USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley showed he can still be a winner himself with a gutsy final round 72 to see off a host of challengers.
Bradley began Sunday one ahead of Adam Scott and had to see off a host of rivals for the title including Scott, who finished on -11 along with Ludvig Aberg and Sam Burns.
Burns, who nearly holed his bunker shot at the 72nd hole, posted his score early which meant Bradley had to dig in on Castle Pines' tough back nine to win the penultimate event of the season despite a bogey at the last.
Bradley will now start next weekend's Tour Championship at East Lake in fourth position on -6. He said: "Oh man I was shaking over that last putt. We did it, it was a battle all day. It just shows why you have to grind it out every week - now I go to Atlanta with a chance to win the FedEx Cup."
The final round saw plenty of drama with the field vying to ensure they finished the season in the top 30 of the FedEx Cup rankings as Justin Thomas qualified in the last spot while the likes of Brian Harman and Alex Noren just missed out.
BMW Championship Leaderboard
- -12 Keegan Bradley
- -11 Sam Burns, Ludvig Aberg, Adam Scott
- -8 Cam Davis, Tommy Fleetwood, Si Woo Kim, Xander Schauffele
Updates From...
Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the BMW Championship final round at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado.
Keegan Bradley - Team USA's Ryder Cup captain - holds the overnight lead but faces immense pressure from the likes of Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg, and Alex Noren as he aims to close out the tournament.
Meanwhile, there are several players simply looking to secure a top-30 spot in the FedEx Cup in order to tee it up at East Lake and the Tour Championship next week, such as Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas, and Jason Day.
Join us for every key moment as it happens until a champion is crowned later on tonight. Thank you for tuning in!
Hovland gets to -3 in total with an eagle from the sand
Viktor Hovland gets back to even for the day and -3 in total with an eagle three on the par 5 eighth.
Perfection from the bunker 👌 Viktor Hovland with a hole-out eagle from 40 feet @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/sxgPMDQGDMAugust 25, 2024
Bradley wary of threat from Ludvig Aberg
USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is preparing to tee off and expects a big threat from Europe's Swedish pro Aberg. Bradley assessed: "I think that he's one of the best players in the world now, and he will be for the next 20 years. I think he's such an impressive player, great guy, and somebody that we're going to have to deal with for as long as he's out here."
BALL TRAVELLING HUGE DISTANCES IN COLORADO
Colorado is the highest state in the United States, with an average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074m) above sea level. It is showing in the distances the players are hitting the ball with Aberg smashing his driver 372 yards down the first.
177 MPH ball speed.372 total yards. Ludvig Åberg is letting it fly on the first @BMWChamps 🚀 pic.twitter.com/xCjmJiiurvAugust 25, 2024
WYNDHAM CLARK MAKES IDEAL START
Wyndham Clark has got to -8 with a birdie on the first at the par 5. He found the green in two and two putted for a par. Clark is a streaky player and this could ignite his charge. He has followed that up with a good drive at the second and wedge to nine feet.
BRADLEY AND SCOTT UNDERWAY
Bradley is short of the green in two but has wedged up close to leave himself a superb birdie chance on the first while Adam Scott found the green in two and has an eagle chance from 42 feet.
INCREDIBLE START FROM SCOTT
Scott has drained a monster eagle from 42 feet at the first to move level with playing partner Bradley, who birdied the first. Incredible start.
Bogey start yesterday, eagle start today 💪 Adam Scott leaps into a tie for first @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/W3pA0UTRTgAugust 25, 2024
FITZPATRICK UNABLE TO REPLACE CRACKED DRIVER
Fitzpatrick has been unable to replace his driver which has a crack in it. The Englishman is -1 in total and tied 31st and battling to make the top 30 in the FedEx rankings with four holes left.
