Keegan’s Irish connections

NEW PGA champion Keegan Bradley followed Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke into the record books with his play-off victory at Atlanta Golf Club and made it three Irish major winners in a row. Well, kind of.

Bradley, 25, defeated fellow American Jason Dufner over three holes on Sunday night to become seventh first-time major winner in a row, having come from five shots down on his rival with three holes to play in regulation to force the play-off in Georgia.

The New Englander has plenty of golfing heritage to go with the Irish lineage provided by his Cork-born grandparents as his father is a PGA professional and his aunt is the former LPGA star, six-time major winner and former Solheim Cup captain Pat Bradley.

The 60-year-old hall of famer praised her nephew’s resolve for the way he secured victory against the odds.

“He showed some Bradley toughness,” she said. “We’re an Irish family and we have that Irish toughness and he showed that today and I am just so very proud of him the way he fought back and brought it home.”

Bradley’s victory was also toasted in two clubs with connections to his family, the Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale, Co Cork, and Kenmare Golf Club in Co. Kerry.

Pat Bradley is an honorary member at both clubs, while she encouraged three of her brothers, Keegan’s uncles John, Chris and Tom to enter Kenmare GC’s annual 3 Brothers International Classic.

“The links with Kenmare came through Pat herself,” explained Kenmare’s captain Denis Crowley.

“She was golfing on her holidays and came down here and made enquiries and it went from there. Now she plays golf with us.

“Her picture’s up in the clubhouse and she’s an honorary member as well.

“Then she suggested to her brothers that they play in our Brothers tournament and they won four or five years ago.”