What's happened to Keegan Bradley?

[RandallT]

I don't see him falling too much further. He's still a good ballstriker and got in the hunt in several tournaments. It's not like a Duval or Weir freefall where they hit it all over the lot and can't break 75.

Yes, those were freefalls! Weir in yellow, Duval in green. Both valiantly tried to rise again, but couldn't break through again for sustained successes. (OT I Know- other than those are good examples of freefall, so I agree we won't put Keegan there yet!)

FYI- Weir's drop after 2010 is what I was referring to above that I see typically. A slow drop at first as events start to get old and weighted less. Then as time multiplies that effect and the events drop off completely, the rate accelerates like a rollercoaster's first hill.  

Until I saw this, I wasn't aware Duval has had so many "blips" in his OWGR.

Ok, enough OT. Back to Keegan.

 

[mchepp]

It's not uncommon for this to happen to players, he'll probably start playing well again some year, maybe even win something, but I think the engaged thing is as good as an any diagnosis can be, it's probably all mental, he won, he made money, and then the women.... golf? what golf?

I am in agreement with this. He will probably have a couple of high finishes in events where he is comfortable like Riviera and an occasion win. He has a lot going on in his life now with marriage and so on and probably just hasn't dedicated himself to the game like he did before. 

[Lastpick]

KB is not going to play well again until he gets his putting lined out.  He just never makes anything on a consistent basis.  Off subject but Adam Scott is a bad putter also.  I am a double digit handicapper and if I'm not stroking the putter well, that bleeds over to the rest of my game.  I wonder if this is true for the elite players in the world.

[Broke100Once]

When a player gets his career off to the kind of hot start that Bradley did, people naturally assume he could be a next great star in the sport.  It could be that we've already seen Bradley's best and he'll never be a top-flight guy ever again, save for maybe the odd victory or two over the rest of his career.  In ten years' time, we could be slotting Bradley in with the Micheels, Beems and Immelmans as obscure flash-in-the-pan major champions.

[newtogolf]

When a player gets his career off to the kind of hot start that Bradley did, people naturally assume he could be a next great star in the sport.  It could be that we've already seen Bradley's best and he'll never be a top-flight guy ever again, save for maybe the odd victory or two over the rest of his career.  In ten years' time, we could be slotting Bradley in with the Micheels, Beems and Immelmans as obscure flash-in-the-pan major champions.

While that is certainly possible, I think golf is a lot more mental than we recognize.  Look at Dufner, the guy has struggled since he hurt his neck / back and he got divorced.  Keegan is obviously struggling with his pre-shot OCD routine and trying to manage his disorder while trying to play golf without annoying his peers due to slow play. 

If you know anyone that is OCD you'd know how freaked out they get when they aren't able to complete their rituals. 

[Lihu]

Could the rest of the field be simply getting stronger?

I followed him around when he was playing a couple years ago, and he seemed to be holding his own.

Well, during that same time frame, I noticed that a lot of younger kids are also playing much better. They're not that dramatically different in distance and accuracy than he at least from what I observed? Kids of all different sizes and races are hitting much farther and more accurately than ever. Training and youth programs seem to be kicking in. . .

[RussUK]

I saw the thread title and thought "has he gone missing or something?". Now i think of it, in golfing terms he pretty much has,

Its a shame really that his game has packed its bags on gone on its holidays. Just one of the many "next big thing" in golf that never really lived up to the hype.

It seems as soon as a player wins a major or BIG tournament theny the media pours on the pressure with the afore-mentioned label and as soon as they dont repeat their success then they are left behind. I mean, its not like he's rubbish at his job.

[Undr Par]

Not taking anything away from the guy but to be honest never viewed him as a great player from the jump and just kinda lucky.... IMHO if he doesn't shape up in the 2016 season and beyond that he might just be a fading has been (or imho) a never really was... And a guy who fights to regain his tour card....