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Memorial Tournament 2019: Patrick Cantlay Erases 4-Stroke Deficit to Earn Win
June 2, 2019
Patrick Cantlay shot an eight-under 64 in the final round and 19-under overall to win the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, on Sunday.
The 27-year-old entered Sunday facing a four-shot deficit behind Martin Kaymer, but he earned a handshake from Jack Nicklaus thanks to hitting 83.33 percent of his greens in regulation and gaining 2.980 strokes putting on the field.
Cantlay, who won his second PGA Tour event, won $1,638,000 for his efforts.
Here's a look at the Memorial champion's day, three other notable stories and the top-15 leaderboard and money payouts.
Memorial Leaderboard and Prize Money Payouts
1. Patrick Cantlay (-19): $1,638,000
2. Adam Scott (-17): $982,800
3. Martin Kaymer (-15): $618,800
4. Kevin Streelman (-13): $436,800
5. Marc Leishman (-12): $364,000
6. Hideki Matsuyama (-11): $327,600
T7. Jason Dufner (-10): $293,475
T7. Jordan Spieth (-10): $293,475
T9. Emiliano Grillo (-9): $236,600
T9. Tiger Woods (-9): $236,600
T9. Billy Horschel (-9): $236,600
T9. Bud Cauley (-9): $236,600
13. Justin Rose (-8): $191,100
T14. Michael Thompson (-7): $163,800
T14. Xander Schauffele (-7): $163,800
T14. Rickie Fowler (-7): $163,800
Memorial leaderboard via PGATour.com. Prize money payouts via Golf Digest.
Cantlay Puts It All Together
Cantlay may be the world's most well-rounded golfer at present date.
He ranks 21st or better in strokes gained off the tee, approach and around the green and has registered a respectable 46th in putting. Overall, he's fifth tee-to-green and fourth total.
Everything came together during the Memorial, especially on Sunday.
Cantlay played flawless golf, knocking home five birdies on the front nine to move into second behind the then-leader Kaymer.
The storyline was then set up: Cantlay, who won the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year as the nation's best Division I men's golfer in 2011, could win the legend's tournament:
That came to fruition, as Cantlay cruised on the back nine with three more birdies for the win.
The putter was sensational, most notably when he nailed a clutch 18-foot putt on the par-four 14th:
He also nearly drilled a 47-foot eagle on the par-five 15th:
Cantlay played so well that Alan Shipnuck of Sports Illustrated wondered how he doesn't have more career wins:
That number is now two and could be growing before the end of the year.
Kaymer's Remarkable Resurgence
Kaymer had not finished in the top 15 of his last 30 tournaments leading into the Memorial. His last top-15 finish took place at the 2017 Honda Classic on Feb. 26, when he was fourth.
The last two years were particularly challenging, with Kaymer failing to earn a top-25 mark.
Everything clicked for the two-time major winner this weekend, however, as he finished solo third after leading the tournament heading into Sunday.
Kaymer shot four-under 68 or better for three straight days, leading to a tournament-pacing 15-under going into Sunday.
However, the tournament's final round was not so kind on an even-par performance. Back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th did him in.
Still, Kaymer's effort was sensational given the last few years of form. Per Sean Martin of PGATour.com, he gained 9.4 strokes putting over the first three rounds, a number far better than anyone else in the field:
He was also fantastic tee-to-green, hitting 65.28 percent of his greens in regulation for the week.
Kaymer was a massive 150-1 underdog to win, per GolfOdds.com, so the result was surprising. The question is whether Kaymer can continue this form into the rest of the year and resemble the golfer who was one of the game's best talents earlier this decade.
Tiger Woods Bounces Back From Missed PGA Championship Cut
Tiger Woods had a PGA Championship to forget when he missed the cut by one stroke at five-over, but his first tournament post-major proved far more successful.
Woods used a five-under 67 to jump into a tie for ninth place at nine-under overall. That round could have been even better after he made seven birdies on the first 12 holes, but a couple of closing bogeys dropped him into single digits under par.
Still, Woods excelled all week, never shooting a round above par. The flat stick worked wonders for the 2019 Masters winner, as he gained 2.175 strokes putting on Sunday. Of note, he nailed two 20-plus foot putts for birdies on Sunday, including this one on the par-five 11th:
Woods' next appearance will be at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach beginning on Thursday, June 13.