TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 22, 2025

Patrick Cantlay

East Lake Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Second shot into 18, can you go through it?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, 7-wood about as hard as I can hit it, and I wasn't sure if it could cover or not, but covered by a foot or so.

Q. Overall description of the day, what you felt like went well?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I got off to a slow start, so I was really proud of the way I battled and played that back nine, especially the finish there on the last three.

Q. I guess we should have known this coming in with the format, but you have the 30 best on TOUR, and it's a leaderboard that's just stacked and bunched because you don't have the starting strokes. Does that catch your attention or were you expecting or even thinking about that?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I think also when conditions are soft and there's been rain, I think that leads to a bunched leaderboard, so no surprise there. These 30 guys have played well all year, so not a surprise to see them playing well here this week.

Q. Given that, was there any part of you that when you made the turn that you ran the risk of shooting yourself out of the tournament or putting yourself behind a pretty big 8-ball?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, like I said, I got off to a slow start, which you can't really afford to do around here with the way the golf course is playing.

But finishing 4-under on my last three really put me back into contention for the weekend.

Q. Did you play any better on the back nine or just score better?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah. No, I played a lot better. Drove the ball in the fairway most every hole, gave myself a lot of looks, and had a couple nice up-and-downs, at least one.

Q. It seemed like you were spending a lot of time on the range in Memphis. Were you looking for something or what was the state of your game entering the playoffs?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, just getting ready to play that week. I've been working on getting the club in a little different position at the top of the backswing, and that's what I was working on.

Q. Different as in new or just different from what you were doing?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Just different from where it's been, but trying to go back to a place I have been before.

Q. