St. John’s golf: Keegan Bradley’s ugly beginning costs him at U.S. Open

St. John’s golf standout Keegan Bradley could not capture his second major championship. 

It would have been the homecoming for the ages for former St. John’s golf standout Keegan Bradley but a rocky beginning to the final round sunk his chances at winning a second major championship.

Bradley was born in Woodstock, Vermont, 150 miles away from The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and then moved to Hopkinton, Massachusetts, 30 miles away from the site of this year’s United States Open.

The cheers and roars for the hometown kid were heard throughout the golf course as he walked up the final hole on Saturday, two shots off the lead.

“That walk up [hole] 18 was probably one of the highlights of my entire life,” the St. John’s Hall of Famer said after his round on Saturday.

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Bradley threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Boston Red Sox game on Tuesday night prior to the U.S. Open.

Keegan Bradley was even par after his opening round on Thursday and then before dropping an impressive one-under round on Friday which he was four-under par in the final 12 holes.

It was another tough start for the former Johnnie on Saturday, starting three-over par in the first seven holes but rallying to finish four-under par in the final 11 holes for a one-under par for the round and moved to two-under par on the tournament.

St. John’s golf standout cannot overcome final round struggles

Sunday was another shaky start for Keegan Bradley but he did not have the firepower to overcome his struggles once again.

Bradley bogeyed each of the first three holes to take him out of contention for the championship but, like the other two days, he tried to battle back to the top of the leaderboard.

The 36-year old carded back-to-back birdied on holes seven and eight before another bogey on nine sent him to the final nine holes at two-over par for the round.

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Keegan Bradley carded a birdie on hole 11 and 17 with a bogey on 15 to end the round at one-over par and finish the U.S. Open at one-under par.

Bradley was tied for seventh at the event with Denny McCarthy, five shots behind champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Keegan Bradley will compete in the Travelers Championship this weekend from TPC River Highland in Cromwell, Connecticut.