BRADLEY SET FOR NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT GRAYHAWK
• Purdue senior Cole Bradley will compete in his first NCAA National Championship this weekend, when he arrives as the Grayhawk Golf Club as one of six individual qualifiers and 156 total players vying for individual medalist honors.
• Play will begin Friday morning with the first of three rounds concluding on Sunday. A fourth and final round will be contested Monday to determine the National Champion. To advance to Memorial Day, Bradley must finish among the top-nine individuals not on one of the 15 advancing teams. In all, 84 individual players will play in Monday's fourth and final round.
HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT • Bradley had a tournament to remember at the NCAA Noblesville Regional on May 17-19, earning the individual-advancing spot after earning medalist honors. • Bradley was in a 17th-place tie after 18 holes and an even-par round of 72. He recorded three birdies and 14 pars, but lost a ball on the par-4 13th hole that resulted in a triple-bogey for his 72. • He then moved up 10 spots into a tie for seventh with a second-round 69 for a two-round total of 3-under par 141 (72-69), three shots off the lead. • Bradley then saved his best for the final round and a memorable back-nine surge. He trailed by three shots through 11 holes, but played his last seven holes in 5-under par to move to 10-under par to win the individual title. He entered the difficult par-3 17th hole tied with West Virginia's Mark Goetz, but managed to record the round's only birdie on the 17th hole, then birdied No. 18 with a downhill, bending six-foot putt for the two-stroke victory.
SOME MORE FACTS ON BRADLEY'S WIN • Bradley entered the Noblesville Regional ranked No. 173 in the country according to Golfstat. He moved up 48 spots to No. 125 with the victory. • Became Purdue's first NCAA Regional individual champion since Lee Williamson in 2002, and only the second NCAA Regional medalist in school history. • Bradley's 65 tied the competitive course record at the Sagamore Golf Club. • His 65 tied for the lowest score by a Purdue golfer in NCAA competition and his 7-under par was the best in NCAA competition in relation to par. The 65 is also tied for the fifth-best, 18-hole score in school history. • Bradley's 54-hole score of 10-under par 206 is the ninth-best, 54-hole score in Purdue history and the 10-under par is the fourth-best score in relation to par. The 206 is the third-best NCAA Regional score, but the best in relation to par. Bradley also shot a 205 at the Pullman Regional in 2019.
BRADLEY'S BOILERMAKER NOTES • Bradley has recorded eight straight rounds of even-par or better in NCAA competition. • Now owns the No. 9 (72.50 in 2020-21) and No. 10 (72.97 in 2018-19) lowest stroke averages in Purdue history. • Ranks No. 8 on Purdue's career stroke average chart (73.56) • The win in Noblesville marked his first career victory. He's finished in the top six of an event just once before. • Bradley is the only player in school history to have two rounds of 67 or better in NCAA competition. • His four rounds in the 60s in NCAA competition are the most in school history. • Enters National Championships with four straight rounds of even-par or better. • Father, Rob, is the head coach at Purdue and will be walking with him in Scottsdale.
HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT • Bradley had a tournament to remember at the NCAA Noblesville Regional on May 17-19, earning the individual-advancing spot after earning medalist honors. • Bradley was in a 17th-place tie after 18 holes and an even-par round of 72. He recorded three birdies and 14 pars, but lost a ball on the par-4 13th hole that resulted in a triple-bogey for his 72. • He then moved up 10 spots into a tie for seventh with a second-round 69 for a two-round total of 3-under par 141 (72-69), three shots off the lead. • Bradley then saved his best for the final round and a memorable back-nine surge. He trailed by three shots through 11 holes, but played his last seven holes in 5-under par to move to 10-under par to win the individual title. He entered the difficult par-3 17th hole tied with West Virginia's Mark Goetz, but managed to record the round's only birdie on the 17th hole, then birdied No. 18 with a downhill, bending six-foot putt for the two-stroke victory.
SOME MORE FACTS ON BRADLEY'S WIN • Bradley entered the Noblesville Regional ranked No. 173 in the country according to Golfstat. He moved up 48 spots to No. 125 with the victory. • Became Purdue's first NCAA Regional individual champion since Lee Williamson in 2002, and only the second NCAA Regional medalist in school history. • Bradley's 65 tied the competitive course record at the Sagamore Golf Club. • His 65 tied for the lowest score by a Purdue golfer in NCAA competition and his 7-under par was the best in NCAA competition in relation to par. The 65 is also tied for the fifth-best, 18-hole score in school history. • Bradley's 54-hole score of 10-under par 206 is the ninth-best, 54-hole score in Purdue history and the 10-under par is the fourth-best score in relation to par. The 206 is the third-best NCAA Regional score, but the best in relation to par. Bradley also shot a 205 at the Pullman Regional in 2019.
BRADLEY'S BOILERMAKER NOTES • Bradley has recorded eight straight rounds of even-par or better in NCAA competition. • Now owns the No. 9 (72.50 in 2020-21) and No. 10 (72.97 in 2018-19) lowest stroke averages in Purdue history. • Ranks No. 8 on Purdue's career stroke average chart (73.56) • The win in Noblesville marked his first career victory. He's finished in the top six of an event just once before. • Bradley is the only player in school history to have two rounds of 67 or better in NCAA competition. • His four rounds in the 60s in NCAA competition are the most in school history. • Enters National Championships with four straight rounds of even-par or better. • Father, Rob, is the head coach at Purdue and will be walking with him in Scottsdale.