KEEGAN BRADLEY, who will play in next month’s Irish Open at Royal Portrush, admits he has to question himself at times to be sure his meteoric rise has not been a dream.

The 25-year-old, who gave up dreams of Olympic skiing glory to devote himself to golf in his mid-teens, was fighting to retain his PGA Tour card this time last year.

Now he is a major champion, and this week he is back where his dramatic rise all began, at the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

Bradley landed his breakthrough tour title at the TPC Las Colinas course 12 months ago when he parred the first hole of a play-off with fellow American Ryan Palmer, who found water with his approach shot.

But there was better to come.

In August, Bradley made his Major championship debut at the USPGA Championship and went on to triumph in a play-off there too, beating Jason Dufner.

Life had turned upside down for a player who looked back this week, as he returned to Irving, and said: “I went from an unknown rookie trying to keep his card to winning a PGA Tour event and locking up my future a little bit.”

Now seeking to defend his breakthrough title, he added: “This tournament might have set up my whole career. People don’t realise what the stress level is of a rookie on the PGA Tour, trying to keep your card.

“I played on the Hooters Tour and thinking about going back is scary. And to know I was on the (PGA) tour for at least two-and-a-half more years was huge.

“At the PGA I didn’t have that pressure of having to win my first tournament or having to worry about making enough money to keep my card, stuff like that, where rookies have to think about that.

“Sometimes I will be sitting around and I will realise that I won the PGA and start laughing, by myself, like I can’t believe it.

“But I’ve been wanting to do that my whole life, and it’s cool to be living it. But I have so much further to go, and that’s what I’m happy about. I want to be out here for a long time and be one of the best players, so I have a lot to work for.”

Bradley appears a strong contender again this week, with the narrow fairways suiting his game.

One likely challenger is Matt Kuchar, coming off his victory at the Players Championshipat Sawgrass on Sunday.

Kuchar heads out in a group with Vijay Singh and Pádraig Harrington, while Bradley plays alongside Rory Sabbatini and Jason Day. The world’s top four are absent, as is Tiger Woods, but there is plenty of big-name appeal, not least in the group consisting of Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Ernie Els.

BYRON NELSON

Course: TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas.

Prize money: €5 million (€918,000 to the winner)

Length: 7,166 yards. Par: 70. Field: 156.

The layout: The Bermuda grass fairways are lined by trees. Creeks and ponds come into play on many holes. Large Bentgrass greens provide generous targets but the dancefloors are heavily undulating and tough to sink putts on.

Last year: Keegan Bradley beat Ryan Palmer on the first play-off hole.

Type of player suited to challenge: Straight hitter and sound putter on tricky greens.

Key attribute: Accuracy.

Weather forecast: Clear but very windy.

On TV: Sky Sports 3 (8pm tonight).