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Patrick Cantlay: FedEx Cup Contender or Pretender?

By Tim Letcher

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 06: Patrick Cantlay hits off the eighth tee during the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin on October 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 06: Patrick Cantlay hits off the eighth tee during the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin on October 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Since returning from a back injury, Patrick Cantlay has become one of the best players on tour. Can he win the 2020 FedEx Cup?

Patrick Cantlay had a storied amateur career that seemed to put him on a path to stardom in the professional ranks. He was an All-American as a freshman at UCLA, won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the nation’s top Division I golfer in 2011 and was the runner-up at the U.S. Amateur that same year.

Cantlay turned professional in 2012 and seemed to be ready to become the next great young American golfer. But his body had other ideas. Cantlay battled back injuries which caused him to miss almost all of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons. And with golfers, back injuries can sometimes be career ending. That’s what Cantlay was facing at just 24 years of age.

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Luckily, Cantlay was able to figure out the back issues and he re-joined the PGA Tour in 2017, taking full advantage of his medical exemption by making the cut in all 13 events in which he played. He advanced to the FedEx Cup playoffs and was able to make the Tour Championship in his first playoff season. He finished 29th in the standings that season.

In 2018, Cantlay continued his strong play, making 21 cuts in 23 events and earning his first PGA Tour win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He had a total of seven top 10 finishes and made the playoffs for the second time. And, as he did in 2017, he made the Tour Championship and was able to finish a career high 20th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Last season, Cantlay made 18 cuts in 21 starts, adding his second tour win, which came at the Memorial. For the third time in as many seasons, Cantlay went to the playoffs and made the Tour Championship. He finished 21st in the standings in 2019.

This season, Cantlay has made the cut in all five events in which he has entered. That means he has made the cut in 57 of his last 62 starts. That’s the type of consistency it takes to be in contention for the FedEx Cup.

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What Cantlay hasn’t shown yet is the ability to win, or at least be in the top five, often enough and that may keep him from the cup for the time being. Cantlay is a pretender this season, but, if he stays healthy, it won’t be long before he’s contending for the FedEx Cup title.

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