Bradley's triumph, Fleetwood's heartbreak

A seemingly inevitable Fleetwood performance, a Ryder Cup shakeup.

Travelers Championship — June 2025

While it is certainly unfair to leave Russell Henley, Jason Day, and Harris English (perhaps even the lingering Scheffler) out of this piece, I will do so because I have no boss telling me I must include them.

This story is about Keegan Bradley and Tommy Fleetwood, because in the end, that is what the whole weekended ended up being about anyway.

Keegan Bradley had three shots to make up on Sunday at TPC River Highlands. Tommy Fleetwood, the 54-hole leader, had just 18 holes to finish the job.

Fleetwood’s three-shot cushion didn’t feel generous, but it had to have felt good enough. Then came the early cracks — bogeys on the first, third, and fourth holes. It shrank the lead and stirred the classic questions of old(e). Can the Englishman simply not close? Is this just the same Fleetwood we’ve always known?

Bradley wasn’t flashy, never really is. Even par through eight, his round pivoted for the better on the ninth hole — a 64-foot birdie putt that gave both Keegan and the crowd new life. He played with intention from that point on, making par when needed, and making up for a couple bogeys with even more birds.

After 14 though, Fleetwood had Bradley by two strokes. It seemed Fleetwood was playing well enough (despite such a shaky start) to get the job done.

By the 18th tee, though, it was close. Fleetwood, with a one-stroke advantage over Bradley, just needed par to secure (at worst) a playoff spot. His six-footer for par missed just right.

Bradley, standing over his six-footer (just an inch closer to the hole than Fleetwood’s par putt), delivered — for the birdie and for the win. A decisive stroke that sealed his second Travelers win and reminded everyone watching that he’s still a capable competitor.

Something I’ll note as an observer of the aesthetics of golf… I can’t help but feel like Keegan Bradley’s clubs are too short. His swing is smooth enough, though he’s having to bend way down there just to reach the ball. This matters not; he is a champion; I will carry on.

Ryder Cup Implications

This win doesn’t just matter for the trophy. As the current U.S. Ryder Cup captain, Bradley has said he’d consider making himself a playing captain if he felt it was best for the team.

Sunday didn’t hurt that case.

He now sits at No. 9 in Ryder Cup points and No. 7 in the world rankings. Whether he ultimately chooses to tee it up at Bethpage Black as both captain and competitor, he’s shown that he can still execute.

Fleetwood, unsurprisingly, handled the loss with class. It’s another top finish without a trophy — a tough pill for a player with such consistent form and so many near-misses. Nevertheless, he will continue to be in the mix. He’s squarely in at No. 2 in the European Ryder Cup standings (though he likely isn’t paying much attention to that at the moment).

Alas

This wasn’t a major, nor did it include a playoff. But it offered the drama of both: the buildup, the nerves, the deeper storylines.

For Keegan Bradley, it may have been something more — it may have been the first real step toward rewriting what it means to lead from the front.

Cheers,
Luke Mangan