BROOKLINE, Mass. — Although he now resides in Jupiter, Florida, Keegan Bradley is New England born and raised. So, when he was given the opportunity to throw the first pitch at Tuesday’s Boston Red Sox game, he jumped at the opportunity.
“I’ve thrown out the first pitch one other time, but I hadn’t even met my wife yet or, obviously, had no kids,” he said during his Wednesday press conference prior to the start of this week’s U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. “To be out there with them and be on the field and have 20-plus family members there, it was really, really fun.”
His aforementioned wife, Jillian, not only grew up in Vermont, but her uncle is Carlton Fisk. Yes, that Carlton Fisk. Bradley even said the family calls him “Uncle Pudge.”
“I was such a nervous wreck yesterday. I kept telling many I wife, why did I agree to do this?” Bradley said when asked about nerves going to Fenway. “This is like — this is all I need this week, you know, is the pressure of — I’m getting — every time I walk through the player dining, they’re all, like, I’m going to the game. I’m videoing it. You better throw a good one.”
When in Boston ⚾️
New England native @Keegan_Bradley threw out the first pitch at tonight’s @RedSox game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vjFcBkR1op
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 15, 2022
Maybe it was the nerves, maybe he was just feeling it, but Bradley wasted no time when he was handed the ball.
And the pitch wasn’t half bad (maybe a little high).
The 36-year-old enters the week in decent form, making the weekend in his last four stroke-play event starts, highlighted by top 10s at the Valero Texas Open (T-8) and Wells Fargo Championship (T-2).
The golf world doesn’t get to see New England too often, but this week, Bradley says it gets to see the cream of the crop.
“Yeah, I mean, for a person growing up in New England, this is sort of our crown jewel. The Country Club is New England’s best track,” he said.
As for Game 6 on Thursday, Bradley was clear with who he thinks is going to win.
“The Celtics for sure.”
