Irving, TX (Sports Network) – Keegan Bradley parred the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat Ryan Palmer and earn his first PGA Tour title at the Byron Nelson Championship.
Bradley, playing in the sixth-to-last group, closed with a two-under 68 to get in at three-under-par 277. Palmer rolled in a six-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to shoot two-over 72 and force the playoff.
“I played great. I’m just excited to be here. This is all surreal, I can’t believe it,” Bradley exclaimed.
Palmer’s birdie on the 18th at the TPC-Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas was one of just two on that hole Sunday.
Both players knocked their tee shots right of the 18th fairway in the playoff. Bradley hooked his shot around several trees and his ball stopped in the left rough just short of the green.
Palmer, the third-round leader, hooked his ball into the water left of the green. After his penalty drop, he chipped on and converted a 12-foot bogey putt.
Bradley’s chip shot stopped inside three feet and he knocked that in for par and the victory.
“All I was thinking about was don’t take too long, just read it and smash it in the back of the cup,” Bradley told Golf Channel of his putt in the playoff. “I did it. I was nervous, believe me. It’s been a dream of mine since I can remember and I can’t believe it’s coming true.”
Joe Ogilvie closed with an even-par 70, while Ryuji Imada managed a one-over 71 to share third place at minus-two. Jason Day, the 2010 champion, fired a three-under 67 to grab fifth place at one-under-par 279. His 67 was the second-best round of the day.
Four different players had a piece of the lead and it was the man first into the clubhouse who would come out on top.
Bradley, the nephew of World Golf Hall of Fame member Pat Bradley, birdied the third, but gave that stroke right back with a bogey at the fourth. However, that would be his last bogey of the day.
The 24-year-old Bradley birdied the par-five seventh to get to minus-two. After a pair of pars, he birdied the 10th.
Bradley, whose best previous PGA Tour finish was a share of seventh at this year’s Bob Hope Classic, parred the final eight holes to get into the clubhouse at three-under.
Palmer’s wild round included six bogeys and four birdies. He had two of each on the front nine before sliding to minus-two with bogeys at 11 and 14. He bounced back with a birdie on the par-five 16th to join Bradley and Imada in the lead.
Palmer three-putted for bogey on 17, but hit a stellar approach to six feet at the last. It was just the second birdie all day on the 18th hole.
“Tough to make putts today, and I finally started making a few. I birdied 16, three-putted 17 and to make the putt I made on 18, I can’t be more proud of myself,” Palmer said. “I had to do that just to give myself a chance and I did. It’s the way it goes.”
Ogilvie grabbed a share of the lead with birdies on the third and seventh. He fell down the leaderboard with bogeys on 13 and 14. After a birdie on 15, Ogilvie tripped to another bogey on 16 to end one back.
Imada had four birdies and two bogeys through 13 holes and looked to be in charge at five-under par. However, he bogeyed three of the last four holes to slide back to minus-two.
Matt Kuchar got to minus-three with birdies on 12 and 13, but he bogeyed three in a row from the 14th to drop out of contention.
Kuchar shot two-over 72 and shared sixth place with John Rollins (71) at even- par 280.
NOTES: Bradley earned $1.17 million for his first PGA Tour title…James Driscoll fired a four-under 66, the low round of the day, to soar 41 spots into a tie for eighth with five other players at plus-one…There were no birdies registered all day on the par-four 14th, which was the second-hardest hole in the final round…The PGA Tour heads to Ohio next week for The Memorial Tournament, where Justin Rose will defend his title.