‘What a Shocker’: Heartbreaking Final-Hole Collapse Leaves Beloved Star in Tears During PGA Tour Thriller

Keegan Bradley, the captain for the Ryder Cup, staged a remarkable comeback from three shots down with just four holes left, sinking a birdie on the 18th hole amid a jubilant crowd at the Travelers Championship, finishing with a score of 2-under 68.

This victory further solidified Bradley’s case to bring his clubs to Bethpage Black for the upcoming September matches versus Europe, elevating him to ninth place in the standings.

In his pursuit of glory, Bradley triumphed over Tommy Fleetwood, who secured the decisive point for Europe two years ago at Marco Simone.

The popular English golfer appeared close to tears after relinquishing his lead with a bogey on the final hole, depriving him of a coveted maiden PGA Tour title.

In the end, Fleetwood forfeited nearly $2 million in potential prizemoney, yet still earned $3.34 million for his second-place finish.

Entering the 18th hole just one shot behind Fleetwood, Bradley’s approach landed just under six feet from the hole. Looking poised for his first PGA Tour win, Fleetwood faltered, falling approximately 50 feet short and taking three putts for a bogey, concluding with a final-round score of 72.

As he left his chip shot short, one commentator exclaimed, “holy cow”. Upon missing a crucial short putt, another commentator remarked, “this is just shocking”.

Fleetwood handled the situation with composure when addressing media immediately after the mishap.

“I’m feeling upset, gutted, and angry,” he expressed. “The last thing I should do is let a week like this hinder my progress moving forward. I played brilliantly, put myself in a great position, and led the tournament for 71 holes.”

“I’d love nothing more than to sulk right now – and maybe I will – but I need to focus on the positives and move ahead.”

Bradley celebrated as his putt dropped, shaking his fist in triumph. The pride of New England delivered a spectacular performance at TPC River Highlands, concluding his round with a memorable 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th and a crucial 6-footer to seal the win.

“Out of all the shots I took, I reckon that last one will stay with me the most,” he shared regarding his final birdie.

It was a heartbreaking moment for Fleetwood, the 34-year-old Englishman who has carved out a solid international career but remains winless in 84 regular PGA Tour events. After a shaky start, he regrouped but was unable to convert two short putts in the final five holes.

Russell Henley made a chip-in birdie from across the 18th green, finishing with a 69 to tie with Fleetwood just one shot behind. During the second round, Henley had called a one-shot penalty on himself after witnessing his ball move slightly as he was preparing for a chip.

He promptly notified the rules officials, clarified the ruling and accepted a penalty that only he had observed.

Bradley’s victories against top-tier fields in the last ten months are noteworthy — only Scottie Scheffler has more wins since August among the players ahead of him in the Ryder Cup standings.

When asked on the 18th green about his potential selection, Bradley simply responded, “Go USA!”.

The atmosphere was electric on a sweltering day as fans cheered “USA! USA!” throughout, especially when Bradley rolled in a spectacular 65-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole to keep himself in contention.

At the turn, Bradley was tied with Fleetwood, who struggled early with bogeys on three of his first four holes. However, Fleetwood regained his footing with two birdies and was two shots ahead after hitting a wedge to six feet on the 14th.

Bradley found himself in trouble on the 15th, hitting his approach over the green and into a tough lie in the bunker, eventually salvaging a bogey to fall three shots behind.

Still, he sunk a fantastic 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th, while Fleetwood encountered challenges on the par-3 16th, landing just long and ultimately missing a short putt for bogey, narrowing the gap to just one shot, paving the way for Bradley’s triumphant turnaround on his way to a second Travelers Championship in three years.

This win was particularly special for Bradley, a Vermont native, as it marked the only PGA Tour stop in the northeast. Cheers of “USA! USA!” resounded after every significant putt, especially at the finish.

Bradley concluded with a score of 15-under 265, earning $5.56 million for his first title at a notable event. Last August, he also claimed victory at the BMW Championship, the second event in the FedEx Cup playoffs, held at Cherry Hills near Denver.

Celebrating his 39th birthday earlier this month, Bradley noted that this win came exactly one year after he received the call appointing him Ryder Cup captain.

Harris English (65) improved his Ryder Cup prospects and tied for fourth place alongside Australian star Jason Day (68), who earned nearly $1.5 million for his performance.

Scheffler, who shared the 36-hole lead prior to a 72 in round three, closed with a 65 and tied for sixth with Rory McIlroy, who also shot a 65, with both players finishing three shots behind.

Both Scheffler and McIlroy have secured spots on the Ryder Cup team, and it appears Bradley is assured of a place as well, though his exact role remains to be determined.