With a strong start so far at the BMW Championship, PGA Tour star Patrick Cantlay’s winless streak starts to receive scrutiny within the golf world. In 2022, Cantlay won the BMW Championship, a repeat title performance at Delaware’s Wilmington Country Club. It has been four years since that win, and it continues to be a struggle for Cantlay to add to his trophy cabinet.
Over the last three years, Cantlay has averaged +1.5 strokes gained per round, a very respectable year for most players. However, Cantlay was once a consensus top 5 player in the world. From 2021 to 2023, he averaged +2.15 strokes gained, which would rank near the top in most seasons on the PGA Tour. His lack of success lately perplexes his team, but his long-time coach Jamie Mulligan still has faith.
He said, “It’s hard to win and we haven’t played perfectly great, but great’s in there, you already know that… He was impressive today. It was fun to watch.”
On Friday, Cantlay shot a five-under 65. He led the field from tee-to-green but also lost a stroke on the greens. The putter has been a common issue holding him back from winning events. Yet, Cantlay’s ball-striking especially on approach is elite. He ranks in the 97th percentile on DataGolf’s approach metrics.
BMW Championship Causes Reflection on Patrick Cantlay’s PGA Tour Winless Drought
Cantlay was once the Jackson Koivun of his era, but several setbacks have precluded him from reaching the heights he clearly possesses.
Despite constant criticism from PGA Tour fans (especially about his pace of play), Cantlay remains his own worst critic. For a player of his caliber, this level of performance appears unacceptable, and it magnifies his mistakes even during proper rounds of golf. After his round, he spoke to the media.
Cantlay said, “I played an OK front nine but it was overall a little sloppy. Didn’t make many putts. Then got going on the back nine. It was really nice to finish with a couple birdies, especially after a 3-putt on 16.”
He has 10 top 25 finishes this season but not a single finish within the top 5. His best finish this season is a t-7 a the Valspar championship, and he also impressed by finishing t-12 at The Masters following a 77 in the first round.
Cantlay Still Has Work to Make the Tour Championship at East Lake
Cantlay entered the BMW Championship on the bubble for the Tour Championship.
Although Cantlay has not won in a long time, he still regularly appears as East Lake for the Tour Championship. Statistically, he is still a top player, ranking 10th overall in the DataGolf rankings. The lack of results have dropped him to 38th in the Official World Golf Rankings though. However, these are things Cantlay does not worry about.
Cantlay said, “I would say almost regardless of where I’m at, top of the FedEx Cup or on the bubble, I don’t really think about it. I definitely know the best way to move up that board is to play well this week and so I just put all my attention there.”
For PGA Tour fans, Cantlay remains a what-if. Similar to other players of his era like Rickie Fowler and Tommy Fleetwood, Cantlay reminds us that success on the PGA Tour is never guaranteed no matter how talented you are. Yet, Cantlay still has plenty of time to solidify his career legacy. A win this week could be a great start for that.
PGA Tour’s BMW Championship Highlights Star Golfer’s Winless Streak