Keegan Bradley’s Sunday color takeover, Rory McIlroy’s unfortunate Tommy Fleetwood jinx and an all-time golf cart fail

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we are still glowing from an all-time great Friday. An afternoon round of golf where I played well. A hibachi dinner where I ate well (it was all-you-can eat!). And, finally, a Ben Folds concert, where my favorite musician rocked as always:

As far as best days ever go, it doesn’t get any better than that. Well, other than my wedding day and the birth of my two kids. Of course. So we’ll call it one of our best (random) days ever. Anyway, it was a pretty great Sunday as well watching a morning play that my oldest was in and then an afternoon of great golf. Let’s get to the latter. Unless you want me to go through Friday’s round/concert shot-for-shot or song-for-song. Let me know.

WE’RE BUYING

Keegan Bradley: What a win! What a competitor! It looked like Keegan was cooked a couple times on Sunday at the Travelers Championship, but he kept battling before snatching the victory away from Tommy Fleetwood on the final hole with this birdie, set up by this spectacular approach shot:

Captain Clutch! Captain America! Call him whatever you want, but the guy has to be on his own U.S. Ryder Cup team after that performance at what the native New Englander considers his fifth major.

Keegan also won while wearing red on Sunday—a homage to his alma mater, St. John’s.

No clue if that stat from my guy Dave is correct, but it was nice to see someone wearing Sunday red since we never see the guy who made that famous—or created Sun Day Red—playing on Sundays anymore. So, we'll allow Keegan's Sunday color takeover going forward. He's earned it.

Minjee Lee: Let HER cook! The older sister of popular PGA Tour pro Min Woo Lee won her third career major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Lee overcame a difficult PGA Frisco track and some brutally slow rounds to finish at four under, three shots clear of second place.

And now she’s three-quarters of the way to the LPGA Grand Slam—even though there are five LPGA majors. It’s some weird math, but with those three majors and 11 wins, the Aussie has her sights on making the Hall of Fame. And baby bro will be the first person to congratulate her if and when she does.

Aww.

Miguel Angel Jimenez: And this guy is suddenly cooking again at 61. Jimenez beat Steven Alker in a playoff at the Kaulig Companies Championship to pick up his fourth PGA Tour Champions title of the season and his third career senior major. Let the victory cigars flow.

And no one in golf is cooler than this Spaniard. Here he was boarding a private jet after.

What a legend.

WE’RE SELLING

Tommy Fleetwood’s finish: As awesome as it was to watch Keegan Bradley win in front of a (semi-) home crowd, it was really tough watching Tommy lose. In agonizing fashion. Yet again. Even worse was when longtime PGA Tour caddie Kip Henley correctly pointed out that Fleetwood’s final par putt clearly hit something on the way to the hole and bounced right:

Rough. And then he couldn't even bring himself to watch as Bradley made the winning putt to cap a two-shot swing on the hole moments later:

Again, rough. But props to Tommy for being classy as always in defeat and—unlike some other people recently—still talking afterward to the media. A week ago, I was singing the golf god’s praises at the U.S. Open after getting J.J. Spaun back for some bad breaks. But what do the golf gods have against this sweet man?!

Rory McIlroy’s jinx: Minutes before Fleetwood got his heart broken on national TV, one of his Ryder Cup buddies was asked about his performance. And he delivered what wound up being a brutal jinx:

Ouch. Obviously, McIlroy meant no harm with that. And it certainly looked like Fleetwood would win. But, again, it’s Tommy Fleetwood so you have to be extra careful with what you say. And, curiously, the PGA Tour scrubbed that part of McIlroy’s transcript. Tough scene. Poor, poor Tommy. And poor, poor me. Literally …

Russell Henley’s penalty: This was a costly one. For both Russell and myself because I bet on Henley before the tournament. And then watched in agony as he lost by one shot after calling a one-shot penalty on himself that no one else could see.

On a serious note, that kind of honesty should be applauded. And I’m sure it helped Russell sleep that night. But what about my sleep?! Anyway, kudos to Russell for doing the right thing. Even if it potentially cost both of us a big payday. Well, a bigger one in his case because he still banked.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour continues with the Rocket Classic, AKA that one that used to be called the Rocket Mortgage Classic, AKA that one they play in Detroit. Speaking of, the LPGA will also be in Michigan this weekend for the DOW Championship, and so will the HGGA Championship (My annual golf trip) being contested up at Forest Dunes. That’s THREE tours converging on the Great Lakes State! What an exciting time for the people of Michigan!

Random tournament fact: Defending champ Cam Davis has won this tournament twice. And those are his only two PGA Tour titles. Maybe Tommy Fleetwood should be giving this one a try.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Miguel is done smoking victory cigars this week: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

—Keegan will win again this week: 16-to-1 odds

—Keegan will play for Team USA if he does: LOCK

PHOTO/TWEET OF THE WEEK

I had to circle back to get this photo on my way to the Travelers, but it was well worth it. Joe LaCava. What a (CT) legend.

TWEET OF THE WEEK (CLUB PRO GUY DIVISION)

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Which also doubles as the fail of the week:

That looks like it hurt. And Paige Spiranac wanted everyone to know this was NOT her.

OK, you're off the hook, Paige. Anyway, be careful out there, folks. Especially if you’re drinking and driving/riding golf carts this upcoming July 4. Or, any day for that matter.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (ARCHIVE DIVISION)

Here was Keegan Bradley’s (and his dad’s) recruiting pitch to colleges:

I love old before-they-were-famous videos like that.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (WINNERS DIVISION)

Great stuff from the Bradley clan.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (LOSERS DIVISION)

Same from the Fleetwoods. Perspective, man. Perspective.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

My favorite New York Knick, Josh Hart, was enjoying the offseason at one of my (everyone’s) favorite spots, The Old Course!

Nice shot! And that didn't mean he took a break from fending off the haters.

Live it up, my man. And then come back ready to win an NBA title. The Eastern Conference suddenly seems there for the taking after turning into an Achilles tendon graveyard.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

On Saturday, Miguel Angel Jimenez was asked if he was going to work on anything that evening ahead of his big final round. He gave this glorious answer:

Again, what a legend.

THIS AND THAT

Brian Rolapp was officially named the new CEO of the PGA Tour. When you hire the guy who was going to be the next NFL commissioner, that’s a big deal.

Heck, it even got Tiger Woods to come to TPC River Highlands for the first time! … Keegan Bradley moved up to a career-best No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking with his latest win. And there’s still a question of whether he should be one of the 12 players on Team USA? … Marcel Siem claimed in an interview that he set three course records “completely hammered and on no sleep.” Now that’s a guy who would dominate buddies golf trips. … And, finally, Rickie Fowler’s reaction to hitting a shank caught me off guard:

A “Spanish fade”? That is fantastic. I think I'll be using that from now on. Just, hopefully, I won't have to use it a lot.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Will Tommy Fleetwood ever win a PGA Tour event?

What’s your best (random) day ever?

Does anyone have any tips for playing Forest Dunes?