Bradley holds off Fowler, Putnam to win Zozo Championship

Bradley holds off Fowler, Putnam to win Zozo Championship

He beat his compatriots by one stroke for his first PGA Tour victory in four years.

Keegan Bradley closed with a two-under 68 – 15-under overall – to finish ahead of the field. (AP pic)
CHIBA:
American Keegan Bradley sealed his first PGA Tour victory in four years with a one-stroke win at the Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan as overnight leader Rickie Fowler faded in the final round today.

Bradley closed with a two-under 68 – 15-under overall – to finish ahead of compatriots Fowler and Andrew Putnam, who shared second place on a see-sawing day of action.

Fowler came into the fourth round at the Narashino Country Club at 14-under for a one-shot advantage over Bradley and two strokes on Putnam, but he was unable to end a three-year PGA title drought at the Tour’s only event in Japan.

The trio all grabbed the lead at different stages on but Bradley went two clear with 20-foot birdie putt at the 11th hole before Putnam set up a potentially thrilling finish after catching up with him on the 16th.

But Bradley went two clear heading into the final hole with a clutch birdie on the difficult 17th as Putnam faltered and the 36-year-old held his nerve thereafter to claim the fifth tournament victory of his career.

Fowler’s hopes of claiming a sixth PGA Tour victory faded when he bogeyed the 15th before squandering the opportunity to claim a birdie in the next with another disappointing putt.

A late flourish on the 18th earned him a share of second place.

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