2022 Genesis Invitational: Top 10 power rankings at Riviera CC

Patrick Cantlay had plenty of chances to reel in a win last week at the WM Phoenix Open. Instead, a lengthy birdie putt by Scottie Scheffler on the third playoff hole doomed Cantlay to second place. It was the second week in a row he fell short of a golden opportunity after taking T-4th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

A bogey-free 67 on Sunday when Cantlay didn’t even enter the day in the lead is a fine effort on its surface. Far from a choke, at the least.

With that said, a par on the driveable par-4 17th and just one birdie on the back nine illustrates how he had the chance to grab the tournament by the horns in regulation.

“Yeah, I played well today. I didn’t make any bogeys, and I hit a lot of good putts and didn’t really get anything to go in all day,” Cantlay was quoted by ASAP Sports. “Scottie obviously played really well this weekend and deserves to win.”

Cantlay ranked sixth in the field in strokes gained putting (5.442) and was 10th in SG tee to green (7.468).

The former UCLA Bruin and Long Beach native continued the excellent form that netted him 2020-21 PGA Tour Player of the Year honors. He’s up to four top-10s in four starts in 2022 and has six in a row going back to 2021.

After missing the cut at Riviera as a youngster in 2012 and 2013, he’s finished in the top 20 every year since 2018.

Cantlay’s posted T-4th (66-69-69-71), T-15th (68-71-70-69), T-17th (68-72-71-68) and T-15th (67-70-71-72). When your high score in your last 16 rounds on one of the PGA Tour’s tougher tests is a 72, you’re doing something right.

“Definitely knowing where the ball feeds on some of these hole locations is important, and where to err,” Cantlay was quoted in 2018 by Golf Channel. “This golf course has a lot of intricate architecture, especially on the greens and particular hole locations where the ball will feed from certain spots, and knowing that’s huge.”

Cantlay ranked top-30 on the PGA Tour in all SG categories last season.