Tame finish for Bhatia as Ryder Cup captain Bradley wins Travelers title

Cromwell (USA), Jun 23 (PTI) Akshay Bhatia had a tame finish with two double bogeys in the final round for a card of 4-over 74 that saw him finish in Tied-54th place in the Signature event.

Bhatia, who had rounds of 70-70-68-74 was 4-over 282 for the week.

In the final round, Bhatia started on the tenth and had just one birdie on the 17th, which was his eighth hole.

He double bogeyed the par-5 13th, bogeyed the 18h and double bogeyed the Par-4 ninth, his closing hole.

This season Bhatia’s best has been a third place at the Players Championship.

Indo-British Aaron Rai (70) was Tied-17th with cards of 68-73-63-70 at 6-under.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Keegan Bradley came back from three shots behind with four holes to play and birdied the 18th hole for a 2-under 68 to win the Travelers Championship in his hometown.

The victory also re-started discussion for Bradley to be playing captain for the first time since 1963 when Arnold Palmer played as a playing captain at the Ryder Cup.

Bradley was one behind Tommy Fleetwood going to the 18th hole.

Bradley hit his approach to just under six feet below the hole and Fleetwood, seeking his first PGA TOUR title, came up some 50 feet short and took three putts for bogey and a 72.

Bradley carded 69 and totalled 15-under as Fleetwood (72) was 14-under.

Bradley finished at 15-under 265 and won $3.6 million for his first title in a Signature Event.

He also won the BMW Championship, the second FedExCup Playoffs event, last August at Cherry Hills outside Denver.

Scottie Scheffler, who had a share of the 36-hole lead until a 72 in the third round, closed with a 65 and tied for sixth with Rory McIlroy, who also shot 65. They were three shots back.

It was tough for Fleetwood, 34, who was a runner-up for the sixth time on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley chipped in from across the 18th green for birdie and a 69 to join Fleetwood in tied second.

Henley called a one-shot penalty on himself in the second round when he saw his golf ball move the length of a dimple as he was playing a chip.

Bradley has two wins against world-class fields in the last 10 months — only Scottie Scheffler has won more since August among players ahead of him in the Ryder Cup standings.

Bradley, who turned 39 earlier this month, won on the one-year anniversary that he received the call asking him to be Ryder Cup captain.

Harris English (65) boosted his Ryder Cup hopes by tying for fourth with Jason Day (68). PTI Corr UNG