Keegan Bradley: Golf program at Manhattan College is in good hands because they're Frank Darby's
Keegan Bradley hits off the second tee during the final round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club South Course on Aug. 9, 2015 in Akron, Ohio. Credit: Getty Images / Sam Greenwood
Keegan Bradley is convinced that the golf program at Manhattan College is in good hands, considering that those hands belong to Frank Darby, Bradley's college coach at St. John's.
"I'm really excited about it. He'll be a great fit there," Bradley said after his practice round for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Darby drew national attention in 2011 when Bradley won the PGA Championship the first time he entered the event. As he won the major title, Bradley was wearing his customary Sunday red-and-white outfit in honor of the Red Storm.
The PGA Tour pro was upset when Darby was fired before this season. Bradley was so disappointed -- with the firing and the fact that his teammate Casey Calmi was not named the replacement -- that he took the St. John's logo off his golf bag.
At the Masters this year, Bradley insisted he still loves his alma mater and is pumped that Chris Mullin has returned to coach the basketball team. On Wednesday, he was thrilled for Darby, who was hired last month by Manhattan. "He's a big-time coach, he has produced a lot of great players," Bradley said. Then, referring to the Jaspers, he added, "I think they should be very excited."
Dobyns honored by award
During the PGA of America news conference Wednesday morning, president Derek Sprague said, "It gives me a great deal of honor here to say that in the long-drive contest, one of our club professionals finished in the top three. Matt Dobyns from Long Island, New York finished second, only four yards behind Anirban Lahiri with a shot of 323 yards."
Hours later, during an awards ceremony, Sprague presented a silver money clip to Dobyns, the head professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success. "It's really nice, very cool. I'm leaving here with something," Dobyns said.
The long-drive competition is a revived PGA Championship tradition, which started in the 1950s and made famous in 1963 when Jack Nicklaus won it with a shot of 341 yards. Nicklaus still uses the money clip he earned with that launch.
Dobyns said, "I'm honored by it. To be honest, it's something I had in my mind, to try and win. I thought it would be cool to win it. Jack Nicklaus still talks about it. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me."
