Keegan Bradley Stands Firm Despite Challenging Start
Keegan Bradley is not seeking a do-over.
Even after witnessing Colin Morikawa’s shaky performance—one of his six selections that didn’t pan out—Bradley reviewed their lost foursome pairs Saturday morning, including Morikawa and Harris English.
English, enduring a rough patch for months, had a tough outing, losing 5 and 4, managing just one hole over 14 played, including their only birdie.
“We have a strategy in place,” Bradley remarked after his team’s 3-1 setback in Foursome. “We’re confident in these two players. I’m really looking forward to seeing them in action. We’re committed to our game plan. We’re not panicking; mistakes won’t be made out of fear. We’ve got faith in them.
“They wanted to get back on the course, which is why we decided to proceed as planned.”
During a Friday afternoon four-ball session, it seemed Bradley acknowledged some issues with Morikawa and the English duo, as Russell Henry struggled to find his rhythm alongside Scotty Schaeffler.
Local player Young shone as the top performer for the Americans, netting five birdies in a decisive win, while Griffin added four birdies and Spaun contributed three.
Looking to energize the crowd in Long Island, Bradley is counting on Bryson DeChambeau for the Saturday morning foursome, matched with powerful players like Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Rudy Guede.
The only Americans victorious in Foursome, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, will play their third match at 7:42 am against Jon Rahm, who boasts a 7-0-2 record in partner play since 2018.
World No. 1 Scotty Scheffler will join Henry in the final morning match at 7:58 am to face Victor Hovland and Robert McIntyre.
Cantlay played his part once again, yet there’s a sense of regret for not doing more. With a 5-2-1 record in the past two Ryder Cups, he finished strong by sinking the winning putt on the 18th hole of the morning session, fighting hard against McIntyre and Hovland.
“Patrick Cantlay is really something else,” Bradley commented. “He’s made a ton of great shots and putts. I admire the effort everyone put forth in the Ryder Cup, especially when battling back.”
The afternoon four-ball saw Cantlay paired with Sam Burns, Rory McIlroy, and Shane Lowry, where he managed three early birdies on the back nine despite a two-hole deficit. However, nerves got the best of him when he missed a relatively simple putt twice on the 14th hole. He also had another chance to win the 15th but pushed a 15-footer right. He did, however, land another birdie on the 16th, only for McIlroy to match him and tie the hole.
