Keegan Bradley reached the clubhouse by lunchtime on Thursday with an 8-under 62 on the opening 18, good for sole possession of the lead at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
“This is a special week,” the 37-year-old Vermont native said. “I don’t get to have my family out here a lot anymore. Having them out there is an advantage for me.”
Coming off a missed cut at the U.S. Open, Bradley was on fire from the opening tee with five birdies in his first five holes. A 74-foot birdie putt on No. 17 had him 6-under through eight. He ended the round with a bogey and nine birdies.
Before making the turn to his back nine, Bradley stopped to embrace his son, Logan, and execute their secret handshake.
Starting on the 10th hole, Bradley shot 29 on his first nine holes and 33 on the front side. Even when he found trouble, Bradley bounced back. He drove to a fairway bunker on his final hole but scrambled to save par and enter the clubhouse with a two-shot advantage over Chez Reavie and Ireland’s Shane Lowry.
The blazing opening round pushed Bradley’s all-time score-to-par at the Travelers to -75, his best in any event. His best finish at the Travelers was a tie for second in 2019.
Despite four missed cuts this season, Bradley is ranked 28th in the world. He won the ZOZO Championship in October and finished second at the Farmers Insurance Open in January.
–Field Level Media