WiretoWire: Cantlay, Schauffele triumph in NOLA
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PATRICK CANTLAY, XANDER SCHAUFFELE TEAM FOR WIRE-TO-WIRE ZURICH CLASSIC VICTORY
Defending FedExCup champion. Reigning Olympic gold medalist. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele appeared a formidable duo from the get-go at this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA TOUR’s only full-field team event, and they surpassed expectations across four rounds at TPC Louisiana. Cantlay/Schauffele set a tournament scoring record with a 13-under 59 in opening-round Four-ball, and the duo kept the pedal down, finishing 29-under for a two-stroke victory over Sam Burns/Billy Horschel. (The event featured a Four-ball format on Thursday and Saturday, with a Foursomes format on Friday and Sunday.) Not only did Cantlay/Schauffele become the first team to win the Zurich Classic in wire-to-wire-fashion, but they also set the tournament scoring record. Schauffele had recorded eight runner-up finishes on TOUR since his most recent victory (2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions), and he earns his fifth TOUR title alongside good friend and fellow Southern California native Cantlay, who secures TOUR triumph No. 7. Cantlay and Schauffele each earn 400 FedExCup points for their efforts – splitting standard first-place and second-place points. Cantlay ascends to No. 4 on the season-long FedExCup standings; Schauffele moves to No. 20. “We definitely bring out the best in each other,” Cantlay said after the victory was finalized, “and we really enjoy being out here together.” A strong recipe for a dynamic duo.
The PGA TOUR added a second event in Mexico to its schedule with January’s announcement of the Mexico Open at Vidanta. Vidanta Vallarta will host the event for the next three years. Jon Rahm headlines the field with plenty of home-country talent trying to lift a trophy on Mexican soil. Abraham Ancer leads the Mexican contingent at Vidanta Vallarta alongside fellow TOUR winner Carlos Ortiz and Korn Ferry Tour winner Roberto Diaz. Major champions Gary Woodland, Graeme McDowell and Patrick Reed are set to tee it up. Multi-time TOUR winners Tony Finau, Daniel Berger, Cameron Champ and Kevin Na are in the field. Vidanta Vallarta opened in 2015 and features large landing areas off the tee, while the greens are protected by cavernous bunkers. The Mexico Open is considered the country’s national golf championship and was first contested in 1944. It boasts winners like Lee Trevino, Billy Casper, Roberto De Vicenzo, Ben Crenshaw and Stewart Cink. The winner will receive 500 FedExCup points.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
MIC CHECK
“That was probably as nervous as I've ever been over a putt of that length. It sounds silly just to have a chance to make the cut … to somehow shake that putt in on the last hole was something I'll never forget. But just the whole week, playing with Bill, getting texts from all my kids, it's just been a real charge.” - Jay Haas reflects on making the cut at the Zurich Classic while playing alongside son Bill.
BY THE NUMBERS
59 - Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele combined for a tournament-record 59 on Thursday in Four-ball (best-ball) play.
68 - Jay Haas became the oldest player in PGA TOUR history to make the cut at 68 years, 4 months and 20 days old.
3 - Scott Parel was victorious at the ClubCorp Classic by winning a three-man playoff over Steven Alker and Gene Sauers.
COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10
The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.