 shots and not hit that fairway sometimes. That's just how it is.

Q. You said that you told yourself to be ready for whatever time was going to be your breakthrough. What was it about this week that worked out so well for you most of the way?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I've played well here in the past. I like this course. I think it favors guys who hit the ball nice and work the ball, and with the wind coming up, I just felt comfortable. I like the course. I don't feel comfortable out here, but I like it. I look forward to playing it every year.