Matt Fitzpatrick, 36th in the FedExCup entering the week, called for a ruling for a driver crack.Under the USGA’s Model Local Rule G-9, a club is not replaceable solely because of a crack, and he was not permitted to replace it at the time due to lack of significant damage. pic.twitter.com/X5kEPkee1qAugust 25, 2024
BRADLEY MISSES SECOND FAIRWAY
Bradley could be forgiven for being stunned after that opening eagle from Scott. He has since missed the fairway on the second and will have a tougher approach that the Australian who is in the fairway but they both make par and remain tied on -13.
HAS JUSTIN THOMAS PUNCHED HIS TICKET FOR EAST LAKE?
Justin Thomas has just completed a -4 bogey-free 68 for a +2 total and is tied 37th and No.29 in the FedEx Cup rankings. Thomas is in for a tense wait to see if he is playing next weekend which is the top 30 in the rankings.
A bogey-free 68 and now projected No. 29 in the #FedExCup Standings.@JustinThomas34 will have to wait and see if he’ll make it to East Lake. pic.twitter.com/tjLbVicW1cAugust 25, 2024
BRADLEY AND SCOTT BOTH PAR THE THIRD
Bradley and Scott both make par 4s on the third and remain level at the top but Scott missed the green at the par 3 fourth and needs to get up and down which he achieves and it is still level at the top.
BURNS IS ON A TEAR
Sam Burns has stormed up the leaderboard with a stunning charge of -5 through 11 holes to get to -9 total with back to back birdies on the 10th and 11th. Can he still climb further up the leaderboard?
BRADLEY HAS BIRDIE CHANCE ON THE FIFTH
Adam Scott has made a par on the fifth but Bradley has a closer birdie look from 11 feet from a decent approach from 146 yards. He also makes par as the pair remain -13 locked together.
BRADLEY COULD HAVE AWKWARD STANCE ON THE SIXTH
Bradley has hit his drive 327 yards down the sixth where it has ended in the fringe near a bunker and the co-leader could have an awkward stance here but at least it is better than Scott who is in the very bunker.
McIlroy cools off in stream on after breaking driver
McIlroy has broken his driver on the ninth after driving into trouble on the right. He leaned on the shaft in dismay and it snapped! He then took his shoes and socks off to go in the stream to play his ball on the bank above - which he put on the green. Big drama for McIlroy who makes par to remain +1 today and -4 in total but he will now have to use his three wood off the tee. Losing his driver is a huge blow for the pro who hit 12 out of 14 fairways yesterday.
Rory on the rocks! An impressive balancing act from @McIlroyRory. https://t.co/swKLs0kxxS pic.twitter.com/85R91TUnCjAugust 25, 2024
SCOTT DROPS A SHOT ON THE SIXTH AFTER DRIVING IN SAND
Scott has paid the penalty for driving into the sand on the sixth as he makes bogey after going from bunker to bunker while Bradley is now back one shot ahead after his par.
BRADLEY GOES OVER THE BACK OF THE PAR 3 SEVENTH
Bradley will have a tricky up and down on the seventh to stay -13 after missing the par 3 green while Scott has found right fringe but the leader continues to scramble well and makes his par. It is as we were at the top.
FLEETWOOD PUSHING TO MAKE EAST LAKE
Tommy Fleetwood is -2 today and -7 in total with a birdie look at the 10th after a decent approach over the water. Fleetwood is looking to book his place at East Lake next weekend. He converts his birdie to get to -8 and is tied sixth on the leaderboard.
Breaking through the bubble 👊@TommyFleetwood1 is currently projected No. 28 in the #FedExCup standings after a birdie @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/K8QldkuNY2August 25, 2024
RARE OFF WEEK FOR SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has just putted out on the 18th for an even par round and +1 total which is tied 33rd which is just the second time only he has finished outside of the top 25 all season.
BRADLEY CAN HAVE ANOTHER BIRDIE LOOK ON THE EIGHTH
Bradley is 36 feet away from the hole in two at the par 5 eighth. He has been scrambling superbly with up and downs and another here could stretch his lead. But his approach goes past the hole to 20 feet and Scott can't get close with his third either from the sand but he holes from 14 feet and we are level at the top again.
