As someone who grew up in Vermont and graduated from high school in Massachusetts, Keegan Bradley knows a thing or two about Boston-New York rivalries. Which is why the 2011 PGA champ and New England Patriots fanatic expects to get an earful from rambunctious Giants stalwarts during this week’s wild and crazy Phoenix Open.
Bradley, who sports a Red Sox shirt and cap in his Twitter photo, may even fan the flames of the never-ending Hub-Evil Empire antagonism. It seems the 25-year-old PGA Tour sophomore may mark Sunday night’s Patriots-Giants Super Bowl rematch by donning a Tom Brady jersey on the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale in the finale of the rowdiest event on tour.
“Oooh, maybe I’ll wear [Brady’s No. 12] on No. 16 on Sunday,” Bradley told PGATour.com’s Helen Ross Wednesday, prior to his Thursday morning tee time. “That would be cool.”
While Bradley said he was used to taking heat from the many Eli Manning disciples among his St. John’s University teammates, braving the most raucous crowds in golf on TPC’s 16th could be another story altogether. After all, the 162-yard par-3 is where the gallery cheers and jeers every tee shot and missed putt, and where Charley Hoffman tossing sandwiches to the crowd in 2010 brought visions of the nearby Phoenix Zoo to mind.
Depending on the dispositions of the bleacher creatures packing the Fenway Park-like stands that ring 16, Bradley may be lucky to get out alive -- let alone with the QB12 shirt (which Ross said CBS gave him to wear for a Super Bowl ad the network shot on Wednesday) on his back.
Brady’s texting buddy was undeterred by the prospect and upbeat about the big game’s outcome. He even joined newly appointed Solheim Cup captain Meg Mallon in assuredly predicting a Patriots W.
"I think [New England’s much-maligned defense has] kind of taken it to another level and [defensive tackle Vince] Wilfork’s playing awesome, which has changed their defense," Bradley told Ross. "Their offense is always good with Tom Brady. He kind of had a bad game last week and he rarely falls off two games in a row. I think he’s going to have a great game."
Bradley, by the way, shot an opening-round 3-under 68. He headed into Friday tied with Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and seven others who were three strokes behind 18-hole leader and reigning Deutsche Bank champ Webb Simpson.
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