Patrick Cantlay defeats Bryson deChambeau at the BMW Championship's sixth playoff hole. He becomes the first player to have three PGA Tour wins this season. (1:08).
OWINGS MILLS (Md. BRYSON DECHAMBEAU, Md. -- Patrick Cantlay was exhausted Sunday and couldn't keep his eyes on Sunday's BMW Championship. It was a fascinating contrast of personalities and styles Sunday.
He couldn't ignore the cheers of his fans Sunday at Caves Valley.
"Patty Ice."
Cantlay was clutching a putter in his hands and feeling the ice in his veins. He made one more putt to win the regulation final three holes and the sudden-death playoff's six tough holes. Cantlay won the playoff with an 18-foot birdie putt on 18th.
What is the most important putt? It was difficult to determine.
His 6-under-66 score was closed with an 8 foot par putt on 16th, an eight-foot bogey putt 17th, and a tee shot in the water on 17th. He also had a 20-foot birdie 18th to force a playoff. Cantlay putt pars from 6 and 7 feet twice on the 18th, DeChambeau having a 30-yard lead off the tee.
The last putt was the most important.
Cantlay stated, "But they all mattered to me, I suppose, the same." "I needed them all."
DeChambeau can also pick as many that cost him, having closed with a 66. For Friday's chance to win, he missed a 6-footer on 18th. He missed a 12-foot birdie on the 18th to win regulation. Three more birdies were made in the playoff, and his last putt was enough to complete the amazing theater.
DeChambeau has stopped speaking to media other than PGA Tour partners and refused to comment Sunday. He was the first player to record 261 victories on the PGA Tour without winning a trophy.
Cantlay was presented with two trophies, one from the BMW Championship and the other from Western Golf Association. There were many other perks in exchange for Cantlay's third win on the PGA Tour and fifth overall.
He was ranked No. He moved to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup news, which he confirmed by saying, "I'm a good friend." Cantlay will be competing in the Tour Championship next week, with a lead of two shots over Tony Finau. The FedEx Cup final is worth $15 million.
He clinched the sixth spot and final automatic spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team. Steve Stricker is the captain of six teams, so it was impossible for him to let "Patty Ice" go.
"It's the first time that I've ever heard it." Cantlay stated that he had heard it for the past week. "There were maybe one or two guys who followed me all four days and they just kept screaming it. These were the loudest, most supportive fans I've ever seen.
They were treated to an incredible show.
DeChambeau was a master of the game, using his length for birdies. Cantlay didn't hesitate to rely on a classic game that had no obvious weaknesses. If the risk was too great, Cantlay took the par 5s that he could reach and relied on his wedge as well as his putter.
According to the PGA Tour, it was the most statistically sound tournament performance since 2004 when the "Strokes Gained" category was made available.
DeChambeau had his moments. DeChambeau drove into the stream on the 18th hole to the left and took a penalty drop. He then hammered a wedge to 4ft to save par.
He looked like a winner again, with a wedge to 6ft on the par-3 17th hole on the fifth playoff hole. Cantlay coolly hit an 8 iron to 2ft.
The final round was entertaining enough without some testy moments between two of the players who had a chance at winning all day.
Patrick Cantlay's win at Sunday's BMW Championship moved him to the top FedEx Cup standings, news that he shared by saying "I know". It also earned him the sixth spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Rob Carr/Getty Images
DeChambeau was scowling as Cantlay studied and marked 2-foot par putsts on the front nine. Cantlay was on the 14th fairway, as DeChambeau was about to approach him. DeChambeau stopped and asked Cantlay to stop.
Cantlay stated, "We were just told by the officials to speed up, and I wasn't always the fastest walker so I was trying my best to get ahead and do what I could," "No big deal.''
DeChambeau's inability to make putts was even more problematic.
DeChambeau was a winner even before he took his time to walk up to the 18th hole in regulation.
On the par-5 16th hole, he made a 12-foot birdie putt. He did this by striking a pose where he sat down with his head in front and extended his arm out to clench his fist. He had a one shot lead and Cantlay was still facing an 8-foot par putt. This was a sign of things to come.
Cantlay's par-3 17th tee shot bounced short and to right, with just enough momentum for Cantlay to roll onto the rock that frames the pond and into the water.
Is the Tournament Over? Not quite.
Cantlay hit a lob wedge at 100 yards from the drop to 8 feet. DeChambeau made a poor chip in the rough, hitting 12 feet. He then two-putted for Bogey. Cantlay was able to hit his putt again and remain one shot behind.
"I thought, 'Let’s try to make 4 here and not take any pressure off him. Cantlay stated that both of us had fours on that hole which kept me in the tournament and helped to shift the momentum. "It would have been nearly impossible if I had gone down two going into 18.
Caves Valley was full of drama, even though there wasn't a trophy involved.
Sergio Garcia and Erik van Rooyen made it into the top 30 for the Tour Championship. Patrick Reed held on to the 30th place, but only after K.H. Lee made bogey at his last hole.
Reed, if healthy, has been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. This gives him one more chance to audition for the Ryder Cup captain's selection.
