Getting into the ultimate spherical of the Genesis Invitational, Patrick Cantlay and shut buddy Xander Schauffele had been the 2 odds on favorites to stroll away with the trophy.
Cantlay, who may have practically put the match away barring an terrible bogey on 17 Saturday, entered Sunday with a two shot lead. Schauffele, who was the very best man at Cantlay’s wedding ceremony this previous fall, was one among a pair guys tied for second.
Then Sunday occurred.
Cantlay extremely solely discovered a complete of 4 fairways throughout his closing spherical. Sure, you learn that proper. He was wild off the tee all day. It wasn’t till the eleventh gap that he made his first birdie.
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Photograph by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR by way of Getty Pictures
In the meantime, Schauffele was 1-over by his first 9. Neither participant on the entrance carded a single birdie.
As the ultimate pairing made the flip, they discovered themselves in a canine battle with a number of golfers together with Luke Listing, Will Zalatoris and eventual champion Hideki Matsuyama.
Early on the again 9, all 5 gamers had been tied at 14-under par. Nevertheless it was to not be for 2 of the top-ranked gamers on the earth.
Schauffele logged three bogeys in a row on 12, 13 and 14 whereas Cantlay had three bogeys in his first six holes on the again 9.
As each gamers walked previous me close to the fifteenth tee, the disillusioned and frustration was seen on their faces. They knew the match had slipped away.
All of the whereas, Matsuyama was scorching the Riviera Nation Membership to the tune of a record-breaking 9-under 62. It’s the lowest closing spherical rating in Genesis historical past, per golf statistician Justin Ray.
What was as soon as regarded as a two-man race between finest mates became an afterthought. They completed up the ultimate pairing practically an hour after Matsuyama had walked off the course.
Paradoxically, Cantlay made the his finest putt of the day on 18 when it didn’t matter.
Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social media platforms.