The Patriots’ chance for revenge against Eli Manning’s New York Giants in Sunday’s Super Bowl is a topic on every New Englander’s mind this week — and that includes two PGA Tour golfers who are in the hunt at the Phoenix Open.
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 Pats 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 Giants followers 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 and huge Boston sports fan 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 was not the only player on the course talking Patriots. Fellow New Englander James Driscoll, last year’s Bubble Boy who’s seeking his first tour win this week, had his fingers crossed for himself as well as his hometown team.
“I can’t wait [for Sunday night’s Super Bowl XLVI]” Driscoll told PGATour.com’s Helen Ross after posting a 67 on Thursday. “We’ve been spoiled, us New England fans with all our teams doing great over the last 10 years. I know it would be great to see them win and it would really stink to see them lose to the Giants twice in the Super Bowl. So as much as I want them to win, I really don’t want them to lose….
“If they lose twice to [New York Giants QB] Eli,” Driscoll said, recalling the stunning end to the Patriots’ perfect 2007 season, “that would not sit well with me.”
Driscoll, by the way, fired an opening-round 4-under 67 and was two shots back of the leaders before play began on Friday. Bradley, who tweeted Friday that he was “sporting some New England Patriots colors” for his second round, was one behind Driscoll at 3-under after Thursday’s opening 18.
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