Cantlay’s win sets the stage
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Patrick Cantlay had enough on his hands to keep his attention Sunday as he was locked in an epic battle with Bryson Dechambeau, a compelling contrast of styles and personalities Sunday in the BMW Championship.
Even so, he couldn’t ignore what fans shouted from behind the ropes Sunday at Caves Valley. “Patty Ice.”
With the putter in his hand and ice in his veins, Cantlay delivered one clutch putt after another to survive the final three holes of regulation and six tense holes of a suddendeath playoff, finally winning with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
The most important putt? It was hard to tell.
He closed out his 6-under 66 with an 8-foot par putt on the 16th, an 8-foot bogey putt on the 17th after a tee shot into the water, and a 20-foot birdie on the 18th to force a playoff. Twice on the 18th in the playoff, where Dechambeau had a 30-yard advantage off the tee, Cantlay made par putts from 6 feet and 7 feet.
The most important putt was the last one.
“But they all mattered, I guess, the same,” Cantlay said. “I needed all of them.”
Dechambeau, who also closed with a 66, can pick just as many that cost him. His week featured a missed 6-footer on the 18th for a chance at 59 on Friday. And in the final round, he missed a 12-foot birdie to win in regulation, three more birdie putts in the playoff, and then his final putt.
Dechambeau, who has stopped talking to any media that isn’t a PGA Tour partner, refused comment for everyone Sunday. He became the first player in PGA Tour history to post 261 without taking home a trophy.
Cantlay received two trophies — one from the the BMW Championship, the other from the century-old Western Golf Association — and plenty of other perks for his PGA Tour-leading third win of the season and fifth overall.
He moved to No. 1 in the Fedex Cup, news he met by saying, “I know.” That means Cantlay goes to the Tour Championship next week with a two-shot lead over Tony Finau in the Fedex Cup finale with $15 million to the winner.
And he clinched the sixth and final automatic spot for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Steve Stricker has six captain’s picks, and there was no way he was going to leave “Patty Ice” off the team regardless of the outcome.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard it. But I got it all week,” Cantlay said about his nickname. “There was maybe one or two guys that followed me around all four days, and they just every hole were screaming it. These were some of the most supportive, loudest fans I’ve ever experienced.”
They were treated to an amazing show.
Erik van Rooyen and Sergio Garcia played their way into the top 30 who qualify for the Tour Championship. Patrick Reed managed to hang on to the 30th spot, but only after K.H. Lee made bogey on his final hole.
If healthy — Reed has been out with bilateral pneumonia — it at least gives him a chance for one last audition to be a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup.