Bradley comes back in superb fashion to beat Dufner, win PGA Championship

Keegan Bradley won his first major in his first try. Hopefully more are in his future. (Photo: Reuters/Hans Deryk)

Tiger Woods wasn’t in the mix for the PGA Championship’s Wanamaker Trophy. Neither were any of the other usual suspects: Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Lee Westwood, Ricky Fowler, or Rory McIlroy. Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley were, a 34-year-old with no PGA Tour and a 25-year-old rookie with one.

It was an unexpected scene in John Creeks, Georgia, and, even without the big names, as exciting as any major in recent memory.

Dufner, who consistently and annoyingly wagged his club up to eight times before hitting, was in control, hitting the fairways and greens with ease. He led by four with four holes remaining, but the seams began to come undone on the 15th, when his drive found the green-side water.

Yet, even in bogeying the hole, he led by three. And considering he had played that four-hole stretch 3-under the first three rounds, there was the belief he could put a disappointing 15th behind him, regain his confidence, and keep his lead. After splitting the fairway on the 16th hole, it appeared he was well on his way to righting the ship.

Given this, it didn’t seem like Bradley would have the ability to pull off a comeback. He was just coming off a triple-bogey on the 15th, having chipped a shot into the water.

He wasn’t entirely out of it yet, however. There is always a chance. After all, who was contending was surprising, so why couldn’t the outcome have a similarly unexpected finish?

On the 16th, in the group ahead of Dufner, he sunk an eight-foot birdie putt after a superb bunker shot. Dufner watched him do so from the tee-box, then proceeded to turn in another demoralizing bogey. He was officially in a tailspin, with Bradley breathing down his neck.

The 17th was the official turning point. After a roar followed a brilliant 30-foot, tricky downhill birdie by Bradley, Dufner’s woes continued. Another bogey ensued for the player who was trying to break a 147-tournament winless streak. The two were now tied.

Then they were headed to an aggregate three-hole playoff. Bradley parred the 18th hole, as did Dufner. It was clear who had the upper-hand.

Getting back on track is easier said than done, especially for someone as rattled and stunned as Dufner seemed to be. The vast majority of golf is mental. When things go right, everything feels good. The swing is fluid, the contact is crisp, the direction is precise. When things start to go wrong, it is a nightmare, and it is hard to wake up.

Dufner never did. It was sad to watch unfold. Meanwhile, Bradley was riding high. What happened on the 16th in regulation repeated itself as the sun began to set in Georgia. Dufner would need to recover quickly and hope Bradley stumbled it was not to be. Bradley birdied the 17th yet again, and an 18th hole birdie by Dufner put him one shot short.

Bradley thrust his fists into the air repeatedly, soaking in the victory as the first golfer in more than 100 years to win a major on his first try. “It seems like a dream and I’m afraid I’m going to wake up here in the next five minutes and it’s not going to be real,” Bradley said. It is. And, now that the reality of the situation has hit him, he doesn’t expect to be a flash in the pan.

“I don’t want to be one of the guys that kind of disappears,” he said. “I would love to be up in a category with the best players and be mentioned with Phil Mickelson, one of my idols. I hope I don’t disappear. I don’t plan to.” Likable, emotional, youthful, with a smooth swing and tremendous talent, the rookie is on the map, and will have plenty of chances to build upon such an impressive come-from-behind victory.