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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS

November 3, 2011

Keegan Bradley

SHANGHAI, CHINA

LAURA HILL: We would like to welcome Keegan Bradley. Outside you said this is one of most rewarding rounds of the year for you. Maybe talk us through what a great start you are off to here at HSBC Champions.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, any time you can play well in a group like that, with Lee Westwood and Adam Scott, it feels very good, especially in a tournament like this, HSBC World Golf Championships. I'm just very proud of the way I played, and it's just a very rewarding round.

Q. Think you made Luke nervous today?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: (Laughing). Maybe. You know, all I'm trying to do is win this golf tournament. I know there's a lot on the line, and there's some awards to be won. But, you know, I'm sure Luke is not very interested in this tournament. I'm sure he's sleeping.
But I hope to keep playing well and let those fall where they fall.

Q. When you talk about it being such a rewarding round, was it mostly just because of the company you kept?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it's my first time playing with Lee, and I've played with Adam before I played with him the first round of THE TOUR Championship. I played well there, too.
You know, for me every week, I'm amazed at who I'm around. And to be in a group like that in this tournament and to play like that on this course, is very rewarding and it means a lot to me.

Q. You had a wonderful year, a wonderful performance; is there any secret or key point why you have a good performance this year?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I just think that, first of all, the Nationwide Tour has been a huge help to me playing on that tour last year.
Also, I've worked very hard my whole life. I've just been able to showcase a little more than I have in my past career -- in the past. And also getting to know these veteran players like Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, these guys have really helped me out, and it's helped me on the golf course.

Q. What was life like a year ago for you, at this time of the year last year, what was life like as compared to now? What is the biggest difference for you? Is it the number of autographs, number of interviews, maybe you can give us a contrast of what your life was like a year ago this week.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: A year ago this week, I had just got my PGA Tour card from Daniel Island. It was probably the happiest, most fun week of my entire life. You know, kind of realising my dream.
And to think a year ago, I would be sitting here at the HSBC in the lead is pretty remarkable. I know I say this a lot, but I feel like I have to pinch myself out here, because of what's going on and just how much fun I'm having doing it.
LAURA HILL: Can we go over your scorecard, birdies and eagle?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I started on 10. I hit the best drive of the week there. I smashed 1-down there and I only had 100 yards in. Hit it to like three feet and made birdie.
Then I made a few pars. Then on 14, the par 5, I hit -- I made birdie there. I'm trying to think of how I did that. Again, I hit another good drive and then I laid up and hit a really good wedge shot in there.
And then on 18, I hit my drive a little right. We were actually surprised it was in the fairway, and I was going to lay up and then we decided to go for it. That was the best shot I hit all day. I hit a low 3-iron and three hybrid in there to about 20 feet and made that for eagle. It kind of got me rolling.
And then on 2, I hit it in the right rough. I laid up to a really good number, and I hit just a great wedge in there to about four feet and made that.
And then on the fifth hole, I hit another great drive. I drove the ball -- that's what was great today. I drove the ball down there pretty far. I only had about 140 yards in. Hit it to like ten feet and made that for birdie.
Then on 7, I hit just a horrific wedge shot in there. I made a really nice up-and-down from the bunker.
Then on 8, I had 140 yards and hit a nice little 8-iron in there to about seven feet and made that for birdie.
And then 2-putted from about 60 feet on the last for 7-under.

Q. Just wanted to ask you, after the PGA, you took a little bit of a dip through the Playoffs, and that might have been expected, but I wonder if you can talk about that and just being able to come back on an upswing for the end of the year again.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I realise that I didn't play great. I did come in 15th at Chicago, and I doubled the last hole. But I was hanging around the Top-10 and then came in 11th at THE TOUR Championship. I did miss the cut at The Barclays and Boston. I was just a little run down.
If I was to do it again I think I would be able to handle it a little better. But I feel rested and I feel more acclimated to how my week goes now as the PGA champion and I'm starting to settle in.

Q. After your win, the PGA Championship, some people thought you would never reach that level. How do you think of yourself and how do you make a comment to that? What's your comment about the other guys' comment about you will never reach that level, the PGA Championship?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Boy, I haven't met those guys. (Laughter).
You know, I realise that a lot of people can be negative. You should see, sometimes I look at my Twitter and I can't even believe it. You know, I've had people say that to me my whole career, and I actually sort of like it. It's kind of the way I've gone about my career and I guess you could say I feed off it. I enjoy it.

Q. After Tiger Woods, the US PGA TOUR is the British and European players. What do you comment, the British invasion; the European invasion on the US PGA TOUR?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think that there's a lot of really good European players, as well as American players. I think that over in America, there's a whole bunch of really good players along with people coming up behind us, also.
But Europe has produced some -- is producing some great players; at the top of the list, Rory McIlroy. I just think it's an era of golf that's starting now of some of the younger guys coming up.
LAURA HILL: Keegan, thank you so much. Good luck the rest of the week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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