PGA Tour Winner Used To Be An Elite Ski Racer

Woodstock, Vermont — Keegan Bradley discovered his groove on the proper time on Sunday. On the final 4 holes of the Vacationers Championship, Bradley went on a -3 run, together with a stupendous birdie on the ultimate gap. Tommy Fleetwood, who led Bradley by one stroke going into the ultimate gap, had a disastrous ending to his match, leading to Bradley’s victory.

Whereas scrolling by the web, I found some fascinating tales in regards to the Bradley household. Again in 2019, Jim McCabe from PGATour.com wrote a bit describing Bradley’s brief ski racing profession. In 2023, Energy Fades coated Keegan’s father, Mark Bradley’s, journey by golf and the ski trade.

The Bradleys are a household that loves snowboarding and golf. They even had a ski store in Westford, Massachusetts. After a good friend invited Mark Bradley to Jackson Gap for a trip, Mark’s life was modified without end. After getting married to his then-wife Kara Bradley, they moved again to New England and raised a household.

Keegan Bradley grew up in Woodstock, Vermont, which might be argued to be the birthplace of snowboarding in New England and North America. When he was a child, he realized to ski at Suicide Six (now often known as Saskadena Six ski space). He and his sister had been a part of the historic Woodstock Ski Runners. Ultimately, he grew into a wonderful ski racer. The height of his snowboarding profession was at Smugglers’ Notch, the place he competed in the identical discipline because the US Ski Crew’s Tim Kelley. He had a top-three end in his first run, and whereas he had a slower second lap, he nonetheless bought ninth place.

Bradley described the expertise of competing at that degree in 2019:

“This was Vermont, and I’m prejudiced, however in the event you’re a child and also you’re a ski-racer, there’s no higher competitors and at the beginning of the yr, that’s what you needed to be – prime 10 within the states. It was an enormous deal. It was everybody’s aim.”

Nonetheless, Bradley was a dual-sport athlete, and you may in all probability guess what his different primary sport was. At subsequent yr’s state championship at Bromley Mountain, Keegan was falling out of affection with ski racing. Mark Bradley described what occurred that day to McCabe.

“He was good. He was actually, good, however for no matter motive, snowboarding didn’t do it for him. He did properly at Bromley, however one thing was totally different. We had been again on the mountain after the race and I requested him, ‘What’s occurring?’ He stated, ‘You understand.’ I stated, ‘I don’t know. It’s important to inform me.’ He stated, ‘I’m all executed with snowboarding.’ After which, he skied right down to the lodge.”

Keegan in all probability made the precise selection by selecting golf. He’s achieved 8 PGA Tour victories, together with one Main (the PGA Championship in 2011) and this previous weekend’s Vacationers Championship. His profession purse is $54,738,565.

Whereas he retired from ski racing, he nonetheless listed snowboarding as one in all his hobbies. 5 years in the past, he additionally shared a photograph on Instagram from S6. As a result of his present profession, I think about his runs down the mountain are a bit mellower than his racing days.