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A20 SPORTS
Monday 3 June 2019

Patrick Cantlay rallies from 4 back to win the Memorial

Tour. But then, he hasn’t
been around as long as it
seems. Cantlay was low
amateur in the 2011 U.S.
Open, and the next week
shot a 60 at the Travelers
Championship.
But his career took a severe
turn on and off the golf
course, first with a back
injury that kept him out
of golf entirely for two full
years and left him wonder-
ing if he would ever make
it back. Then, he was out
of dinner one night with
his best friend and caddie,
Chris Roth, when Roth was
stuck by a car and killed.
Cantlay says it changed
him as a person, but he
keeps that separate from
his golf.
His golf has been good for
a long time, and this was a
big step. There some atone-
ment at Muirfield Village for
Cantlay. A year ago, he
took a two-shot lead to the
back nine and didn’t make
a birdie the rest of the way,
missing a playoff by one
shot. This time, he putted
for birdie on every hole on
the back nine until the 18th.
“I was looking for a little
redemption this week,”
Cantlay said. “And that has
Jack Nicklaus, left, presents Patrick Cantlay with the trophy after Cantlay won the Memorial golf tournament Sunday, June 2, 2019, to do with me feeling really
in Dublin, Ohio. comfortable on the golf
Associated Press course and liking it a lot.
By DOUG FERGUSON the final hole, with Nicklaus Cantlay doesn’t smile ing bogeys and Scott was Not to mention I’ve been
AP Golf Writer watching behind the 18th much on the golf course stuck in neutral until it was playing really well, so it feels
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Jack green. and isn’t about to force too late. like a win has been com-
Nicklaus is a gracious tour- He poured it in to secure a one. But the advice from “I knew that you can’t real- ing. You always have to put
nament host at the Me- two-shot victory over Adam Nicklaus — Cantlay first met ly make any mistakes com- yourself in contention. And
morial who doesn’t mince Scott. him when he won the Jack ing down the stretch,” said you start winning a couple,
words, and it paid off for “I finished it,” Cantlay said Nicklaus Award as the na- Kaymer, whose last victory and you figure out how to
Patrick Cantlay. to Nicklaus as he walked tion’s best college player in was by eight shots in the do it, and hopefully it keeps
When they bumped into off the green. 2011 — stuck with him. 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehu- happening.”
each other earlier in the Martin Kaymer, trying to Look around, soak it up and rst No. 2. “But all credit to Tiger Woods knew he had
week in the grill room, end five years without a vic- enjoy it. Patrick. He played a great no chance to win the Me-
Nicklaus told him he had tory, started with a two-shot “I definitely said that to my- round of golf. He deserved morial from 11 shots be-
to learn how to finish. And lead and never recovered self down the stretch today to win — 19-under par is hind going into the final
then when Cantlay saw from a four-hole stretch on the back nine,” said amazing.” round, though he still put
him again at lunch going on the back nine when he Cantlay, who finished at Scott finished at 19 under on a show and got what
into the weekend, Nicklaus made consecutive bogeys 19-under 269. “It put me a at Torrey Pines and lost two he needed out of his final
told him how. and failed to birdie the par- little more at ease, and I hit by to Justin Rose. He was 17 event before the U.S. Open
Nicklaus said to have fun, 5 15th. He closed with a 72 a lot of really nice, quality under at the Memorial — at Pebble Beach. He went
to look around at all the and finished third. shots with the lead.” only six players have done out in 31 and was 7 under
fans having a great time, Scott was the last player Cantlay first caught Kaymer better at Muirfield Village, for his round through 12
to relax and to go win the to have a chance and ran with a 3-wood to 10 feet for one of them being Cantlay holes until a sloppy bogey
golf tournament. off three straight birdies un- a two-putt birdie on the on Sunday. on the 14th and a closing
Cantlay had a blast Sun- til narrowly missing birdie 11th. Kaymer, in the group “It’s disappointing not to bogey for a 67. He wound
day with the best closing putts on the last two holes. behind him, matched the win, for sure,” Scott said. up in a tie for ninth at 9-un-
round by a winner in the He shot 68. birdie. That was his last one. “I really played good golf der 279.
44 years of the Memorial. “Being able to win on this Cantlay followed with an this week, and it just wasn’t “The goal today was to get
He rallied from four shots golf course, in front of Jack, 18-foot birdie putt on No. good enough.” to double digits (under par)
behind with an 8-under 64, making that putt on the last 14 and a 5-iron that set up Cantlay’s only disappoint- and get something positive
a round so under control hole, I can’t tell you how a long two-putt birdie on ment was that it took him going into the Open,” he
that Cantlay’s longest putt good it feels,” he said. the par-5 15th. 19 months to win for the said. “I got to double digits,
for par was from 8 feet on Engaging in private, By then, Kaymer was mak- second time on the PGA I just didn’t stay there.”q