Keegan Bradley needs to take a serious look at his pre-shot routine as his continual spitting is distasteful and winning him no new fans.

Bradley has joined an ever-increasing number of PGA Tour players who are becoming ‘serial spitters’ and the PGA Tour needs to step in and act.

Last year’s Atlanta Athletic Club champion was observed many times spitting during Sunday’s thrilling conclusion to the Northern Trust Open in suburban Los Angeles.

Bradley holed a superb 15-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to join Phil Mickelson and Bill Haas in a play-off, and moments after fans went hysterical as Mickelson rolled in a curling 40-footer for his birdie.

But it was Haas who then sank a similar 40-footer at the second extra hole to capture the event on the Riviera course.

Keegan Bradley - 2011 PGA Champion but losing fans by spitting. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

However it was hard not to question Bradley’s pre-shot routine including his habit of spitting.

It seems to be common practice on the PGA Tour and something conveniently overlooked by ‘straight down the line’ American TV analysts.

Thankfully, Scotland’s and former European Tour player Andrew Coltart, who now works for SKY Sports TV, spoke out saying Bradley’s actions are ‘disgraceful’.

Rober Lee, who hosted last night’s SKY coverage also remarked: “If enough letters were written to thePGA Tour maybe it would bring enough attention to it and something could get done because it’s vile. But the Americans just don’t seem bothered about it. It doesn’t seem to register.”

And Lee’s Sky Sports colleague, Mark Roe and also a former European Tour winner, is particularly outspoken on the matter.

“It’s an absolutely disgraceful habit,” says Roe.

“I saw Dustin Johnson spit on the first tee at Riviera before he hit his tee shot and it was disgusting.

“The problem is they keep sticking chewing tobacco into the side of their mouths, I guess it’s a country thing over there. It’s something the Swedes used to do on the European Tour but to the credit of the Swedes they weren’t very often seen spitting on camera.

“It’s got to be stamped out. It needs to become a fineable offence on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. It should start with a $1,500 fine and then it should be doubled every time they are seen spitting.”

CBS’s David Feherty indicated he would try to speak with Bradley about his spitting habit but then it should not be up to a TV analyst to do anything as the matter lies spattered over the feet of the PGA Tour act.

There was one occasion at the 13th hole where Bradley was seen spitting four times during the course of taking at least 15 practice swings over one shot.

It’s not that Bradley is purposely launching a huge mouthful of saliva in the direction of the fairway, ala Tiger Woods during the final round of the 2011 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Bradley’s spit is clearly a nervous reaction as on one occasion he actually dribbled saliva on himself.

It’s a practice the PGA Tour needs to speak to Bradley and others like Dustin Johnson to eradicate from their games.

And Bradley has to be one of most fidgety and nervous-looking players ever to take to the PGA Tour and watching his pre-stroke routine is simply bizarre.   

On the tee he’ll take upwards of a half-a-dozen practice swings while his routine also features walking up to his ball some three to four times and placing the driver to the right of his ball.

Bradley was in a bunker coming down the last few holes on Sunday and he must have walked in and out of the sand trap five or six times analsying his intended shot before the final execution.

This all takes time and it is another aspect of his game the Tour should talk with him.

Then once on the green Bradley has this peculiar manner in reading his putts by turning his face to the left and staring at the line with a protruding left eye.

But it’s this practice he’s developed in spitting that Bradley needs to eradicate from him game and the sooner the PGA Tour steps in the better.

Though there was one humourous remark from a CBS TV commentator during the play-off when after again observing Bradley spitting he remarked:  “I’m surprised Bradley’s got any saliva left!”