Patrick Cantlay Wins Memorial Tournament

The former amateur number one is now inside the world's top 10 for the first time

Patrick Cantlay Wins Memorial Tournament

Patrick Cantlay shot a bogey-free 64 to leapfrog Martin Kaymer and Adam Scott to win his second PGA Tour title at The Memorial.

The American was unstoppable on Sunday, making five birdies on his front nine and three on the back to shoot eight under and beat Scott by two and Kaymer by four.

It is Cantlay’s second PGA Tour title after he won the Shriners Open in 2017.

The tournament is hosted by 18-time Major winner Jack Nicklaus, and the pair have a close relationship after Cantlay won the 2011 Jack Nicklaus Award, given to the best US collegiate player of that year.

Nicklaus congrats the winner. (Photo by Chris Condon/PGA TOUR)

Cantlay then contacted the Golden Bear asking for advice and strategy tips for Muirfield Village two years ago and the pair spent 90 minutes at Nicklaus’ house going over the course.

“I definitely feel like I’ve had a lot of close calls since my last win. I’m a little surprised it’s taken me this long,” Cantlay said.

“I really did [think the first win would open the floodgates]. I’ve played a lot of really good golf, a lot of really solid golf. And so I think I was closer than it seems. So maybe this one will do it.”

Cantlay and the host pose with the trophy. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Cantlay was the number-one-ranked amateur in the world for 55 weeks and has always been touted as an exceptional talent.

Serious back troubles hindered his progress shortly after turning pro in 2011, as he would play just six times from 2014-2016.

Watch: Cantlay’s clutch par save on 18 to win

Patrick Cantlay.

◾2011: No. 1 in amateur ranks
◾2011: First amateur to shoot 60 on TOUR
◾2011: Wins Nicklaus Award
◾2013: Wins on @WebDotComTour
◾2013: Stress fracture in back
◾2014: 6 starts in 3 years (Injury)
◾2017: Wins @ShrinersOpen
◾2019: Wins @MemorialGolf pic.twitter.com/jnT5rUFwru

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 3, 2019

During that spell his caddie and best friend Chris Roth, who was just 23 at the time, was killed right in front of him in a hit-and-run in California whilst the pair were bar-hopping.

Cantlay attempted to save him but couldn’t do a thing.

Fast forward to 2019 and injuries seem to have passed and the 27-year-old now finally looks close to be fulfilling his potential.

He is inside the world’s top 10 for the first time in his career and he’s had some brilliant results this year with a T3 at the USPGA, T9th at The Masters and a T6 at the WGC-Mexico Championship.

On the front nine on Sunday, it looked like Martin Kaymer would stroll to his first victory in five years, although the German came off the rails a bit on the back nine with three bogeys in his last seven.

The former World Number One and two-time Major winner finished 3rd, which is his best result in terms of world ranking points since his 2014 US Open win.

He is now up to 97th in the world, a huge jump after ranking as low as 191st last month.

In second was Adam Scott, who played excellent golf on Sunday that would have been deserving of the title had Cantlay not produced one of the rounds of the season.

The Aussie shot four under with three birdies in a row on the back nine to close the gap on Cantlay to just two.

Scott is now up to 17th in the world, his highest ranking since the 2017 Open Championship.