THE MODERATOR: We are joined with 2023 Travelers champion winner Keegan Bradley. Keegan, welcome back. What's it like to be at a favorite event here in the Northeast?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it's really great. I have fond memories of coming here when I was 13 years old, my first time getting to see a PGA TOUR player up close. I watched David Duval. It's still really such a treat for me to come here and play. My favorite place to play basically in the world, and I look forward to it every year.
Q. On this question specifically, the 4th hole has played as the toughest hole here over the last five years. I was wondering if you could talk through that hole and your game plan for that and what gives that hole its challenge?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's a long hole. It's a little dogleg right, and you have to really challenge that right side not to go in that bunker, but that right rough is basically always chip-out rough. You have to hit a nice drive, and the green is very tricky. Especially when that hole is into the wind, it could be a driver and a mid-iron or a long iron, which is difficult. That's always one on the front side especially that you just try to make 4.
Q. After a U.S. Open, it can be kind of a grueling test. What does your recovery process look like after that tournament? Is it any different than a normal week, or is it all kind of the same?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think there's some pros and cons to playing the week after the U.S. Open. For me, this is normally a pretty stressful week in terms of coming back home and having tons of family, but after the U.S. Open, this is such a nice change of pace.
It's exhausting to play in majors, but especially playing U.S. Opens at Oakmont. I woke up today pretty tired, but I felt better as the day goes on. Tomorrow once the crowds are here and everything, we'll be good to go.
Q. Is there anything you've added to your recovery process as you've gotten along in your career? Any physical type of work, or is it the same as it was in your 20s?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: For me, especially when I'm playing a couple weeks in a row, three weeks in a row which I'm playing after a major, I have to be really careful in the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday lead-up to the event. I have to be easier on myself. I can't do maybe quite as much as I wanted to do. It's important for me this afternoon to get home and rest.
Mostly just a little more rest, but I also have an advantage of having played this course a hundred times, so I don't have to worry about learning the course.
Q. You kind of just touched on it just now, but what are the emotions like kind of in a home game for you right now? Especially when adding that the Ryder Cup is coming up soon as well.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's pretty amazing. The support that I've been getting throughout this year is something that I didn't really expect. Everywhere I go, I'm getting USA chants, people are cheering me on. I expected to be -- it's always pretty loud for me here even, and this year I think it's going to be really exciting.
It's been something that I hadn't really expected, to be honest. It's taken me by surprise, and it's just a treat to go out there and play every day as the Ryder Cup captain.
Q. On another note, Brian was named the new CEO yesterday. Just wondering what your thoughts are on that and if you've had the chance to speak with him yet.
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I spoke with him yesterday. His resume is incredible. He seems like a really smart guy. I just think the PGA TOUR is in such a great spot. A handful of years ago when all this started, I didn't know what was going to happen. I was nervous. I didn't know how this was all going to end up, but now years later, I'm really confident in where the PGA TOUR is and where it's going. I'm proud to play on this TOUR.
I've never played -- it's never been better than it has been right now. That was a worry, and now I'm even more excited about the future. It's going to be great.
Q. Also on the Ryder Cup, I think we're 100 days out now. At the U.S. Open when you made your last putt, there was a pretty cool moment where the crowd was chanting "USA" for you and you were kind of hyping them up. Have you talked to the guys about strategy -- obviously the crowd is going to be on your side, but just to get the crowd more engaged -- yet? Or is that down the line?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I don't think we're going to need to do much to that crowd to get them excited. I think playing at home there's a lot of advantages. There's also the crowd is going to be -- is going to expect us to do good things. That's also going to be some pressure, and New York fans will let you know if you're not doing what they hope you're doing. So there's some stuff there.
I think the guys -- you know, there's certain guys on our team that that's what they do. They get into the crowd. They hype the crowd up. Then there's other guys that just go about their business. I just want them to be who they are. They don't have to be anybody that they're not, but we certainly have some guys that are going to feed off that crowd and get them excited.
Q. After J.J. nearly won THE PLAYERS Championship, I'm sure he was well on your radar as far as Ryder Cup and potentially being a part of your team. Having won the U.S. Open, he's established himself as someone who's going to get, if he doesn't qualify, get strong consideration. Have you talked with him at this point? Obviously he's doing a lot of medias in New York, he's coming up here. Do you plan to talk to him at all this week?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: I've spoken with J.J. I am so thrilled for him to have won that tournament. He's played so great this year. I think going to a course like Bethpage Black, the people are really going to be behind a guy like J.J. Spaun. His story is incredible. He's a hard working guy that's just building and building and building his whole career. To win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, in my eyes, is the pinnacle of major golf. It's as tough as you can get.
I think he's a guy that people at Bethpage will really resonate with and a guy that on our team is the heartbeat. He's now the U.S. Open champion. That's a heavy burden to bear, but he's also -- that's also a great thing to have on your team.
I'm really proud to have him on this team because it's really difficult to make your first team. To go out there the way he did this year and play in these big events this well is a testament to what a player he is.
Q. I realize it's been a long time -- not a long time, but since you won Atlanta Athletic Club. Looking back at that at your first major championship win, were there things that came afterwards that maybe you didn't expect or that you weren't necessarily ready for in terms of how you were looked at, perceived, how when you showed up at a tournament, things were different? Was there anything you were surprised by?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Everything changed after Atlanta. I remember coming home and going out to dinner with my friends and walking into the restaurant. I could feel that people knew who I was. I had never felt that. The thing I told J.J. was I hope he really enjoys this. I put the trophy in my closet. I didn't even look at it.
There's always another tournament. He's going to tee it up here. He bogeys the first hole, he's going to be bummed out. It's the way golf is. You win the Stanley Cup, you get to enjoy it for months on end. I just hope he enjoys it.
For me, everything happened fast. I had been on the TOUR for only a year. I didn't know what any of these media tours were. I'm sure J.J. is going through that. My advice to him was to try to sit back and enjoy it and soak it all in.
Q. Has it been easier or hard juggling the responsibilities of captain and playing? Do you anticipate it being much harder as we get close to the FedExCup season with the Ryder Cup right around the corner?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: It's been certainly a challenge, but it hasn't affected any of my preparation, any of my practice. Certainly when I'm practicing, I'm thinking about the Ryder Cup a lot. It's difficult for me to separate completely and be a player. Now, when I'm inside the ropes playing this week, that's really the only time in my life when I'm inside the ropes Thursday through Sunday where I can detach and be a player. But as soon as I walk outside of those ropes, or walk outside of the scoring trailer, I have to assume that role again.
I really have enjoyed every second of this. There's been no -- it hasn't affected me personally on the golf course, I don't think, but I really have enjoyed this so much. Definitely with 100 days, the last things are ramping up here a ton. The guys that we have are such great guys, it's been a blast.
Q. Keegan, I was going to ask you about that. Based on what you said there, is there a chance that being captain has actually helped your game and that you've got another outlet so you're not just thinking about your own golf all the time?
KEEGAN BRADLEY: Definitely. You know what, on a normal day, today, I went out and played, I'd be thinking about a shot that I hit or a shot I've got to hit tomorrow or the new club that I'm worried about. For the most part, I go and I'm thinking only about the Ryder Cup. I'm thinking about -- I'm looking at the points list. I'm looking at potential pairings. I'm talking to the scouts. I'm talking to the vice captains. We're talking about strategy, bus ride schedules, media schedules.
It is a very nice distraction for me when I'm normally 24/7 thinking about golf. So there is some aspects to this that have helped, I believe.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports