Less is more for Keegan Bradley as the former US PGA Championship winner strives to add the Stonehaven Cup to his 2018 trophy collection.
One of the leading drawcards for this week's Australian Open, a bleary-eyed Bradley spent just a couple of hours acquainting himself to The Lakes course having only jetted in to Sydney from the US on Monday morning.
"I played the back nine. My rule that I've kind of come up with over the last year or so, which has helped, is I don't put much stock into anything that goes on today or tomorrow in terms of my golf," the American said.
"I don't practice a bunch, I'm just here to be awake and not go to sleep.
"Over the years I've maybe been too worried about how I feel today and how my game is, and now these are just days to get me ready to play on Thursday and it has made a big difference in my finishes."
After three lean seasons from 2015-17, Bradley has enjoyed a resurgence on the PGA Tour this year by winning the BMW Championship and a FedEx Cup playoffs event in August.
He opened the 2019 wrap-around season with a top-20 finish at the CIMB Classic and was last start sixth at last week's HSBC Champions in China.
The 32-year-old, who burst to international prominence by winning his maiden major in 2011, believes he's in the best form of his career.
"I'm a much more well-rounded player," Bradley said.
"I had to tackle the putting issue, which was a lot harder than I expected."
Like Adam Scott, Bradley had to ditch his trusty anchor putter at the start of 2016 - and the results weren't flash.
"It caught me by surprise with how difficult it was and I wasn't quite ready for it," he said.
Now committed to "an arm lock style putter", the world No.30 craves etching his name on the Stonehaven Cup, a trophy already featuring many of golf's greatest players including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
"I always remember on the Golf Channel watching these tournaments and as a kid being excited," said Bradley, whose only previous Australian Open appearance came as a teenager at Moonah Links in 2005.
"Australia plays a big part in the world in golf. There's a lot of great players that come from here, and getting a win outside of the US would mean a lot on a resume."
Australian Associated Press
