“I've always felt like I've had to earn it” - Keegan Bradley opens up about the journey back to the top of golf rankings
At the start of 2022, Keegan Bradley was almost out of the top 100 (91st) in the world rankings. Two years later, the situation is very different as Bradley is currently ranked 13th and attributes it primarily to hard work. "I've always felt like I've had to earn it," he said.
Days before teeing off at the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open, Keegan Bradley spoke with SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Katrek & Maginnes On Tap. Bradley talked about the issues that were affecting his game and the approach to solving them.
Here's what Keegan Bradley had to say for SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio's Katrek & Maginnes On Tap:
"I didn't know for a while if i was gonna get back to this spot. The putting was so bad for a while... I've always had incredible coaches and caddies, I've always had great caddies, it's such a bonus, and, you know, just hard work, I tell everyone who asks me 'what do you have to do to get on tour', you have to work hard."
"I never felt like I had, you know, the talent to just come out here and play, I always felt like I've had to earn it. When the putting sort of switched, when you start making putts, every part of your game gets better, it's lighter. I used to have to play flawlessly to shoot lower scores and now, when I hit the ball great, and I putt great, I can win."
In the data: Keegan Bradley's recovery in the world rankings
After his performance at the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open (T65), Keegan Bradley was ranked 91st in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). It was a downward spiral that the player had been involved in for some time.
However, that moment marked a turning point in Bradley's career. From that point, the 2011 PGA Championship winner returned to the path of success and began to climb the world rankings.
His fifth-place finish at The Players Championship 2022 moved him up to 66th, and he climbed another 22 spots (44th) after finishing second at the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship.
With his win at the 2022 ZOZO Championship, Bradley broke into the top 30 (23rd) and has not been out of it since. His resurgence as a top player continues to be reflected in his OWGR ranking.
Bradley began 2023 ranked 25th. The year would bring him another win (The Travelers) and several good finishes to close the season ranked 15th. The 2024 season continued in the same vein for Bradley. Despite not getting off to the best start in The Sentry, his second-place finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii moved him up to his current 13th rank in the world rankings.