The Most Misunderstood Golfer? Patrick Cantlay May Not be the Villain You Think He Is

Allegations against Patrick Cantlay are numerous and multifaceted. They stem from fans, analysts, and his colleagues. Not too long ago, Rory McIlroy called him a ‘d**k’, although Cantlay thinks it’s pure competitiveness and nothing personal. Matt Fitzpatrick was ticked off with his slow play. Slow play, though, might hold more nuance than most of us are willing to acknowledge, as Michael S. Kim tweeted. Nevertheless, the eight-time PGA Tour had other vices, per reports.

Allegedly, the 31-year-old demands to be obeyed. He is rather autocratic and is trying to sway the board’s opinion. Never mind the fact that he was unanimously voted to extend his tenure, Cantlay has been accused of taking control of the board. However, his teammates and fellow PGA Tour pros’ perceptions of him paint a rather different picture.

Patrick Cantlay has found support from players, even Rory McIlroy

Patrick Cantlay has been accused of trying to take control of the Tour Policy Board. Not once, but twice. The first accusation came from a Golfweek column. The not-so-subtle hint was an abuse of power on the part of American International, which was trying to protect the interests of the top players. However, Adam Scott was quick to take up cudgels for the 31-year-old, lambasting the “faceless speculation.”

The lengthy post from his Instagram story was reshared by Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris, and Rickie Fowler. That, however, did little to stop rumors against Cantlay. A few months later, at Marco Simone, the 31-year-old was accused of causing another fissure. This time inside the USA Ryder Cup team.

The disputed claim eventually culminated in the infamous Rory McIlroy bust-up in the parking lot. Three months later, the Northern Irish pro, drawing the insults hurled at rival players during a heated soccer match, said, “Cantlay got abused for ten hours out on that golf course.” In fact, the 24-time PGA Tour winner praised Cantlay for handling the situation with composure.

Once again, last month, a Sports Illustrated column made accusations claiming Cantlay is in control of the Tour Policy Board. This time, Jordan Spieth came in defense of the PGA Tour pro. “In no way, shape, or form does he control anything… We may disagree on how, when, and why. But our collective duties are to represent the players—deal, no deal, multiple partners.” But why do fans and a sizable portion of the media repeatedly target Cantlay?

Why is Patrick Cantlay an easy target?

Before reaching out to Spieth, AP also tried to reach Tiger Woods and Cantlay. While getting through Woods’s door is hard as it is, Patrick Cantlay, on the other hand, opened the door but refused to entertain any visitors. The Long Beach resident simply spoke to AP, saying that he is guided by a responsibility to drive everyone’s interest. The 31-year-old’s apparent lack of enthusiasm can come off as disinterest or even apathy.

Spieth knows this; as he said, Cantlay is often an easy target for his personality. His stoical silence has also earned him a lot of criticism among golf fans and even drawn the ire of players. “He doesn’t waste words, and a lot of times that comes across as demanding,” Spieth says, letting go of one facet of the eight-time PGA Tour winner’s personality.

Cantlay admits as much in a chat with GOLF. “I think I’m just not afraid to go against the grain or hold an unpopular take if I think it’s founded in some sort of truth or reality. I’m not afraid to upset 90 percent of the people in the room if I think it’s a subject that’s worth making them upset about.”

Does Cantlay even care? 

Patrick Cantlay has not responded to any of the allegations in kind. He has not taken to Twitter to engage in any verbal spats. Naturally, he was specifically asked about this last January, before the Hatgate, before the merger agreement, and before the Coup allegation.

Read More: ‘Just Trying To Focus’: Patrick Cantlay Shuts Down All the Criticism About ‘Slow Play’ With His Honest Remarks

The 31-year-old casually said, “I don’t give it too much thought; I don’t give too much credence to rumors myself. I can’t control what people are saying out there.” Admirable strategy. But in the world of trigger-happy netizens and knee-jerk reactions, it has not worked well for American International.

But Cantlay, speaking to GOLF as recently as last December, is defiant. Quizzed on the SI article, Cantlay mulls over the question for a bit before churning out, “I think if you just look at the facts that are out there, it would be impossible for any one player to take control. I just don’t think you can trust everything you read on the internet.”

But he does care about what he loves. The PGA Tour. “I care a lot about the PGA Tour. So when I joined the board, I viewed that as a responsibility. It was important for me to take that very seriously, and I have taken that very seriously.” Diplomatic as ever, Patrick Cantlay would prefer if everyone would fact-check and take a little more time in forming an opinion. But he won’t perhaps say that in a press conference because that’s not his style.

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