Keegan Bradley is still adjusting to his new role as U.S. Ryder Cup captain. At 38, the youngest U.S. captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963, he feels like he should be competing in the tournaments instead of leading them.
On Saturday at the BMW Championship, Bradley played impressively, earning a 2-under 70 that put him one shot ahead of Adam Scott. He heard cheers of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” as he navigated the challenging Castle Pines course.
“It’s strange to be named Ryder Cup captain and still be a full-time player,” said Bradley. “I don’t know anyone who’s been in this position, so I’m just doing my best. I can only keep playing my best golf and try to make the teams.”
If Bradley wins, he would be the first captain to win on the PGA Tour since Davis Love III at the 2015 Wyndham Championship and would move to No. 11 in the world rankings.
Bradley’s round included eight birdies but was still a 70 due to three bogeys on the back nine and a bogey on the par-3 16th. He stands at 12-under 204.
Adam Scott had a challenging round, hitting one tee shot out-of-bounds and another into the water within the first three holes. Despite a late rally to finish with a 74, Scott is just one shot behind.
“I felt like I didn’t do much wrong, but a couple of bad drives and a three-putt put me behind,” Scott said. “But I’m still in a good position, only one shot back.”
Ludvig Aberg started his day with a nosebleed at high altitude but quickly shook it off. He sank a 50-foot birdie putt right at the beginning and quickly turned a four-shot deficit into a three-shot lead after just five holes.
However, he then faced challenges, making two consecutive bogeys, hitting a tee shot into the water on the par-3 11th for a double bogey, and later scoring an eagle three holes later. He finished with a 71 and is two shots behind.
Aberg was tied with fellow Swede Alex Noren, who was six shots behind at one point but made a strong comeback with three straight birdies, including a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th green, finishing with a 70.
The day’s standout was Xander Schauffele. When asked about his and Scottie Scheffler’s absence from the top 20, Schauffele confidently said, “Give it another day. One of us will be there.”
He proved his point by starting the weekend 11 shots behind but shot a 67, despite a double bogey, and is now four shots behind. Wyndham Clark, a Denver native and former U.S. Open champion, also made a strong finish with a late eagle and a 69.
Bradley, Scott, and Noren are still not guaranteed a spot at East Lake next week for the Tour Championship, where the top 30 will advance to the FedEx Cup finale with a chance to win the $25 million prize.
All three were outside the top 40 going into Castle Pines. Bradley barely made the 50-man field for the BMW Championship and could move up to No. 4 with a win, but falling too far behind might push him out of the top 30.
Scott and Noren still have work to do as well.
Everyone is focused on the trophies available Sunday—one from the BMW Championship and one from the Western Golf Association, which has been hosting this prestigious tournament for 125 years.
Scott began the third round with a three-shot lead, but it quickly vanished. He sent his first tee shot far to the right, beyond the out-of-bounds markers, and had to settle for a bogey.
A couple of holes later, he took a risky shot off the tee and ended up a few yards off target. From the tee, he saw his ball land in the water, and a three-putt from 20 feet added to a double bogey. He also made a bogey from a bunker on the next hole, putting him in a tough spot.
Scott didn’t make a birdie until the 11th hole and hit another tee shot out-of-bounds on the par-5 14th, where he managed to scramble for a bogey. Despite these challenges, he was only one shot behind and still in the final group.
Among the 48 players, Hideki Matsuyama withdrew on Friday and Robert MacIntyre on Saturday, both due to lower back problems. The players combined for 22 double bogeys, two triple bogeys, and one quadruple bogey in strong winds that never let up.
