Keegan Bradley: 'My goal is just to putt average'

NASSAU, Bahamas – Keegan Bradley would love to be one of the PGA TOUR’s best putters. In his heart, though, he knows that’s not realistic. So he has a more achievable goal for 2019.

“This is going to sound weird, but my goal is just to putt average,” he said Wednesday on the eve of the Hero World Challenge.

Actually, it’s not weird if you look at the rest of Bradley’s game. Last season, he ranked second in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green. The year before, he ranked 10th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. The year before, he ranked 25th in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green.

He knows he can put all those elements together, and indeed he ranked 14th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green last season. In the last six years, he’s never ranked outside the top 30 in that category.

Putting has been his nemesis, thanks in part to the anchored putting ban that forced Bradley, among others, to make major adjustments in their game a few years ago. The way Bradley figures it, his game from tee-to-green is good enough to give him a chance in every start … as long as his putting doesn’t derail him.

And when his putting is at its best – such as at Aronimink when he won the BMW Championship, ranking first in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting – then he’s hard to beat.

“With the way I’m striking the ball, I’m going to be competitive,” Bradley said. “And if I do have weeks where I putt great, I’m going to contend and hopefully win. …

“I definitely want to be one of the best putters, for sure, but statistically if I’m near the average on the TOUR, I’m going to gain a lot of shots on the field.”

With his victory at Aronimink still fueling his enthusiasm, Bradley is looking forward to making the kind of noise he did in his breakout 2011 season, when he won two events, including the PGA Championship in his first-ever start in a major.

“I can’t remember a time I’ve been more excited about a year than next year,” Bradley said. “I’ve got to be careful that I don’t go overboard with that, but I feel as though my golf game is the best it’s ever been. [If] I just kind of keep improving with my putting and stuff, I should be there. I should be ready to go and contend in more tournaments and hopefully win some more.”

And if he starts winning some more, he’ll put himself into consideration for a spot on the U.S. Team at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. Bradley hasn’t made a U.S. appearance since the disappointing 2014 Ryder Cup. Missing out on the last four years has been tough for a player who thrives on national pride.

“It’s tough not play but it’s even tougher to not even be part of the conversation,” he said. “… Now what’s fun is this year, I feel I have a legitimate shot to make the team. I thought I had that chance in years past, but it was a little distant. This year I feel as though I can make that team, and with Tiger as the captain – for a lot of us players that grew up watching him, that’s going to be pretty incredible.”