Tour playoff a win over pain
PATRICK Cantlay won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open yesterday in a playoff for the first victory in a PGA Tour career mostly derailed by a severe back injury.
The 25-year-old former UCLA star hit from behind a tree and got up-and-down for par from off the back of the 18th green to beat Alex Cejka and Whee Kim on the second extra hole.
“I knew that I’d be able to get to where I wanted to be if I felt healthy,” Cantlay said. “If I felt like I didn’t have pain ... I could practise and prepare for tournaments. I know how to practise and prepare for tournaments, so I can do what I want. I feel like I can play well and compete with anybody.”
Cantlay bogeyed the final two holes of regulation for a 5under 67 to get in at 9-under 275 at windy TPC Summerlin. Cejka shot a 63 more than two hours before Cantlay and Kim - playing together in the thirdto-last group - finished the round.
The three played the 456yard, par-4 18th twice in the playoff, matching bogeys the first time. On the second extra hole, Cantlay escaped the trees in the right rough, hitting a 4iron from 185 yards.
“I felt like as long as I kept it below the tree branch that was in front of me and cut it enough, I felt like it would go in a pretty decent spot,” Cantlay said. “I maybe didn’t cut it as much as I wanted to. I think the rough stopped it from being able to spin and get any cut on it, but it ended up in a good spot. It was a good shot.”
Kim bogeyed 18 in regulation for a 66, then went bogey-double bogey on the hole in the playoff.
“The wind is blowing, and it’s really tough,” Kim said.
Cejka birdied the final four holes in regulation for a backnine 30.
“It was looking very slim and then the wind picked up,” Cejka said about getting in the playoff. “Luckily, the guys were dropping shots and I had the chance. But, you know, it’s a tough hole here. You’ve got to win with a par. I made two bogeys in the playoff, so that’s a little bit disappointing.”
The 46-year-old Czechborn German lives in Las Vegas.
“It’s tough to play at home,” Cejka said. “There is a lot of pressure and people expect good things from you.”
Cantlay broke through to win after a remarkable return last season from the back problems. Out of golf since 2013, he didn’t miss a cut and made it to the Tour Championship while playing only 12 events. Part of that was due to an ankle injury that slowed him for two months.
“Goals for the rest of the season, definitely majors,” Cantlay said.