PGA TOUR
TOUR Championship & FedExCup
Cantlay Wins US$15 Million FedExCup
Patrick Cantlay started the PGA Tour season-ending TOUR Championship in pole position after winning last week’s BMW Championship. The stoic American was never headed as he won the race for the lucrative FedExCup title with its massive US$15 million prize by one shot over world No. 1 Jon Rahm.
Seeded No. 1 at East Lake for the FedExCup finale, Cantlay began the score-adjusted event at 10-under with a two-shot advantage over Tony Finau, three shots ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, four shots clear of Jon Rahm and five shots adrift of Cameron Smith.
The 29-year-old Californian scored his fourth win of the 2020/21 PGA Tour season and biggest payday with victory at the TOUR Championship. Cantlay carded all four rounds in the 60s at East Lake with scores of 67, 66, 67 and 69 moving him to the tally of 21-under. Rahm finished at 20-under to claim the US$5 million prize for his FedExCup runner up performance. Kevin Na was outright third at 16-under. Fellow American Justin Thomas was a shot further back at 15-under and in outright fourth place. Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland shared fifth place at 14-under.
Cantlay began the final round two shots clear of Rahm and with a five-shot advantage over Thomas. After making a birdie at the 2nd hole to move three shots ahead of Rahm, Cantlay’s lead was cut to just one shot at the fifth when he bogeyed and Rahm made birdie from 11 feet. The narrow lead remained on that mark until Cantlay dropped his birdie putt from five feet at the 16th hole to move two shots clear of Rahm with two holes to play. Golf’s biggest payday was within Cantlay’s grasp but threatened to slip through his fingers with an untidy bogey at the 17th hole. Holding a one shot lead on the 18th tee and with tension rising, Cantlay striped his final drive at the downhill par 5 and then drilled a superb iron approach from 217 yards to just 11 feet from the hole. The clutch shot secured the massive win with a two-putt birdie. It was a super impressive performance. Cantlay is fast earning a reputation as being one of the game’s best producers when under pressure. He has gained all of his six career PGA Tour wins in tight finishes—three wins in playoffs, two victories by one shot and one title by two shots.
Rahm, aged 26, has enjoyed a breakthrough 2020/21 PGA Tour season. The Spaniard collected his maiden major title at the US Open in June after draining two birdies at the final two holes to overcome Louis Oosthuizen at Torrey Pines.
Na has the second most starts in the FedExCup Playoffs without a win (41). The 37-year-old finished the season with a remarkable run of 57 consecutive bogey-free holes. His third place at the FedExCup will earn him US$4 million in prize money.
Thomas continued his success at East Lake becoming the only player to finish in the top 10 at the FedExCup in the last five years. The 28-year-old
began the final round in the conversation after his third round 5-under 65 put him within five shots of Cantlay. However, he never fired a challenge and recorded an even par round to claim 4th place and the US$3 million prize purse.
Schauffele and Hovland will bank US$2.2 million each for their share of 5th place. Schauffele matched the low round on Sunday with a 6-under 64 for his 20th consecutive round at East Lake at the Tour Championship of even par or better. Hovland, aged 23, was playing in his second TOUR Championship. He became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour by winning the 2020 Puerto Rico Open. And, then became the first man from his country to earn a European Tour title after winning the 2012 BMW International Open in June.
Cameron Smith was the lone Australian at the season-ending event. The 28-year-old started the TOUR Championship as the fifth seed. The three-time PGA Tour winner finished the FedExCup in a tie for 14th place. He will receive a FedExCup bonus check of more than US$600,000.
Sungjae Im needed just one birdie on Sunday to break the most birdies in a PGA Tour season since 1980 (493). The 23-year-old birdie Korean poured in a birdie putt from 22 feet at the 2nd hole to pass the tally. Im made four more birdies on the back nine to amass 498 birdies for the season.
The 2021/22 PGA Tour season tees off on September 16 at Silverado Resort and Spa in California where players will compete at the Fortinet Championship.
Final Scores
TOUR Championship
1. Patrick Cantlay -21
2. Jon Rahm -20
3. Kevin Na -16
4. Justin Thomas -15
T5. Viktor Hovland -14
T5. Xander Schauffele -14
7. Bryson DeChambeau -13
8. Dustin Johnson -11
T9. Abraham Ancer -10
T9. Billy Horschel -10
Australian
T14. Cameron Smith -7
Photo credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
