Patrick Cantlay Player Profile And What's In The Bag

DEFENDING FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay rewrote the record books by becoming the first golfer to successfully defend a tournament in the FedEx Cup post-season by retaining the BMW Championship.

A final-round 69 at Wilmington secured a one-shot victory for the world number four over compatriot Scott Stallings. He birdied the 17th and although he found sand off the 18th tee, he scrambled to make a tap-in par for a 14-under total

"I hit a lot of solid shots then I got a couple of breaks," said Cantlay, who began the back nine two off the lead. "I played a lot of great golf this week and I'm happy to come out of here with the win."

Cantlay's triumph means he will start this week's season-ending Tour Championship in second place in the FedEx Cup standings.

In the unique staggered-start tournament - which is decided by each players' FedEx performances so far - Cantlay will begin on eight under, two shots behind overall leader Scottie Scheffler, the winner of four tournaments in 2022.

Scheffler finished in a tie for third in Wilmington, Delaware, with Olympic champion Xander Schauffele on 11 under.

Rory McIlroy will tee off in Atlanta on four under after a closing 69 which included birdies on his last three holes to give the four-time major winner a share of eighth.

However, McIlroy's Ryder Cup team-mate Shane Lowry missed out on a spot in the 30-man field at East Lake by a single place despite a final round of 68. The former Open champion looked set to qualify after his fifth birdie of the day on the 14th, but the Irishman three-putted the 17th for a costly bogey.

Who is Patrick Cantlay?

Patrick Cantlay was born in Long Beach on March 19, 1992. He was the world’s top amateur for 55 weeks, turning professional in June 2012. The following year he recorded his first win on the Web.com Tour and qualified for the PGA Tour in 2014 but suffered a back injury and only played in five events. IN 2016 his friend and caddie, Chris Roth, was killed in a hit-and-run accident - it affected Cantlay deeply.  He regained his PGA Tour card in 2017 when he finished second at the Valspar Championship and won his first tournament in 2018, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour and last season won the FedEx Cup after claiming the BMW Championship and Tour Championship. He also made his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 as a member of the US team that thrashed Europe at Whistling Straits. He has also lost three playoffs.

Cantlay averages 306 yards from the tee, hits 61.16% of fairways and 68.52% of greens in regulation. He averages 4.53 birdies per round, gets up and down from the sand 56.47% of time and averages 28.58 putts per round, with a scoring average of 69.56.

What's in Patrick Cantlay's Bag?

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9.5 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist 915 F (15 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 70 TX

5-wood: Titleist TS2 (21 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana 80 TX

Irons: Titleist 718 AP2 (4-9)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (46-10F @47, 52-08F), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-08M @57, 60-T)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X T5 Proto

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet