(Reuters) - Since winning his first major title at the PGA Championship in August, Keegan Bradley can no longer prepare for tournaments in virtually anonymous fashion -- but he would not want it any other way.

The demands on his time by the media and sponsors have risen exponentially following his breakthrough at the game's highest level but the 25-year-old American has become accustomed to his rapidly changed world.

It's an adjustment to my regular routine that I've been so used to, but all of it is so worth it, a smiling Bradley told reporters on Tuesday while preparing for this week's Chevron World Challenge.

I pride myself on being very well prepared for every event I play in. It's just there's a lot more that I have to do at a tournament week now ... like a photo shoot or something. That's been my biggest adjustment but I'm starting to get used to it.

I think back to the days when I could just kind of show up and do my thing. I miss it a little bit, but all this is worth it. I really enjoy doing this stuff now and being amongst the boys.

Bradley stunned the golfing world when he beat fellow American Jason Dufner in a playoff for the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, becoming the first player to claim a grand slam crown in his maiden major start since compatriot Ben Curtis at the 2003 British Open.

It capped a stellar year on the PGA Tour that had already featured his first victory on the U.S. circuit -- at the Byron Nelson Championship in May.

'UNBELIEVABLE YEAR'

It was an unbelievable year I didn't quite expect ... just to be able to enjoy a season and come to a tournament like this, Bradley said.

It's all been kind of a dream and a whirlwind, but I've been able to sit back and enjoy what I've done. It's been awesome. I'm so happy that I'm on the PGA Tour and able to come to an event like this.

Bradley is competing in the elite, 18-man Chevron World Challenge for the first time, an achievement he would not have believed possible at the start of this season.

I've watched this tournament a bunch of times, said the slender American, a nephew of LPGA great and World Golf Hall of Famer Pat Bradley. I watched it every year pretty much.

At the beginning of the year, I would never have thought I'd be here playing. Before the PGA (Championship), I wouldn't have thought I would have been here playing.

It's just an honor for a player like me to be in a field like this with players like Tiger (Woods), Nick Watney and some of the other guys. It's just really cool.

The $5 million Chevron World Challenge, hosted by four-times champion Woods, starts at Sherwood Country Club on Thursday.

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