CROMWELL, Conn. -- Keegan Bradley doesn't take any offense when those around him refer to his 2022-23 campaign as a "resurgence." But the five-time PGA Tour winner and New England native doesn't view it the same way.
"That's what people like to call it. I feel like I've been playing pretty steadily my whole career, but I feel like anytime you win, that's a big step," Bradley told NESN.com Wednesday at TPC River Highlands ahead of the 2023 Travelers Championship.
"But I always have pretty high goals so I feel like this is where I should be. And, you know, a lot of people like to say it's a resurgence, but I've been a pretty consistent PGA Tour player, I feel like, over the last decade or so."
That's a fair self-assessment.
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The 37-year-old Bradley entered the 2022-23 campaign after a season in which he finished in the top-25 nine times with six top-10s in 25 events. The season before that he added 11 top-25s and four top-10s in 27 competitions. It's certainly not like Bradley is far removed from success. He's had plenty throughout his career, which started in 2008. Entering the weekend at TPC River Highlands, Bradley has 33 top-5s and 54 top-10s in his career to go along with five first-place finishes.
"... I always have pretty high goals so I feel like this is where I should be."
What do you think? Leave a comment.Keegan Bradley on impressive 2022-23 campaign on PGA Tour
Nevertheless, his 2022-23 campaign has stood out. Bradley currently is ranked 28th in the world and 15th in FedEx Cup points. Whatever you call it, well, that's up to you.
But what's not negotiable is the fact the graduate of Hopkinton High in Hopkinton, Mass. has seven top-25s in 17 events this season. He won the ZOZO Championship in October, his first win since the 2017-2018 season, and has three top-5s behind a runner-up finish in the Farmers Insurance Open in January and a fifth-place finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October.
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"I'm putting way, way better. It's a drastic difference," Bradley said. "I feel like I'm putting as good as I was with the belly putter, maybe better. So that was a big stretch of my career where I was really struggling and searching for what to do. And it's made a big difference to where I don't have to go play perfect and I can still score, which is how you're consistent out here."
Bradley will tee it up Thursday at the Travelers Championship, the 13th consecutive year he's taken part in the tournament. He'll do so while being paired with World No. 6 and defending Travelers champion Xander Schauffele. Bradley, who recently purchased a house in the Boston area, finished in a tie for second at TPC River Highlands in 2019. It's his best finish in Cromwell, Conn.
A similar result certainly would add to Bradley's impressive season -- and consistent career.
Featured image via Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports Images