Keegan Bradley secured victory at the BMW Championship, marking his first PGA Tour title since the previous season’s Travelers Championship. Despite entering the tournament as the last man in the field, Bradley finished at the top. While Scottie Scheffler retains the No. 1 position in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of the Tour Championship, Bradley’s win propels him to fourth in the season-long rankings, starting the Tour Championship at six under par.
Expressing his surprise at the outcome, Bradley remarked that just a week prior, he didn’t expect to participate in the event. He described his sense of calm throughout the tournament, a feeling he typically does not experience.
Since his last win, much has transpired for Bradley, now boasting seven PGA Tour career victories. After delivering two victories last season, he was controversially omitted from the U.S. Ryder Cup team by captain Zach Johnson during the matches in Rome, which saw the U.S. team suffer a significant loss to Team Europe. To his surprise, this summer, Bradley was named captain for the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup team at just 38 years old, right in the middle of his career.
This announcement has sparked speculation over whether Bradley might serve as a playing captain at Bethpage. He stated he would only participate if he qualified automatically, not opting to select himself otherwise. “I would love to be a playing captain,” he said, highlighting the rarity of his opportunity compared to past players like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
In addition to the Ryder Cup, Bradley is also vying for a captain’s pick for the upcoming Presidents Cup. He noted that having the role of Ryder Cup captain places him in a unique category, as full-time playing captains have been rare.
During the BMW Championship, Bradley displayed high performance, beginning with a bogey-free 66 to lead after the first round. Although he faced challenges, including a bogey on the 15th hole, he ultimately secured the win with a strong final round that included an impressive approach shot on the 17th hole. Shaking from nerves, he was able to complete the round with a 72, finishing a shot ahead of Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg, and Sam Burns, who all concluded their rounds earlier.
This triumph marks Bradley’s second victory in a FedEx Cup Playoff event, having previously won in 2018. He becomes only the third player in the past 60 years to win a PGA Tour event after being named Ryder Cup captain, joining the ranks of Jack Nicklaus and Davis Love III.