Bradley Wins Incredible PGA Championship

Standing on the 15th tee on Sunday afternoon at the Atlanta Athletic Club, Jason Dufner thought that he had the last major of the year in the bag.  After bogeying three of the final four holes, he found himself in a playoff with Keegan Bradley.  Bradley birdied two of the final three holes to finish eight under and hold a share of the lead.  Dufner and Bradley finished one stroke ahead of the Dane, Anders Hansen, and three ahead of Robert Karlsson, David Toms, and Scott Verplank.  Going into the playoff, Bradley held all the momentum.  He had just sunk a fifty footer on 17 that put him in a tie for the lead and made the crowd go wild.  He did this after a disheartening triple bogey on 15.  It was his tournament to win.

Dufner had one thing going for him and that was the home field advantage.  He hails from Auburn, Alabama, which is just a two hour drive from the Athletic Club.  He was used to the scorching heat and raucous crowds.  On the first playoff hole, both competitors hit straight drives and proceeded to hit their approach shots to within seven feet.  Dufner nearly hit the pin, while Bradley ended up within four feet.  Dufner would miss his first putt and make his second and Bradley would make his first to take a one stroke lead into the second playoff hole.  The second playoff hole was the daunting par 3, hole 17.  Both golfers hit the green but Dufner proceeded to three putt, while Bradley two putted for a comfortable two stroke lead going into the final playoff hole.

Both golfers had been waiting all their lives for this coveted moment.  They were down to the last playoff hole of a major championship.  Jason Dufner had never won a PGA event and hadn't even made a cut since late May.  Keegan Bradley won his first PGA event earlier this year in the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas.  He is a rookie on tour and the nerves were certainly going to effect him.  Both players hit straight drives and approaches to nearly the same spot, 20 feet from the hole.  Dufner was a little farther away so he led and sunk his putt.  This meant the Bradley had a two putt for the victory and he did just that.  Mr. Bradley played incredible down the stretch and certainly deserved this major championship victory.