Sports

GOLF | Keegan Bradley Survives a Shaky Back Nine to Win ZOZO Championship by One Stroke

The American made a clutch birdie on No. 17 to take a two-stroke lead to the final hole at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2022

Jim Armstrong

Keegan Bradley gestures after putting on the 17th green during the final round of the 2022 ZOZO Championship in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, on October 16. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/AP)

This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website.

INZAI, Chiba Pref. ― American Keegan Bradley survived a shaky back nine on Sunday, October 16 to win the ZOZO Championship by one stroke over compatriots Rickie Fowler and Andrew Putnam for his first PGA Tour win in just over four years.

Bradley had two bogeys after the turn at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, but came up big with a clutch birdie on the par-4 17th that gave him a two-stroke lead heading to the final hole.

"It's not going to be easy," said Bradley, who finished with a 2-under 68 for a 15-under total of 265. "I knew it wasn't going to be easy."

On the 18th, Bradley's approach landed six feet from the hole and he two-putted for the victory after Fowler (70) and Putnam (68) both sank birdie putts to pull within one stroke.

But the real drama came on No. 17.

Overnight leader Fowler came within six inches of making birdie with a long putt. Had he made that, it might have been a different story.

Read the full story on SportsLook.

Author: Jim Armstrong

The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles here.