Cantlay close to 2nd BMW title
WILMINGTON, Del. — Patrick Cantlay was part of an All-Star chasing pack until he holed out from 106 yards for eagle and carried that to a 6-under 65 on Saturday, giving him a oneshot lead and a chance to become the first back-toback winner of the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup era.
Next up is another round with a familiar face. Xander Schauffele, his closest friend on the PGA Tour, had a bogey-free 66 and was a shot back, along with Scott Stallings (66).
Cantlay and Schauffele play practice rounds together just about every week when they’re at the same tournament, just never with this much on the line.
More than just $2.7 million for the winner, Cantlay or Schauffele could go to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup — that also depends on how Masters champion Scottie Scheffler fares — with a win and start the Tour Championship with a twoshot lead.
Cantlay knows the value of that from experience. After his dynamic playoff win in the BMW Championship last year at Caves Valley, he had the No. 1 seed and a two-shot lead at the start and wound up winning by one shot to claim the $18 million prize.
“My head is not even there right now,” said Cantlay, who was at 12-under 201. “I think the best way to handle this playoff system is to just focus on doing your best in the tournament that you’re in and not worry too much about the points. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
And there’s another reason. This is far from a twoman show on the South course at Wilmington Country Club that is sunbaked and fast on the greens.
Adam Scott, trying to work his way into the top 30 who reach the Tour Championship, held his own with a 69 and was only two shots behind. He started the postseason at No. 77 and is coming off a tie for fifth last week just to make it to the BMW.
Also two back was Scheffler, the world No. 1 who answered consecutive bogeys late in his round with a 4-foot birdie for a 68.