U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

June 18, 2022

Keegan Bradley

The Country Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Keegan Bradley, 1-under 69. Keegan, it's weird to talk about a walk down 18 on Saturday, but talk a little bit about the reception you just got.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I've been asked about it a ton since I've been finished, and honestly, it was one of the most amazing moments of my entire life.

I got to feel what it feels like to play in Fenway, to play in the Garden, to play in Gillette Stadium. I felt like a Boston player there.

That was a moment I'll never forget the rest of my life, and I appreciate the fans giving me that, and I hope to have them cheer again tomorrow.

Q. You've put yourself in contention here on a week that you've circled on your calendar for a long time. Talk us through what that fees like at this moment.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it's been a pretty intense week. I've tried really hard this week to look into the crowd and see the people. Every now and then I'll look, and I'll see an aunt or an uncle or a friend, and it's really, really fun.

The crowds as usual here in Boston I think are the best in the world. Pretty fun.

Q. Are you an emotional guy, Keegan? In moments like this when you look out and you see your friends and family and you feel like a big-time Boston athlete, does that get to you?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: It really does. As a kid, I dream of playing in front of Boston fans and being a Patriot or being in the Garden. Most of the time I'm playing across the world or the country, and I'm by myself, and every now and then I'm in Hartford and I get to feel that, or in a Ryder Cup.

Out here today felt like I was in a home game, which is something that as a kid, it's a dream.

Q. Do you try to channel that, or do you try to recenter yourself? What happens when you start feeling extra charged up out there?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I made this putt on 9 today, and the crowd really went -- I walked up to the green, and the crowd really went crazy for me, and then I made the putt, and they went wild. It really gave me a jolt of energy. It put me on a path to, all right, we no longer are trying to save this round. Let's try to get ourselves into contention here, and I did that.

Q. How do you balance trying not to -- you talked obviously about this being circled on the calendar for so long, and now that you're in it, how do you balance not putting too much pressure on yourself to perform the way you so desperately want to?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, tomorrow is going to be a tough day. I know that. It just is. It would be if I was playing in Tulsa.

But playing here, it's going to be intense, but I've had this weird sense of calm over me this week. I don't know if that will be here tomorrow or not, but I just have to try to just put one foot in front of the other. Honestly, that's all the silly cliches we all say.

I'm playing really well, and I really feel comfortable on this course.

Q. You mentioned the Ryder Cup. You probably were received here close to the 2012 Ryder Cup. Did it exceed that today?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: That walk up 18 was the best I've ever felt at a tournament. That was really cool. It's got a British Open feel, that 18th. It really does. They've done an incredible job.

It was nice that I hit a good shot in there, so I could kind of walk up, and I told myself, let's try to enjoy this walk up 18 today because it's been a hard-fought day.

Let's take this in, and I didn't know they were going to do that, and it just made it that much better.

Q. At what point did you put this week sort of in your mind to get here and what kind of pressure did you put on yourself to qualify?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, I saw it was on the schedule, and it was on the U.S. Open list. I was kind of, like, wow, that's a little surprising. I'm pumped for that.

Then the first thought is, oh, man, I have to play. Now this has become stressful.

But I did a good job of not thinking that much of it, and I said this before, but no one in my family was talking about it. I thought it was strange. Then as soon as I qualified, everyone is texting, excited to come, and let's get some tickets.

It's been difficult, but I've been on the tour so many years now that I'm able to sort of figure this out a little better than when I first started.

Q. Was the Wells Fargo result the tournament that got you over the line?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it was. I knew that coming down the stretch, so I had that sort of in the back of my mind: I need a high finish here and then I don't have to do that qualifier, so that was big.

Q. Being around here, like you said, with friends and family, what have your days looked like after golfing? Have you been spending time with them, or are you trying to stay focused, stay alone?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I have my two kids are here. Back to everyone's question of what's kept me -- my kids are -- I go home. They don't know what I've done.

My wife sent me this picture as I was basically walking to the tee yesterday of my son completely passed out sleeping on his bed, and I texted her back. It brings me such calm to know that he has no idea what sort of stress I'm under right now.

He thinks we're on a vacation because he is -- his cousins and his family are here. So I go home. I've got to be dad, and that's sort of, I think, what's helped me play well this week.

Q. Being from the area too, do you think that helps you with the weather conditions today?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, certainly. I seem to have played really well in this sort of weather the last couple of years, so I feel good, and I know tomorrow is going to be tough. It's going to be a tough day.

Q. Out of curiosity, what's your favorite Boston sports memory?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, most of them revolve around Tom Brady, but I remember watching the first Super Bowl with my dad in the basement of my house in Vermont. I remember watching Vinatieri's kick go through. It was just amazing.

When I came to the Ryder Cup here in '99, we were here on Sunday, and everyone ran out on to the green, and I asked my dad if I could run out. I was a little kid. There's a crooked tree out here. My dad said, all right, I'm going to stand right next to this crooked tree, and you go out and come right back. We didn't have cell phones. You can still see it. It leans a little bit. That's a fond memory too.

Q. Do you look at the tree when you're on 17 now?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: It was right here on 18. So when I'm hitting up I can see it, so it's great.

Q. How were you feeling after six holes, and what helped you turn the whole thing around?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I've gotten off to bad starts the last two days, which I think the easiest stretch are those first couple of holes. I just kept my head down. I got a little upset at myself walking down the 7th fairway and gave myself a little talking to. Sometimes that can kick things into gear. Then I made a really nice 10-footer for par on 7. Things sort of just -- I still felt pretty calm.

That putt on 9 when the crowd -- I felt it. I could feel it go. I could feel the energy change.

Q. If I can sneak a New York question into this New England story, how did your time at St. John's shape you as a golfer and as a man?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I would say my time at St. John's was the most important time of my life.

I met all my teammates that are still my best friends. I met a few people, one in particular, Dr. Glenn Muraca, that they sort of mentored me and helped me financially and helped me get to my goal here.

I think about all that happened that took me down these weird paths. I didn't want to go to St. John's. I wanted to go to Florida or something.

Going to St. John's, just the people and staying in the Northeast, playing four years, that was a big help getting me to this point.