PGA TOUR
the Memorial Tournament
Cantlay Wins Playoff at the Memorial Tournament
Patrick Cantlay overcame Collin Morikawa at the first playoff hole to win the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. It was the fifth playoff at the event since 2014.
The 29-year-old American became the seventh player to achieve multiple wins at the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout—he won the event in 2019. Cantlay collected his fourth PGA Tour title with the win and second victory this wrap-around season after winning the ZOZO Championship in October. He is the fourth multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season joining Bryson DeChambeau, Stewart Cink and Jason Kokrak.
Cantlay began the final round in a share of the lead with compatriot Collin Morikawa at 12-under. The pair held a three-shot advantage over Scottie Scheffler and Branden Grace.
Cantlay covered the front nine holes in 1-over with three bogeys and two birdies before steadying his round with two unanswered birdies on the inward nine at the 13th and 17th holes. He buried his birdie putt from 24 feet at the 17th green to join Morikawa in the lead at 13-under. The former world No. 1 ranked amateur golfer had a birdie putt from 25 feet at the 72nd hole to win outright—it grazed the cup. Both players replayed the 18th hole in the playoff with Cantlay making a clutch up and down from the greenside bunker to win with a par. He produced rounds of 69, 67, 68 and 71 to reach 13-under. With the victory, Cantlay moves to No. 1 on the FedExCup standings.
Morikawa was looking for his second win of the season. The 24-year-old was celebrating his two-year anniversary to the date of his first round as a professional golfer when he pegged it up at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. Morikawa, who owns four PGA Tour titles including the 2020 PGA Championship, fired a stunning third round 6-under 66 with eight birdies to make the final paring on Sunday with Cantlay. However, the young gun was unable to shoot lower than his final round 1-under 71. Morikawa held a narrow one-shot lead after making a birdie at the 15th hole. He finished with three pars over the closing stretch to reach 13-under and match Cantlay at the top of the leaderboard after regulation play. If he won at extra holes, Morikawa would have become the first player since 1983 on the PGA Tour to make a triple bogey and go on to win that event. He scored a six at the par 3, 12th hole in round two.
Scottie Scheffler, who began the final round three shots back, hit the lead by one shot at the fifth hole after making three early birdies. The 24-year-old, who was the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2020, was searching for his first PGA Tour win. Scheffler, who is a two-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, dropped shots at the 6th and 9th holes to fall out of the lead. He then made back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes to join Morikawa and Cantlay at the top of the leaderboard. Scheffler’s chances for the title ended with a bogey at the 72nd hole. He posted a final round 2-under 70 to reach 11-under. Scheffler finished outright third to score his 6th top 10 of the season.
Branden Grace finished in outright fourth place at 10-under after he signed for a final round 1-under 71. The 33-year-old South African, who won the Puerto Rico Open in February, peeled off three birdies at his last four holes.
Jimmy Walker fired a stunning 7-under 65 for the best score on Sunday. The 2016 PGA Champion poured in seven unanswered birdies to move up 32 places and into a tie for sixth place.
Adam Scott was the best-placed Australian. The former Masters champion posted a final round 1-over 73 to finish at 2-under for the event and in a tie for 16th place.
Defending champion Jon Rahm was looking to join Tiger Woods as the only golfers to go back-to-back at Jack’s Place. The 26-year-old sensationally was forced to withdraw from the event after he completed the third round due to testing positive to COVID-19. Rahm fired rounds of 69, 65 and 64. His 18-under total matched the event’s 54-hole record low score. He held a six-shot lead and was in search of his sixth PGA Tour title.
The PGA Tour moves to South Carolina for the Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club. The event is a one-time replacement for the RBC Canadian Open, which the PGA Tour deemed too difficult to stage due to US-Canada border and COVID-19 challenges.
Final Scores
the Memorial Tournament
1. Patrick Cantlay -13
2. Collin Morikawa -13
3. Scottie Scheffler -11
4. Branden Grace -10
5. Patrick Reed -8
T6. Jimmy Walker -6
T6. Shane Lowry -6
T6. Max Homa -6
Australians
T16. Adam Scott -2
T18. Lucas Herbert -1
T57. Marc Leishman +7
MC. Cameron Smith
MC. Matt Jones
MC. Cam Davis
Photo credit: Sam Greenwood /Getty Images
