It might not have been the most important thing to Bradley, but coming away with Sunday’s top prize of $1.98M isn’t too shabby.
To see more of Bradley’s emotional press conference in Japan, check out this week’s edition of Conversation with Champions presented by Sentry.
We’ve already taken a deep dive inside Bradley’s Winner’s Bag but now we get to open up the champion’s closet and see how Keegan Bradley dressed for success at the 2022 Zozo Championship.
An emotional Keegan Bradley broke his winless streak thanks in part to inspiration from Tiger Woods.
“Conversations with Champions presented by Sentry” is a weekly series from Golfweek. This week: Keegan Bradley, winner of the 2022 Zozo Championship.
Keegan Bradley found victory lane once again and Tiger Woods provided plenty of the inspiration.
Bradley, winner of the 2011 PGA Championship among his five PGA Tour wins, claimed the 2020 Zozo Championship after closing with a 68 on Sunday in Japan.
It was enough to top Rickie Fowler and Andrew Putnam by a stroke and gave Bradley his first win since the 2018 BMW Championship.
“It feels amazing. I feel so honored to have won this tournament
and be a PGA Tour champion in Japan. It means a lot to me and I’m still, I still can’t believe it,” Bradley said.
Keegan Bradley celebrates with his caddie Scott Vail on the 18th green after winning the 2022 Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. (Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
From his emotions getting the best of him to Tiger’s inspiration, here’s everything Keegan Bradley said after winning the 2022 Zozo Championship.
Q: The birdie on 17 was a turning point for you, I believe. Just talk us through that moment and what was going through your thoughts at the present time.
KB: Well, 16 was bizarre, I’ve never done that, I don’t think, ever, I shanked one out of the bunker. But I stayed really calm. That two-putt on 16 was huge and that birdie on 17 is one of the best birdies of my life and one that when I think back on this tournament, that’s the pivotal hole. I was never going to give up or let in and I knew I was still in a good spot to win the tournament.
Q: You played the same group as Tiger [Woods] when Tiger made his 82nd win here three years ago. What does it mean to have your name on the same trophy as Tiger?
KB: It’s spectacular, I learned a lot that day playing 36 holes with him the last two rounds when he won. Anytime you play with Tiger it’s really great, but to watch him win up close was spectacular and I learned a lot. I was thinking about it the whole day today, just kind of remembering Tiger and how he walked a little slower than I noticed in the past, and I tried to do that. To have that same exact pin on 18 and be able to win, man, what a special day.
Q: Keegan, how far was the putt on 17? What’s the distance, do you estimate, and did you feel like you had a good shot at it? Also, you looked like you were ready to cry. The emotion side must be tremendous.
KB: I’ve been crying since I finished. I can’t remember the last time I cried. I talked to my wife on the phone a second ago, FaceTime. I can’t keep it together, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. On 17 I had about 20 feet, 15, 20 feet and I kind of realized if I make this putt, I’ve got a two-shot lead going down 18, which I thought, boy, that would be nice to have two there, and I just buried it. It’s just a perfect putt, meant to be and I’m proud of the way I handled that hole.
Q: Many congratulations on your win. I know we talk about how special the Japanese fans are here this week, but is there any particular experience or memories that you can actually take home with you this week?
KB: Well, it’s not only the fans. We went into Narita a few times for dinner and the city’s so spectacular and clean and everybody’s been so nice. The fans here are so pleasant to be around. They’re really fun people to play in front of. This course is one of the best in the world that I’ve ever played and I’m very honored to be a winner at this place. It means a lot to me.
Keegan Bradley tees off during the final round of the 2022 Zozo Championship at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. (Photo: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP via Getty Images)
Q: Keegan, this is your first title for four years. How does it feel to break that title drought and what do you feel you can achieve from now on?
KB: It means a lot. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into it. Even if you play perfectly, doesn’t mean you’re going to win. But for me, I feel like I should be contending for tournaments, I want to be contending to play on Ryder Cup, Presidents Cups teams, majors. You know, this is going to go a long way. I haven’t really — of my five, I haven’t really won that many leading the entire day like I did today and I really learned a lot and I think I can take a lot of that going forward the rest of the year.
Q: Keegan, you had that long putt early in the round. Talk about how that maybe set the tone, momentum for you. And also, just a fun moment giving your putter to your caddie with the two fingers, just talk about the relationship you guys have.
