Among the things Patrick Cantlay understands about himself is how he comes across to others.
Or, in some cases, doesn’t come across to others.
Cantlay, who was named PGA Tour Player of the Year in a vote of his peers, picked up his “Patty Ice” nickname during the playoffs not just because of how he played under pressure but how he reacted or, more accurately, how he didn’t react in some of the season’s biggest moments.
“To be perfectly honest, I really am just so focused on what I need to do that I almost, by the time I’m there picking the ball up out of the hole, I even forget that I’m supposed to have done a fist pump or anything like that,” Cantlay said.
“If you’re watching me out there, it’s very authentic. I’m not adding any extra or pulling any less out of my reaction. So if I do have a reaction, it’s completely natural because sometimes I’ll find myself and say, ‘Man, you really should have done something after a putt like that.’ But I was just so focused on trying to hit the best putt I could that I forgot about any type of celebration.”
In 24 tour starts, Cantlay had four wins, a second-place finish at the American Express and a T-3 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Cantlay was voted player of the year over Jon Rahm, who was earlier awarded the PGA of America’s player-of-the-year award based on a points-based formula. Cantlay won four times, including the BMW Championship and Tour Championship to close the season and capture the FedEx Cup.
It was an interesting player-of-the-year vote because two of Cantlay’s victories – the Memorial Tournament and the Tour Championship – were directly related to Rahm.
At the Memorial, Cantlay was six strokes behind after three rounds when Rahm was forced to withdraw due to a positive COVID-19 test. At the Tour Championship, Cantlay was staked to a lead starting the final event and won even though Rahm tied for the lowest 72-hole score in the weighted scoring event.
In 24 tour starts, Cantlay had four wins, a second-place finish at the American Express and a T-3 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was also the only player to finish among the top 30 in all four major strokes gained categories – off the tee, approach the green, around the green and putting.
Cantlay will make his first appearance in the Ryder Cup next week at Whistling Straits, his first team event as a professional. He joined his teammates in a preliminary visit to the Ryder Cup site earlier this week.
“I thought they went really well. We got together and saw the golf course. I had never seen the golf course before and so I think it should be a really interesting golf course for match play,” Cantlay said.
“I think getting to hang a little bit with the guys and get into that team mindset, because we are so often in … an individual mindset, getting together with the guys on the team I think was really cool.”
A WILL TO WIN
It was no surprise when 25-year old Will Zalatoris was named PGA Tour rookie of the year on Monday, becoming the first player since Charles Howell III 20 years ago to win with special temporary membership status on the tour.
Ranked 31st in the world, Zalatoris became a star last spring when he finished second to Hideki Matsuyama in the Masters. At that point, Zalatoris was still a member of the Korn Ferry Tour and not far removed from Monday qualifying events.
When Zalatoris walked off the 18th green on Sunday at Augusta with his now-fiancée Caitlin Sellers, his world changed.
“I joked to her this beats doing Monday qualifiers in Evansville, Indiana, doesn’t it?” Zalatoris said this week. “It was just a cool moment for the two of us because she’s been there through it all with me.”
With full PGA Tour status and starting his 2021-22 this week at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California, Zalatoris has recovered from a back injury that forced him to withdraw from the Open Championship and he has been able to exhale after a whirlwind season.
For a player who was frustrated when the pandemic added an extra year to the process of gaining a PGA Tour card via the Korn Ferry Tour, Zalatoris made his own path.
“This (award) was something that two years ago wasn’t even on my radar,” Zalatoris said. “I guess when we were sitting around in COVID for four months (in the summer of 2020) I didn’t think I was going to be playing on the PGA Tour.
“The fact that I accomplished it, absolutely over the moon … I’m kind of shocked by it.”
READY AND WILLING
Billy Horschel, who has a knack for playing his way into Ryder Cup conversations after the picks have been made, strengthened his case with his victory Sunday at the BMW Championship in London though it was too late.
Or was it?
Should Brooks Koepka be unable to play due to a wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from the Tour Championship, would Horschel be captain Steve Stricker’s pick to replace Koepka? Or would it be Kevin Na or Patrick Reed?
Horschel is ready if needed.
“It would be a big blow to the United States team if (Koepka is) not able to play. If somehow a phone call comes my way that says Brooks had to withdraw and I got picked, I’d be over the moon. I mean, I’d be up there faster than, you know, the speed of sound to get there,” Horschel said.
“But we’ll see what happens. There’s rumors and sometimes you can’t always believe the rumors but as far as I know they have got 12 guys that are healthy and ready to play golf and I’m ready to sit on the couch and wear my red, white and blue and support the team.”