Commentary of The Open at Royal Birkdale had to be briefly interrupted on Sky Sports after one of the players was overheard dropping an F-bomb out on the course
Keegan Bradley could not help but swear after missing a bogey putt at The Open
Keegan Bradley forced Sky Sports into issuing an on-air apology after the Team USA captain at last year’s Ryder Cup dropped an F-bomb after missing a bogey putt to begin his second round. The former PGA Championship winner started Friday one-under after carding 69 to start his tournament, but the American was soon going backwards on day two of the championship.
Bradley, 40, ended up double-bogeying the par-four first hole. He has never finished better than tied for 15th at The Open.
Having a bogey putt lip out did not help his chances of changing that. It only compounded his difficult start.
Commentating on Bradley’s putt just after 8:15am, Tim Barter said: “Keegan Bradley, Ryder Cup captain for the Americans last time, is having his problems. Sorry if you heard some inappropriate language there. That is not the start he was looking for, stating the bloomin’ obvious.”
Nick Dougherty added: “Shows you how psychological the game is. He played beautifully last year. The Ryder Cup has had an effect on his own personal performance, the aftermath of it, such was the heartbreak of it.
Barter agreed with his fellow commentator, concluding: “The Ryder Cup’s just been cruel to him his whole career. There’s no one in America who loves it more than he, and he’s had nothing but disappointment as a player, and now as a captain.”
Team USA captain Keegan Bradley had a Ryder Cup to forget last year(Image: Getty Images)
In the mixed zone after his opening round, Bradley was asked about how he is playing. The American responded: “Not that great, but it’s been a challenging year. Coming off of last year and the Ryder Cup and everything, just trying to get back to normal. I’m starting to feel better.
“But I’m in a unique position in my career where I’m trying to make the (FedEx Cup) playoffs for the first time in my career. So it’s kind of like in a weird way kind of fun.”
Bradley is currently 75th in the standings. Only the top 70 qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
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Acknowledging that he is not assured of a spot in the p layoff tournaments, he added: “It’s annoying, but in a weird, like demented way, it’s kind of fun that I have to go out and try to do it.”
Bradley continued: “It’s so tough coming off these Ryder Cups. Like, I’m in, again, a unique position of a person that’s going back out and supposed to be a premier, top player trying to win tournaments and trying to navigate that, but we’re getting there.
He also has his sights set on the signature events. Bradley said: “I showed a couple years ago I got into the BMW, last guy in, and had a chance to win the FedExCup, so that was fun.”
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