It did not look as simple as a 12 months in the past, however the drama was simply as wealthy. Patrick Cantlay has achieved a primary in PGA Tour historical past as he efficiently defended a FedEx Cup playoff occasion title together with his victory on Sunday on the 2022 BMW Championship.

Coming into the ultimate spherical with a one-stroke lead over his good buddy, Xander Schauffele, and his largest challenger, Scott Stallings, this title didn’t come simple. After making two bogeys in a three-hole stretch across the flip, Cantlay discovered himself two strokes off the lead set by Stallings and on the cusp of yet one more shut name.

Whereas his 2021 season introduced victories and riches, 2022 has introduced shut name after shut name. Three-times a runner-up, Cantlay entered the week among the many most constant within the sport however and not using a solo victory to his credit score. The breaks have gone within the path of his enjoying rivals; he was one revolution away from a playoff victory on the WM Phoenix Open and a plugged lie away from extending a playoff on the RBC Heritage. On Sunday at Wilmington Nation Membership, the golf gods lastly made amends.

Battling Stallings down the stretch, Cantlay discovered himself in a share of the lead on the 17th tee after dodging bullet after bullet with Stallings unable to transform quite a few birdie alternatives. Along with his tee shot drifting proper, it was a bounce that lastly went his manner that finally propelled him to victory.

Destined to finish up within the fairway bunker or maybe the thick tough, Cantlay’s ball on 17 took an obscure hop again into the green as an alternative. Whereas these moments occur usually all through a match, it’s what Cantlay did subsequent that defines champions: he took benefit of it. Hitting his method inside 6 ft, the 30-year-old grabbed maintain of the lead by himself and didn’t look again as a tidy par on the final put the BMW Championship trophy again in his palms.

Cantlay has now earned 11 top-10 finishes on the season, the very best of his profession and the very best mark of anybody on the PGA Tour. It was talked about yesterday that consistency is just not usually rewarded within the quick time period however fairly the long run. Confronted with the condensed three-week FedEx Cup Playoffs, Cantlay is definitely afforded the posh of benefitting from each.

His implausible common season noticed him miss out on including {hardware} to his mantle, however what it did do was set him up for this very second. He’ll enter the Tour Championship within the second place behind solely Scottie Scheffler and begin the postseason finale two strokes off the lead at eight underneath. 

Cantlay made historical past in Delaware on Sunday together with his triumph, and now has a chance so as to add to it in Atlanta. No man has gained back-to-back FedEx Cup crowns, and whereas this may absolutely be on the thoughts of the reigning PGA Tour Participant of the Yr, so will the $18 million verify he has a sensible probability so as to add to his checking account for the second consecutive 12 months. Grade: A+

Right here is the breakdown of the remainder of the leaderboard on the 2022 BMW Championship

2. Scott Stallings (-13): He regarded like the very best participant of these vying for the title for many of the day. Beautiful from tee to inexperienced, Stallings finally fell quick on the greens as he was unable to transform birdie alternatives on his ultimate 4 holes which adopted up an premature three-putt from simply off the inexperienced on the par-3 13th. A victory would have meant a lot for Stallings, who’s winless in over eight years. Regardless of the frustration, there are many positives to remove from his efficiency. He entered the week 46th within the FedEx Cup and can go away within the 12th place forward of the likes of Justin Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick, which is considerably mind-boggling to think about. Grade: A+

T3. Scottie Scheffler (-11): The world No. 1 obtained off on the incorrect foot on the St. Jude Championship however rapidly rectified any errors in Memphis. He had his probabilities coming down the stretch on Sunday, and though he got here up quick, he’ll head to Atlanta as the highest man within the FedEx Cup standings. Starting the week at 10 underneath and two strokes forward of Cantlay, he’ll try to comply with within the footsteps of his nearest pursuer and fend off the chasing pack. Scheffler has been in a position to parlay his scorching spring into an enviable place at East Lake, however his historic season could possibly be made with the addition of a pleasant putter. In his final 10 tournaments, Scheffler has misplaced strokes on the greens on seven events — the thrice he didn’t, he completed inside the highest three. Grade: A-

T5. Corey Conners (-10): One of the best participant out of Canada lately, Conners entered the week 29th within the FedEx Cup standings. His ball-striking has lengthy been a power of his, and it got here by means of in a giant manner on Sunday. After making two bogeys in the midst of his again 9, Conners was reeling and in want of one thing good to occur. Effectively, that occurred for the 30-year-old as his iron play arrange kick-in birdies on three of his ultimate 4 holes to safe his spot within the Tour Championship.

“It is actually thrilling,” stated Conners. “It is at all times a purpose at first of the 12 months. I really feel like I’ve had a strong season. Nonetheless making an attempt to get within the winner’s circle once more, however loads of actually strong play, giving myself some probabilities, and actually excited to be going again to East Lake.” Grade: A

T15. Sahith Theegala (-7): After opening his BMW Championship with a 1-over 72, Theegala battled again with three consecutive rounds within the 60s to qualify for the Tour Championship. He talked about on the tv broadcast the nerves settling in throughout his warmup, however they had been nowhere to be seen within the residence stretch. Making birdie on 4 of his ultimate seven holes on Sunday, Theegala regarded effectively past his years in expertise and displayed the grit and dedication showcased by a high 30 participant on the PGA Tour.

“Oh, that is what it is all about,” Theegala stated of his nervousness. “The truth that you are even in that place to really feel nerves is an efficient factor. I believe that is one thing I inform loads of guys is like, hey, if you happen to’re nervous, that is such an excellent feeling. Think about not being nervous, then what you are doing type of factor. Clearly, there is a tremendous line between severe nervousness and nervousness and comfortability, and discovering that line is hard. However yeah, simply stress is a privilege, and I positive felt that manner immediately.” Grade: A+

T15 Aaron Sensible (-7): The final man in had a turbulent ultimate spherical and simply might have packed it in early. Making a double bogey on his second gap, Sensible righted the ship in the midst of his spherical earlier than taking over water as soon as once more. Going double bogey-bogey on Nos. 14-15, the 26-year-old was in a position to make three pars in a row to punch his second-ever ticket into the Tour Championship. Whereas Sensible has been in a position to make his manner into main championships in recent times, together with his journey to East Lake, he’ll garner an invite to subsequent 12 months’s Masters for the primary time since 2019. Grade: B+