A mature, confident Cantlay ready to start his professional career
CROMWELL, Conn. -- Just one year ago, Patrick Cantlay made PGA Tour history at this very venue.
A second-round 10-under par 60 -- the lowest round ever posted by an amateur in a pro event and the course record at TPC River Highlands -- made Cantlay the story of the tournament, proving his 21st-place finish at the U.S. Open the week before was no fluke.
That special week made it an easy decision for Cantlay to pick this week's Travelers Championship as the event to make his professional debut, he said Tuesday in a pre-tournament press conference.
"The timing makes sense, being able to start somewhere that I'm comfortable and have good memories," said Cantlay, who will forgo his final two years of eligibility at UCLA. Cantlay will tee it up with world phenom Ryo Ishikawa and recently-minted pro John Peterson, who made a boatload of cash with his T-4 at last week's U.S. Open in his first major championship.
"I'm ready and feel comfortable with being a pro and trying to be as good as I can be," Cantlay added.
