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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS

November 2, 2011

Keegan Bradley

SHANGHAI, CHINA

LAURY LIVSEY: We are pleased to welcome Keegan Bradley into the interview room. Welcome.
Keegan, last year at this time you just graduated from the U.S. Nationwide Tour and you were planning why are 2011 PGA TOUR and now you're a two-time PGA TOUR winner and you just won two weeks ago at the PGA Grand Slam. Can you talk about your season.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it's been a great season. And to think that a year ago I was just graduating from the Nationwide Tour is pretty special. The Nationwide Tour was a huge part of my career. Without them I probably wouldn't be at this golf tournament. So it's kind of surreal to be here considering only a year ago I was driving home from Daniel Island to Orlando. It's pretty cool.

Q. If you could go back to Honolulu, a, would you have China on your itinerary, and b, what would you have considered a reasonably happy year for you?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I definitely didn't have China on my schedule for sure. You know, keeping my card, as a rookie is your main priority, but I wanted to win. I came close to winning on the Nationwide Tour. I wanted to win on the PGA TOUR.
But realistically, just keeping my card would have been good enough.

Q. What were you expecting when you came over last week, and was there anything that surprised you about golf in Shanghai?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Everything since I've been here has been amazing. The people have been great. The golf courses have been spectacular. And you know, this week especially, HSBC puts on an unbelievable golf tournament.
Everything about this tournament is first class, and it's definitely a highlight of my career, even to play in this event. I would love to contend and be a part of this tournament.
Every week I play out here, I kind of have to pinch myself. This is a tournament that's a huge honour to play in.

Q. What's the difference playing as a Major winner or non-Major winner, what's the feeling? What's the difference?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's a huge difference. It's really, really cool to be a Major winner and be a part of that group.
A few more people know who I am. But most of all, you know, it's just very proud for me to be a part of a group. Last night I was at this dinner and I was trading stories with David Toms and Martin Kaymer about travelling around with the Wanamaker Trophy, and it was just really kind of cool for me to be a part of that, and it's very, very special to me.

Q. Quite a few young players from Europe are playing very well at the moment. So how will American youngsters catch up?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think that America has got a lot of really good young players as well. Webb Simpson, Brendan Steele, a bunch of guys that are coming up that have won, I think that American golf is in really good shape, and I think there's a lot more guys coming up.
I think that American golf is as good as it's been in a while. I think there's a lot of really good young players coming.

Q. If you could pretend that Alex and I are David Toms and Martin Kaymer for a minute, would you share some of those Wannamaker stories?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, we were talking about how big the case is for the trophy and how travelling around with it is so difficult.
As they were talking, I was thinking to myself, this is one of the coolest moments of my career. It's a very weird topic to talk about and only the three of us kind of know how it is.
The trophy is so big that I actually had blisters on my hands from carrying it around, holding it up so much. But you know, it's interesting to talk to the guys about what they did with their Wannamaker and the year that they won. It was pretty cool for me to share it with.
I did some different stuff than they did. They brought it around to tournaments: Martin to his home country; David had it with all of his family. I kind of brought it out for everybody to see it. Everybody had a really cool story, and it was another moment on the PGA TOUR that you kind of -- you kind of can't believe you're a part of it. It was really fun.

Q. First of all, where is the trophy now?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: The trophy is -- it's in my room at home in Jupiter, and it's right on my table where I keep my TV. So when I'm in bed or I wake up, it's the first thing I see every day. (Laughter).
It's kind of weird to have atrophy like that in there. I've had other PGA TOUR pros who live in Jupiter area kind of walk in, and it reminds me of the way that they look at it, how special it is to win the tournament. And it's kind of weird to see it in there, but it's kind of where I want it to be where I can see it every day.

Q. Does it block the TV?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I might just take my TV out and just stare at that thing the whole time. No, it's just to the left of it.

Q. I've been following you in Shanghai since the tournament last week, and I noticed that you are a little shy -- well, you are friendly but a little bit shy and a little bit quiet. Is that because this is your rookie year and you still are getting used to the tournament atmosphere, is that the reason why? And all of a sudden, you turn into a Major winner, so you're not quite getting used to the tournaments on the PGA TOUR or a high-ranked event?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, as a rookie on the PGA TOUR, or any tour out here, I try to keep my mouth shot. I don't think rookies should be vocal or loud. I try to learn from the older guys on the Tour, and it's kind of the way I want to go about things and kind of let my golf do the talking.
I do feel comfortable out here, I really do. I enjoy it and actually when I'm on the golf course here, I'm the most comfortable that I am anywhere in my life. But it is an adjustment and I'm getting used to it.

Q. Quite a few Majors are won by new faces recently; what do you think of this trend?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: There's been a lot of rookie winners and Majors. I think it just shows that there's a lot of really good young players coming up and we are kind of ready to win.
I think that it has to do with Tiger, watching Tiger always talk about winning and we have been watching him play our whole lives. All he wanted to do was win and I think you're kind of seeing a generation of watching Tiger come out and we are -- we want to win tournaments and you look at Rory or Brendan Steele or guys like this, Chris Kirk, that just go out and win their rookie year on the Tour, I think it's very healthy for the Tour and I think that we are ready to play when we get out there.

Q. How are you going to spend your week during The Presidents Cup? Are you going to watch it?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I'm a golf fan just like anybody else. I'll be watching it and rooting for the USA. I wish I was there playing, but you know, it didn't work out. But I'll definitely be watching and rooting for them to win.

Q. Do you want to watch it at home or do you want it in Australia?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I'll be at home watching, yeah. Unless for whatever reason they need me, I'll be home watching.

Q. Okay. Assumption, if you are going to win this week, do you think you'll become the Player of the Year versus Luke Donald?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: It wouldn't hurt, I'll put it that way.
I think that Luke Donald and Webb Simpson, I think that he should definitely be a part of the conversation, have had unbelievable years. You know, I'd love to win Player of the Year, but most of all I'd love to win this tournament. And I would love to win Player of the Year. I think Luke Donald and Webb Simpson have done a lot to prove themselves to be the winner of that award.
Thank God I'm not in charge of appointing that, but it's tough for me to tell. I think they have done a lot to deserve that trophy.
LAURY LIVSEY: Keegan, thank you very much for coming in.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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