TOUR Championship News And Notes
It was just over a month ago that Keegan Bradley won his second tournament of his rookie year, just about 30 minutes away at Atlanta Athletic Club.
The fact that it was the PGA Championship, the first major with a belly putter, made the feat even more noteworthy.
Now Bradley has returned to The Athens of the South and again has taken to southern cooking, recording a 6 under, 64, his lowest score since shooting a 64 in the second round of the PGA Championship.
"I just felt comfortable right from the start," Bradley said of his seven birdies and 1 bogey round. "I made a bunker shot on the second hole which kind of got me calmed down, and it just seemed to be easy today, and it seems to be when you play good golf, it's easy. When you play bad golf, it seems hard. It was just a good day. "
Bradley, 26, is trying to have not only a good day, but a good week, for a victory in this weeks Tour Championship would almost insure him the final spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team.
Also if the positions stayed the same, Bradley with a win would also finish second to England's Luke Donald in the FedEx Cup finale.
"There's nothing more pressure packed than Q‑school for sure," Bradley said of the pressure of this week. "But making The Presidents Cup team is a close second. I really want to make the team, and I'm trying not to think about it, but it seems like about every third hole it pops into my mind. I am trying my hardest not to think about it, but it happens."
Steve Stricker withdrew from last weeks BMW Championship due to a sore neck. After a cortisone shot on Monday, Stricker has come to East Lake not exactly sure about his game due to his health.
With no pain in his neck, the Wisconsin native also has little strength in his left arm, which has made it difficult to compete over the last month or so.
But after a 2 under, 68, Stricker has shown he can gut it around for at least the first 18 holes and compete.
"I was a little worried about it," Stricker said of his neck and arm. "Worried about how I've been struggling with my swing a little bit, too, because of the strength issue. It felt like I had a little bit more strength today, and it's gotten better really every day I feel like since Monday after the shot."
Stuart Hall is editor of the Golf Press Association.
