Keegan Bradley reigns supreme at rain-plagued Aronimink

Five days and 72 holes of golf weren’t enough to separate Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose after some messy play forced a one hole playoff at an equally messy Aronimink Golf Club in the penultimate FedEx Cup Playoffs event.

After an ugly bogey on the final hole from Bradley, who hasn’t won a PGA Tour event in six years, Justin Rose strolled up to the 18th green, poised to secure the title.

20 feet separated Rose from victory while Bradley anxiously awaited the roars of the crowd as he stood on the practice green.

Those roars never came, however. Instead came the gasps and moans when Rose’s putt lipped out to force the playoff.

The two made the dreaded trek back to the 18th tee-box: the very hole that just have the two fits and that wouldn’t change on the next go around.

On the cusp of passing Sir Nick Faldo to become the winning-est Englishman in the history of the tour, Justin Rose took his approach shot first.

Trying to work the ball into a pin position that caused trouble all day, Rose clanked a shot off of the grandstand but got a fortuitous bounce right back towards the hole just off the green. Bradley would match and the two were set up with a pair of putts from inside four feet.

With Rose being 38 for 38 on putts from inside four feet this week, it appeared they were on their way back for more play-off holes.

Standing over his ball for what seemed to be an eternity, Justin Rose caught the lip of the hole once again–handing the trophy to Bradley.

(Photo by Rob Simmons – Double G Media)

“I thought it was as good a putt as I’ve hit to win a tournament. To see it spin out was really unfortunate.”

Keegan Bradley handed the trophy and Rose handed it straight back. At 20 strokes under par, it wasn’t undeserving as it was the lowest 72 hole score in tournament history.

“This is just incredible,” Bradley said. “It’s been a hard road back.”

Not all was lost for Rose, however.

The 38 year old became the world’s #1 for the first time in his career, surpassing former #1 Dustin Johnson.

“It’s boyhood dream stuff, something I am incredibly proud of,” Rose said.

Other notables results

Jordan Speith

With a t-55 finish on Monday, Speith finished 31st in the FedEx Cup standings–one spot off the final place to advance to the Tour Championship event. Speith has been in the Tour’s final event every year since 2013.

”I was in control of my own destiny and I didn’t have it this week,” said a disappointed Jordan Speith.

(Photo by Rob Simmons – Double G Media)

Tiger Woods

Woods fired one of the lowest rounds of the day with a 65 but fell short in his quest for his first win since 2013.

He result did, however, secure his place in the Tour Championship after his 6th top-ten finish of the season. “At the end of the season here to say that I made it back to the Tour Championship after what I’ve been through is a pretty good accomplishment,” Tiger said of this week’s performance.

Tony Finau

The young phenom locked up Team USA’s final spot for next month’s Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris.

Captain Jim Furyk selected the laid back 28 year old following what was his 11th top-ten on Tour this season. Finau joins Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, and Tiger Woods as one of four wildcard selections.

‘‘There won’t be any locker room noise with me,’’ Finau said Monday after the news. ‘‘I can play with anyone. I feel that my personality is just that way. I can bring the best out of different guys playing with them, and them the same to me.”