Cromwell The sun eventually sets, the audience assembles, but eventually goes silent, and the plots lose their significance. The few valuable feet and inches of space between the ball and the 18th hole are then all that’s left.
Moments such as these, shortly after 6 p.m. on a Sunday, have long been a hallmark of the Travelers Championship. People were swarming to the grandstands, balconies, and hills that surrounded and overlooked the green to see if their hero, Captain America Keegan Bradley, could be Captain Clutch once more.
On the last hole, Keegan Bradley surpasses Tommy Fleetwood and wins the 2025 Travelers Championship.
Bradley’s outstanding putting throughout the day maintained pressure on leader Tommy Fleetwood, and his excellent approach shot gave him a chance to equal the score with a makeable putt. Bradley then had a layup, a pocket-hanger, a fastball down the center, or depending on your sport of choice, a pretty similar putt for birdie, and the $3.6 million Travelers Championship first prize when Fleetwood missed an 8-foot putt for par.
And, as much as this backyard tournament means to him as an experienced veteran, Bradley didn’t let it get to him.
The festivities started as soon as he rolled it in.
Bradley stated, “I just did a great job of, like staying present, because that could have got me out of my routine, out of what I was doing, but I did a good job of staying in my little zone.” The crowd, the mood, and the scenario there were all crazy.
After that, it was time to return to the plots. Despite 41 top-10 finishes—a record for such close finishes without the cigar—international standout Fleetwood has never won on the PGA Tour. Put that at 42. He had a three-stroke lead heading into Sunday, and the Travelers were his to lose. Needless to say, he lost it, finishing the last day two strokes over par. His putter abandoned him when he made three bogeys on the first four holes, and he had to wait through the increasingly stressful afternoon while the greatest players in the world made their pushes from a long way behind.
Bradley, a 2023 Travelers winner who was born in Vermont and raised in Massachusetts, St. John’s graduate, would not move away. On the ninth hole, he hit the longest putt of the year, a 64-foot one for birdie. Then, on 15, he pulled within a stroke and set up the dramatic conclusion with a 37-footer for birdie.
Fleetwood appeared to be in control when he hit the fairway on hole 18, but his second attempt fell very short. Bradley had the gap he required.
Bradley is the captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team that will play Europe in September, which adds to the drama. He has performed admirably in that capacity, avoiding selfishness and promising not to start unless he qualified on points. He was already a well-respected player, and he has just gained more.
As a result, the ancient Kee-gan, Kee-an chants heard when he first won in Cromwell have been replaced by cries of U-S-A, U-S-A, which have followed him everywhere. Captain America’s calls as well. This captain has won his eighth tournament, his first of the season, and the United States hasn’t had a playing captain on the Ryder Cup team since 1963. He has the authority to select six of the U.S. team’s twelve players. When play starts at Bethpage Black on Long Island, Fleetwood will probably be on Team Europe.
Dom Amore: Captain America is Keegan Bradley’s new title. He will be able to hear it from his Travelers followers.
Bradley remarked, “I wanted to play on the Ryder Cup team every year of my life, but this would be the first year where maybe I didn’t want to.” All I wanted was to be the captain, and naturally, this is what occurs. However, we shall see. Whatever I believe is best for the squad, I will do it. This really makes a big difference, regardless of whether I’m on the team or not. We shall see. Prior to winning a tournament, I would never have been able to play for the squad.
The natural tendency of a golf fan to support the underdog, the person who has never won, or the player attempting to relieve pressure on himself was overridden by Bradley’s captaincy. That player was Fleetwood, a polite competitor who was born in the United Kingdom.
Fleetwood commented, “Fair play to Keegan, who made a birdie.” However, I still believe that I ought to be in the playoffs given where I was. So, yes, it’s a terrible way to end. I had work to do because of 16 and 18, which were just disappointing and kind of hit some really solid shots, but neither of those really cleaned it up. There were several of them.
However, Bradley shares a unique connection with the Travelers’ supporters, who once more flocked to the TPC River Highlands in their tens of thousands when the morning rain passed for the final round.
Keegan will undoubtedly receive the most support if there is only one person in this area that you are going to oppose, Fleetwood stated. All week long, I thought the crowd was fantastic. I’m always struck by how fortunate I am to have individuals around me who show me warmth. It was a terrific setting to play in, and I had fun. Indeed, it was. I liked that aspect of it.
In their history, the Travelers have had to make it to the playoffs 25 times. Just before nightfall four years ago, Harris English defeated Kramer Hickok after eight playoff holes. In 2024, the world’s top player, Scottie Scheffler, prevailed in a playoff match.
Although the playoffs were avoided this season, the thrilling conclusion was filled with drama and left a lasting impression. Keegan Bradley also left a legacy. Those people become kings around here, and he is the ninth person to win numerous championships at this tournament.
Bradley remarked, “I’m proud of the way I’ve handled these situations over the past, say, five years.”
