http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120828/SPORTS02/708289905
Published August 28, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Golf star raises funds in Vt. for relief
By BOB FREDETTE
STAFF WRITER
WOODSTOCK — Two transformations were on display Monday at Woodstock Country Club.
One had to do with bringing back the golf course, and Vermont, after they were hammered, shredded and drowned by Tropical Storm Irene this time last year.
The other involved the coming of age of Woodstock native Keegan Bradley, reshaped from the skinny little golf rat who once took his clubs to Woodstock's elementary school on the bus, to a major championship winner and one of the top professional golfers in the world.
The world's No. 12 player (the same number worn by his favorite quarterback, New England's Tom Brady) was greeted by an eager crowd of friends, former neighbors and fellow Vermonters at the 2012 Keegan Bradley Charity Golf Classic, an event to raise funds for the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund.
A round of golf and a pre-round clinic were part of a day that celebrated the spirit and determination of Vermonters in the face of catastrophe.
Vermont has come a long way in the 12 months since Irene, and so has the 26-year-old Bradley, who now lives in Jupiter. Fla.
Bradley was playing the Barclays last year when he heard about the beating Vermont was taking.
“But it wasn't for a couple of days that I learned how bad that it was, and just today some people showed me some pictures that I didn't even realize it was that bad,” he said during a pre-round press conference. “I think the people of Vermont and Woodstock have done an unbelievable job of recovering. It's kind of what Vermont does, I think. They're very resilient and hard people and it's exactly what I expected.”
Little more than a year ago Bradley was a PGA Tour rookie and since then he's experienced a meteoric ascent to the upper echelon of world golf with three victories, including the 2011 PGA Championship. He admitted that he has to pinch himself “every day.”
But “just little things like this day, having all these people show up and support the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, is a pinch-yourself moment,” he said.
Some professional golfers spend a career without a victory and more still never win a major. So what's left for Bradley when so much has been accomplished in so little time?
Playing for a Ryder Cup, for one. Fourth in the USA Ryder Cup standings, Bradley is assured of a spot when Team USA meets the European side at Medina (Ill.) Course No. 3 next month.
“The Ryder Cup was a huge goal of mine, especially after missing the Presidents Cup last year,” Bradley said. “It's a huge honor to play for the USA and for captain Davis Love. It's going to be a highlight of my career and it's something I've worked for a long time and I'm going to enjoy it.”
Bradley had his first Ryder Cup experience as a spectator at The Country Club at Brookline (Mass.) in 1999, the year the American side wrenched away victory with a dramatic comeback on the last day. The Europeans led 10-6 heading into the final round, needing only four points in 12 singles matches to clinch the Cup.
But, as USA captain Ben Crenshaw foreshadowed in an emotional press conference the night before, the Americans rallied.
The day's defining memory was the 45-foot putt made by Justin Leonard on the 17th hole against Jose Maria Olazabal to eventually halve the match and win the Cup, and the unbridled enthusiasm of his and his teammates' reaction.
“I've always said (it's) the best sporting event I've ever been to in my life,” said Bradley, who had to sit on his father Mark's shoulders to see the action because of the massive crowds in attendance.
“Some of the guys who were on that (USA) team are on this team again so it's going to be pretty amazing to be on a team with them and probably partner up with a couple of those guys, and hopefully win some matches.”
“It's going to be really fun to be part of that history.”
Bradley was asked if there is someone on the European side he looks forward to facing, or someone on the American side he would like to partner with?
“I look forward to playing anybody on the European side. There's a lot of great players,” he said. “Playing against Rory (McIlroy) or Luke Donald or Lee Westwood or some of the (other) top guys in the world will be really tough. On the USA side I'd pair with anybody but I'd look forward to maybe pairing up with Phil (Mickelson) or maybe Tiger (Woods) and some of the other guys. But again I'm along for the ride and if they tell me I've got to play with a different person every day I'd love it. There's no person I wouldn't want to play with.”
Bradley has become good friends with Mickelson (they watched last year's Super Bowl together) and looked to the Ryder Cup veteran for counsel.
“He's really kind of taken me under his wing and talked to me about the Ryder Cup and we've been playing together and discussing some things, and also Tiger has been really great to me,” Bradley said. “He's really helped me, talking about the Ryder Cup and what's going to happen and just the logistics of things I don't know.”
Given a choice, would Bradley prefer to win another major, or have a Leonard-type putt to win the Ryder Cup?
“That's tough. I think that you always want to win majors, first and foremost,” he said. “The veterans have always said to me that winning tournaments and majors is a goal you have and the Ryder Cup and stuff like that should be just under, but for me it's hard to admit that because I would love that.
“I would love that opportunity, to have a putt to win the Ryder Cup for USA. I'm afraid of what my celebration might be. It might be worse than Justin Leonard.
“But, ahhhhh, how about both?”
NOTES: Keegan Bradley's aunt Pat Bradley, an LPGA Hall of Famer, warmed up for Monday's round on the practice range as early-arriving fans were filtering in. At age 61, she still has a full, fluid motion through the ball. “Most players who are her age who have played (professionally) don't want to play any more,” Keegan said. “I played with her yesterday and she wouldn't give herself a 2-foot putt and she's marking it, I couldn't believe it.” ... Mark Bradley, in attendance on Monday, is now a club pro in Jackson Hole, Wy., where he's loving life playing golf, skiing and fishing. ... Keegan Bradley missed the cut at the Barclays at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. last week, so he arrived in Woodstock sooner than he had expected. He spent part of his free time hanging out with his buddies from Woodstock Union High School. “And we did the same stuff that we always did: sit around and do nothing,” he said to chuckles in the media area. ... Wealth has not changed Bradley, who still enjoys the same things he grew up doing. “I love to fish; it's my favorite thing to do, and follow Boston sports,” he said. “Maybe now I watch it on a nicer TV ...”
FIRST !!!
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