Keegan Bradley still carrying Ryder Cup pain into U.S. Open at Shinnecock

Nine months later, Keegan Bradley still can’t shake the feeling of losing the Ryder Cup on home soil at Bethpage Black. As a matter of fact, it’s one that he doesn’t anticipate moving on from, especially this week, now that he’s back on Long Island for the U.S.Open.

Bradley shot even par during the first day of the tournament, battling through a two-hour delay because of fog and the whipping winds that make Shinnecock Hills so tough. Still, failing to win the Ryder Cup as Team USA’s captain last fall stings. “I’ll be thinking about that for the rest of my life,” said Bradley, who shot an even-par 70 in the first round.“I do feel like I owe New York one.

Maybe I can give them something to cheer about this weekend.” If there was any ill will from area golf fans for the letdown last fall, Bradley didn’t feel it while out on the course during the first round.At one point, he had a share of the lead when he eagled on the eighth hole to go 1 under. “I never know what to expect,” he said of the fan reception.

“I would understand if they were upset, but I didn’t get any of that.I haven’t really at all.

I’m really thankful for that.”One of the quirkiest pairings of the first two rounds had 54-year-old Padraig Harrington grouped with 17-year-old amateur Miles Russell. Harrington won three major championships — 2007 and 2008 British Opens, and the 2008 PGA Championship — before Russell was born, in November 2008.Russell, a Jacksonville, Fla., native who’s about to enter Florida State, shot a 2-over-par 72, bettering Harrington (7-over) and 2022 British Open winner Cam Smith (5 over) as the low man in the group.“He played lovely golf,’’ Harrington said.“Two over par was the worst he could have shot.

He hit it dead straight all day, didn’t really have himself in too much trouble at all, and probably could have been a couple better.“At 17 years of age … I can’t remember what I was doing when I was 17 years of ag...