Amateur Cantlay sets new record with 60
CROMWELL, Conn., - Patrick Cantlay eagled the par-5 13th hole twice on Friday – first en route to an opening-round 3-under 67 and again later in the afternoon en route to setting the TPC River Highlands course record and equaling the Travelers Championship low 18-hole score (Tommy Bolt, 1954, Wethersfield CC) with a 10-under 60.Prior to Cantlay’s 60, the previous-best round at TPC River Highlands was 61, set by Kirk Triplett (R3, 2000), Phil Mickelson (R3, 2001), Scott Verplank (R4, 2001), Brad Faxon (R4, 2005) and Kenny Perry (R1, 2009).
Cantlay’s 60 is the lowest round ever by an amateur on the PGA Tour. By comparison, Tiger Woods posted his best round as an amateur at the 1996 British Open with a second-round 66 (finished T22). He then turned pro a month and a half later in his next start at the Greater Milwaukee Open. Phil Mickelson carded a first- and third-round 65 on his way to winning the 1991 Northern Telecom Open.
Cantlay’s 60 is the 24th in PGA Tour history and first since J.B. Holmes at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic (R3). There have been five 59s, most recently Stuart Appleby at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic (R4).
Cantlay is seeking to become the first amateur winner on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson won the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. Here’s a look at the last three amateurs to win a PGA Tour event:
Phil Mickelson 1991 Northern Telecom Open 1 stroke over Tom Purtzer, Bob Tway
Scott Verplank 1985 Western Open def. Jim Thorpe in a playoff
Doug Sanders 1956 Canadian Open def. Dow Finsterwald in a playoff
Cantlay will be 19 years, three months and nine days old on Sunday, which would make him the youngest winner in PGA Tour history. The current distinction is held by Johnny McDermott, who won the 1911 U.S. Open at the age of 19 years, 10 months and 14 days.
Cantlay earned low amateur honors at last week’s U.S. Open (T21) – his first career start on the PGA Tour.
Jim Grant’s T2 in 1964 is the best finish by an amateur at the Travelers Championship.
An amateur has led twice previously at the Travelers Championship. In 1961, amateur Robert Allen shared the first-round lead with Bob Goetz and eventually finished 62nd. In 1953, amateur Frank Stranahan shared the third-round lead with Jim Ferrier and Bob Toski before finishing T7.
Should he win on Sunday, Cantlay would have 60 days to accept membership on the PGA Tour, which would run until the end of the 2013 season. If that deadline passes, he could then join the Tour at the end of the 2011 season (and have two years remaining) or at the end of the 2012 season (and have one year remaining). Cantlay recently finished his freshman season at UCLA.
Even without membership on Tour, a win would gain Cantlay entrance into the following events in 2011: AT&T National (is currently in the field via a sponsor’s exemption) and the PGA Championship. He would then have a spot in the following events in 2012: Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Bob Hope Classic, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Masters Tournament, RBC Heritage, THE PLAYERS Championship, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and the Memorial Tournament. A non-member is allowed 12 starts in a season, with a maximum of seven sponsor’s exemptions among that total.
Cantlay’s 13-under 127 is currently the second-best first 36-hole score on Tour this season, behind only David Toms’ 124 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Should an amateur win on the PGA Tour, first-place FedExCup points are eliminated and first-place money goes to the runner-up.
Second-Round Leader Stats
Dating to 2000, the second-round leader/co-leader at the Travelers Championship has gone on to win four times (Kenny Perry – 2009, Stewart Cink – 2008, Peter Jacobsen – 2003 and Notah Begay III (2000).
The second-round leader/co-leader has won six of 25 stroke-play events this season, most recently Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open.
The best opening 36-hole score at the Travelers Championship was set by Justin Rose in 2010 (126, finished T9).
Webb Simpson
Following an opening-round 4-under 66 on Friday morning, Webb Simpson carded a bogey-free, season-best 5-under 65 (one stroke shy of his career low round) to move to 9-under 131 through his two rounds of the Travelers Championship. He is making his fourth start at the TPC River Highlands (T37-2008, T26-2009, T57-2010).
Simpson, a 25-year-old native of Raleigh, NC, is making his 15th start of the season, with runner-up finishes at the Transitions Championship (solo second) and Zurich Classic of New Orleans (playoff loss). His additional top 10s came at the Memorial Tournament (T7) and the Waste Management Phoenix Open (T8).
Vaughn Taylor
Vaughn Taylor is making his eighth start at the Travelers Championship, with a T9 in 2010 the best of his seven made cuts (including his eventual made cut this week when the second round is completed on Saturday).
Taylor has opened the Travelers Championship with two rounds in the 60s in each of his last four starts, including Friday’s rounds of 65-66. In 2008, he opened 67-68 and went on to finish 69th. In 2009, he opened with rounds of 69-68 and eventually finished 72nd. Last year, he opened with rounds of 67-65 and went on to finish T9.
Taylor entered the week having missed the cut in four of his last five starts. He is currently No. 96 in the FedExCup standings, with 16 starts and 11 made cuts (including an eventual made cut here on Saturday). His best finishes came at the Bob Hope Classic and Northern Trust Open – matching T25s.
D.J. Trahan
D.J. Trahan equaled his career-low round on the PGA Tour with a second-round 8-under 62. The Travelers Championship was also the site of his only other 62, which he posted during the third round in 2008 (finished T19).
Michael Putnam
Michael Putnam (65-70) sits 5-under 135 after his opening 36 holes. He made his professional debut at the 2005 Travelers Championship, finishing T4 (when he also opened with a 5-under 65). His only other previous start at the event led to a missed cut in 2007.
Jim Renner
PGA Tour rookie and first-round leader Jim Renner followed a career-low 7-under 63 with a 4-over 74 during the second round and currently sits on the cutline at 3-under 137.
Renner earned his ticket to the PGA Tour by finishing T22 at the 2010 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. Prior to this season, his only Tour experience was a missed cut at the 2008 Transitions Championship.
As a 14-year old, Jim Renner attended his first PGA Tour event at the Travelers Championship.
Renner, a 27-year-old native of Boston, MA, is making his 12th start of the season. He has six made cuts, with a T56 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in his last start his season-best effort.
Bubba Watson
Defending champion Bubba Watson carded rounds of 66-69 during his first two rounds of the Travelers Championship and is at 5-under 135. He is hoping to join Phil Mickelson (2001-02) as the only players to successfully defend a title at the Travelers Championship.
Miscellaneous Notes
At the time of the suspension, the current cutline stands at 3-under-par 137.
Bob Tway finished T2 at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open – the last PGA Tour event won by an amateur (Phil Mickelson). This week, Tway caddied for his son, Kevin, who opened with rounds of 72-68 and will miss the cut.
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