BRADLEY AND SCOTT LAUNCH DECENT DRIVES DOWN NINTH
The co-leaders have both hit decent drives down the par four ninth. But Scott comes up short in the sand and Bradley is in the back fringe. Scott then splashes out to six feet and makes his clutch par save as Bradley makes his four and the pair head to the 10th locked together.
ABERG'S RUN OF PARS COULD COME TO AN END ON 10TH
Aberg has been going along calmly at -1 for his round with a birdie and eight pars on the front nine. But he drove into the trees on the tenth, was forced to play out and has a long par putt from 26 feet which he fails to hole to leave him on a bogey.
BRADLEY HAS AN ESCAPE ON THE 10TH
Bradley has hit his approach to the par 4 10th to nine feet but the co-leader hated it in the air and thought he had leaked it short and right where water lurks. That is a break for Bradley with Scott - chasing his first win since 2021 - 44 feet from the hole in two as he three putts and Bradley misses his birdie effort. That is a bad bogey for Scott from the fairway.
SAM BURNS THREE OFF LEAD WITH ONE HOLE LEFT
Sam Burns has birdied the 16th and 17th and will be looking for a big finale.
Sometimes you just have to wait for it @SamBurns66 😂 Another birdie gets him to just three back of the lead @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/M1fQX44a8BAugust 25, 2024
BRADLEY AND SCOTT LOOKING FOR PARS ON THE 11TH
Bradley has left himself a huge putt from the back of the green on the 11th while Scott is in the back bunker on the par 3 where he is plugged. Scott has then executed an outrageously good shot which has rolled out to six feet to leave the Australian and his caddie beaming. But after all that, Scott's par putt rolls by to ensure back to back bogeys as Bradley extends his lead to two.
BURNS IN THE CLUBHOUSE ON -11 AFTER FINAL ROUND 65
Sam Burns has continued his recent fine form with a 65 to finish -11 in total. He almost holed out from the sand at the last which produced a memorable reaction from the American who threw himself to the floor in frustration.
𝙎𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 to a hole-out birdie finish 😲@SamBurns66 finishes just two back of the lead @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/XfiteBFTfLAugust 25, 2024
OUCH! PAINFUL FINALE FOR BRIAN HARMAN
Former Open champion Brian Harman has just double-bogeyed the last for a 6 at the par four and that has cost him two shots as he finishes -3 and drops four places on the leaderboard which is enough to put him outside the top 30 for East Lake as he is now 32nd in the FedEx Cup rankings.
MORE SOLID PLAY FROM BRADLEY ON THE 12TH
As Bradley's contenders falter around him, the American continues to grind out pars. He has 10 in a row after his birdie on the first and is on the 12th in regulation - albeit 43 feet from the hole. His first putt isn't great though and he will have a six footer to save par while Scott is scrambling to save par too from eight feet. Scott misses and Bradley holes which has been the story of recent holes.
BRADLEY HITS DECENT TEE SHOT ON 13TH
Bradley is looking strong here and his putting from short distance has been clutch. He has just split the fairway on the 13th while Scott continues to unravel from the left rough as he finds sand with his second. Bradley then putts his second to 20 feet on the green.
ABERG PAYS THE PENALTY DESPITE HUGE DRIVE
Aberg has driven it 430 yards at the par 5 14th which was an astonishing drive. But he then came up short and in the water with his second before dropping and leaving 110 yards but he continued to make a mess of the hole and his chance is disappearing right here en-route to a bogey.
BRADLEY MAKES HIS FIRST BIG ERROR WITH LOOSE DRIVE ON 14TH
Bradley has just been caught swearing on the cameras after going right off the 14th tee. But it is a par 5 and he could still have a chance to escape with a par here as he has played out well back on to the fairway. He has then wedged on to the green in regulation to leave a 24 foot birdie putt which comes up short but leaves a tap in four. Scott meanwhile has just made his first birdie since the eighth.