KB: Yeah, I putted spectacularly all week. I wish there were stats so I could see what they were. That putt was huge because I had hit three or four good putts leading into that and they didn’t go in. That one went and it sort of really propelled the rest of the round. My caddie, Scott Vail, is a major part of where I’m at right now in winning this tournament. I’m so lucky to have him on my team, on my side. To be able to share wins like this with somebody that you like as a friend is even more special. I’m so thankful for all the work he’s done for me and having him on my side.
Q: Keegan, during your walk to scoring, the cameras overheard you just getting a little emotional and then also mentioning to your caddie about some sake. I was just wondering the emotions you were feeling then and what’s your plans for celebrating after this?
KB: Yeah, I never experienced emotions like that after winning a tournament. I’m a dad now and I miss my family a lot over here, and I’m so thankful for all that my wife, Jillian, has done for our family. To be able to, I don’t know if reward is the right word, but to be able to give this, the success of winning a tournament means something to me because I want her to know all the sacrifices she makes are worth it for us and for me. That meant a lot. As for the celebration, we’re going to hit it tonight, for sure. We’re going to go out to dinner at a steakhouse in Narita and we’ve got the Patriots playing at 2 a.m., so could be a long night.
Q: And it’s 3 a.m. in Boston now. You said you talked to your wife. Were your kids still up and was your wife watching the whole time?
KB: Yeah, I got a billion text messages on my phone from everybody staying up until 3, 4 in the morning. I was able to FaceTime with my wife. Actually, my mom is at my house with her right now randomly, so I got to FaceTime with them. Winning with a family on your side is so much more special. I mean, winning majors and stuff like that is so amazing, but being able to share a win with your family is something I never thought of and I never knew it would be so amazing.
Q: Keegan, we saw the emotion. It’s been four years since you won. How significant is the win?
KB: I’m trying to keep it together, but I really want to thank my wife, Jillian, for the sacrifices she makes for our family.
Q: You made it difficult on yourself, you bogeyed 14 and 16 with a two-shot lead, but you came back with a brilliant birdie on 17. Talk about the resilience you showed to get this thing done.
KB: Oh, man, listen, that’s why I practice so hard. It’s not going to be easy, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, that two-putt on 16 was major. Things aren’t easy for me normally, so I was ready. That birdie on 17 goes down as one of the best holes of my life. This is so special. I played in the final group here when Tiger won and I got to watch him do that. I’m so proud to be win this tournament. Thank you, Japan and Zozo, just a first-class event and golf course.
Q: Five wins on the PGA Tour, you have a major championship obviously your rookie year. Where does this rank?
KB: This is high up there. I really put a lot of work in this offseason. You know, this is what I want to do, I want to win tournaments, I want to play in Ryder Cups, I want to be in the conversation and this is a good start.
Q: What a performance, congratulations. You’ve been back to Japan three times now for the Zozo Championship and you’ve won so many big events in the past, but it’s been four years since you won last. How’s this one rank for you?
KB: It’s really high up there. (Tearful) Jesus, so strange. It’s just when you put the work in and you win, it means a lot. Thanks to Japan, Japan and the golf course and Zozo, what an amazing event and golf course. I’m so proud to be a winner here.
Q: You made it so interesting coming down the stretch. How does the putt on 17 feel?
KB: It’s one of the best putts of my life, yeah. It was amazing.
The 36-year-old earned his fifth PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the 2022 Zozo Championship, where he shot a 2-under 68 in the final round to beat Rickie Fowler by one shot at 15 under. Bradley last won in 2018 at the BMW Championship while Fowler was looking for his first win since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open. For his efforts Bradley will leave Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, with the top prize of $1,980,000, with Fowler taking home $968,000.
Check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2022 Zozo Championship.
Everything you need to know for the final round in Japan.
The PGA Tour’s best are in East Asia and it’s time for the final 18.
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, plays host once again to the 2022 Zozo Championship, where a limited field of 78 players is competing for one of the bigger purses on Tour.
Rickie Fowler is 18 holes away from capturing his sixth Tour title and first since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open. Fowler held a three-shot lead late but a dropped shot and a Keegan Bradley birdie shrunk the lead to one.
Fowler has converted two 54-hole leads out of nine opportunities.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s what you need to know for the final round of the 2022 Zozo Championship. All times Eastern.
1st tee
Tee time
Players
7:30 p.m.
J.J. Spaun, Sebastian Munoz, Kazuki Higa
7:41 p.m.
Cam Davis, David Lipsky, C.T. Pan
7:52 p.m.
Mackenzie Hughes, Si Woo Kim, Hideki Matsuyama
8:03 p.m.
Satoshi Kodaira, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Rodgers
8:14 p.m.
