• Grand Slam of Golf, Round Two

Bradley holds off Schwartzel to win major showdown

There was another win for Keegan Bradley in Bermuda © Getty Images

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US PGA champion Keegan Bradley added the Grand Slam of Golf to his list of 2011 victories with a one-shot triumph in Bermuda on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old, who made history with his impressive win at Atlanta Athletic Club in August to claim his maiden major title, held off the charge of Masters champion Charl Schwartzel to win the traditional end of season event thanks to a final round of 71 at Port Royal Golf Course.

"It feels great. It was a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be," Bradley said. "Maybe because of the players that were here. I'm sure everybody wanted to win it.

"And coming down the stretch, it felt like any other tournament that I played in. It was very, very intense, and I was nervous over that five-footer to win."

Bradley had come into the final round of the two-round tournament on level terms with US Open victor Rory McIlroy, who looked on course for a comfortable victory when the four-man field reached the seventh hole.

But the Northern Irishman suddenly suffered three bogeys on the spin to drop out of contention, eventually finishing even par for the event after a four-over second round of 75.

Schwartzel, the South African, had only bettered that score by one during his opening effort on Tuesday, but moved into contention one the final day as he reeled off five straight birdies between the fifth and ninth. But his round of 65 (for a three-under total) would prove just short of what was required, after Bradley bounced back from three bogeys in his opening sixth holes to claw his way back to level par for the tournament and four-under overall.

The other major winner of 2011, Darren Clarke, was a non-factor throughout both rounds - as he followed up an ugly opening round of 77 with a slightly more palatable 74 to finish nine over, a full nine shots adrift of his nearest competitor.

"I took it very seriously," Bradley added. "It has to do with the players in the field, how strong they are, and how world-class these players are. I treated it just like any other golf tournament.

"It was different than I thought it was going to be, and I'm glad I was ready to play."

Bradley took home $600,000 for his victory, with Schwartzel picking up half that. All four players were first-time major winners in 2011.

Bradley was controversy overlooked for the United States team for the forthcoming Presidents Cup, with Tiger Woods and Bill Haas receiving captain Fred Couples' wildcard selections. But Couples' opposite number, Greg Norman, believes he made a mistake.

"I think Keegan Bradley was much more deserving of one of the two spots that were available," Norman said. "He's a major championship winner; he's won a couple of times this year."

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