BRADLEY AND SCOTT BOTH FIND FAIRWAY AT SHORT 15TH
Two good drives there from Bradley and Scott who will both have short irons in to the par 4 which has a pin tucked by the water. Bradley is first to play in from 147 yards while Scott is 101 yards away but both men have flown the green and Bradley has a bad lie at the back of a bunker.
BRADLEY LIKELY TO DROP A SHOT AT THE 15TH
Bradley is likely to drop at least a shot at the 15th after being forced to play away from the green from the sand. His recovery shot has run off the green but at least it has avoided the water as he makes a bogey. Scott, meanwhile, has chipped up close but misses his par putt. The Australian has struggled with the flat stick all day and missed 14 putts inside 10 feet over the weekend.
BRADLEY AND SCOTT HIT 16TH GREEN AT THE PAR 3
Bradley and Scott have both hit the 214-yard par 3 16th but are at the back of the green, which has water at the front. They will both have putts from around 45-42 feet respectively with the leader due to putt first as he sticks his downhill putt to two feet and they will both make par.
Aberg joins Burns on -11
Aberg has just hit the par 5 17th in two and two putted for a birdie to get to -11 to join Burns. He must now negotiate the tough 502 yard par 4 closing hole where he has driven into the sand.
BRADLEY Makes Superb approach with second to PAR 5 17TH.
Bradley and Scott have hit the fairway on the 71st hole and have 227 and 186 yards left respectively. Bradley has then hit a 5 iron to 16 feet in a superb second shot which left him clenching his fist. Huge cheers from the gallery too - who have been cheering their "captain" all round as he gets a tap in birdie with a two putt.
Putting on the pressure 🔥Leader @Keegan_Bradley goes right at it on the par-5 17th @BMWChamps. pic.twitter.com/Ej0JxXHeP9August 25, 2024
SPARE A THOUGHT FOR ALEX NOREN
While Bradley takes a huge step towards victory on the 17th, spare a though for Alex Noren who bogeyed the 16th and 17th and has dropped to tied fifth and is currently 34th in the FedEx Cup rankings and due to miss out on next weekend's finale.
BRADLEY GOES WITH DRIVER AT THE LAST DESPITE TWO SHOT LEAD
Scott has teed off first and found the sand up the last. Bradley has followed with driver and is in the fringe of the rough from where a par or even bogey will likely win it unless Scott produces something amazing.
Record nine Europeans heading to Tour Championship
BRILLIANT BUNKER SHOT FROM ADAM SCOTT
Scott, on -11, has played out from the sand at 174 yards to 16 feet. Bradley, who is -13, plays second from the rough and hits the green but it rolls back off the front to 40 feet away. An up and down will be enough for Bradley to win it but if he drops a shot it will give Scott a chance to force a play-off with a birdie.
BRADLEY CHIPS UP TO FOUR FEET THREE INCHES
Bradley has chipped up close and will have a putt for the title. Now Scott is over his putt for a birdie to get to -12 but he misses and the title will be Bradley's.
BRADLEY CAN AFFORD TO BOGEY THE LAST AND STILL WIN
Bradley misses his par putt but the title is still his as he celebrates with glee amid chants of: "USA, USA"
An epic win calls for an epic reaction 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sU8RAo6axqAugust 25, 2024
EMOTIONAL BRADLEY ENJOYS HIS SPECIAL VICTORY
Bradley said: "Oh man I was shaking over that last putt. Now I go to Atlanta with a chance to win the FedEx Cup." Bradley was joined on the final green by his father who is a club pro. Mark Bradley said: "It is the first time I have seen him win live on the PGA Tour, it is a very special day."
The first win with his dad in person 🥹Mark Bradley was there to celebrate @Keegan_Bradley's seventh TOUR victory. pic.twitter.com/6t49AggzxBAugust 25, 2024