John Huh, Tom Kim, Wyndham Clark
8:25 p.m.
Lee Hodges, Brendan Steele, Adam Long
8:36 p.m.
Luke List, Adam Schenk, Alex Smalley
8:47 p.m.
Keita Nakajima, Emiliano Grillo, Brandon Wu
8:58 p.m.
Matthew NeSmith, Beau Hossler, Sam Ryder
9:09 p.m.
Tom Hoge, Ryo Hisatsune, Joel Dahmen
9:20 p.m.
Hayden Buckley, Sahith Theegala, Taylor Moore
9:31 p.m.
Viktor Hovland, Maverick McNealy, Cameron Champ
9:42 p.m.
Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Andrew Putnam
10th tee
Tee time
Players
7:30 p.m.
Dylan Frittelli, Aaron Rai, Corey Conners
7:41 p.m.
Martin Laird, Mikumu Horikawa, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
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Everything you need to know for the third round in Japan.
After a week out west in Sin City, the PGA Tour’s best are in East Asia and it’s time for the weekend.
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, plays host once again to the 2022 Zozo Championship, where a limited field of 78 players is competing for one of the bigger purses on Tour.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
A three-time winner holds the early lead after making four consecutive birdies to finish his first round.
Like most of America, chances are you were sleeping during the first round of the PGA Tour’s 2022 Zozo Championship.
With the event being held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, the broadcast aired from 11 p.m. ET Wednesday night to 3 a.m. ET Thursday morning, so we can’t really blame you for resting your eyes and missing out on the early action.
We can, however, get you up to speed on what you missed while you were sleeping. The fans showed out for defending champion Hideki Matsuyama while Keita Nakajima, the world’s former No. 1 amateur, made his pro Tour debut in his native Japan. One three-time winner on Tour made four consecutive birdies to take the lead, while another player did the same but just to get back to even par on the day.
Here are some of the highlights from the first round of the Tour’s annual stop in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Everything you need to know for the second round in Japan.
After a week out west in Sin City the PGA Tour’s best are in East Asia this week.
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, plays host once again for the 2022 Zozo Championship, where a limited field of 78 players are competing for one of the bigger purses on Tour, and without a 36-hole cut.
Brendan Steele made four consecutive birdies to close out a 6-under 64 to take a one-shot lead after a wet and cold first round that also saw Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele play their way into the top 10.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s what you need to know for the second round of the 2022 Zozo Championship. All times Eastern.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
Check out some of the best photos from the week in Japan.
The PGA Tour, after a week in Las Vegas, is in East Asia for the 2022 Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.
There are 78 players in the field and there will be no 36-hole cut.
A loaded stable of players has made the long journey across the globe, including the defending champion Hideki Matsuyama who entered as one of the betting favorites at +1200. The honor of favorite went to Xander Schauffele at +750. Other big names include Cameron Young, Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland.
Check out some of the best photos from the week in Japan.
Everything you need to know for the first round in Japan.
After a week out west in Sin City, the PGA Tour’s best are bound for East Asia.
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, plays host once again for the 2022 Zozo Championship, where a limited field of 78 players will compete for one of the bigger purses on Tour, and without a 36-hole cut.
Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama leads a strong field that includes the likes of last week’s winner Tom Kim, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Sungjae Im, Cameron Young and Viktor Hovland.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s what you need to know for the first round of the 2022 Zozo Championship. All times Eastern.
We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.
After a week in the Sin City, the PGA Tour heads to the other side of the globe for the Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. There are 78 players in the field and there will be no cut Friday night.
Several stars of the game have made the lengthy trip to East Asia including defending champion Hideki Matsuyama, who sits at +1200 to repeat. The betting favorite, however, is Xander Schauffele at +750. Schauffele played for the U.S. at the Presidents Cup last month but this will be his first start of the new 2022-23 season.
Other big names in the field include last week’s winner Tom Kim, Sungjae Im, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young and Viktor Hovland.
Golf course
The 16th hole at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club for the 2021 Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan. (Photo: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
Key statistics
Total driving
Strokes Gained: Approach
Data Golf Information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Caves Valley Golf Club, 2. Torrey Pines, 3. Atunyote GC
Trending (of the players in the field, last three finishes): 1. Sungjae Im (T-15, T-2, 7), 2. Tom Kim (T-13, T-54, 1), 3. Cameron Young (T-31, T-23, 19)
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Xander Schauffele (9.4 percent), 2. Sungjae Im (9 percent), 3. Cameron Young (6.9 percent)
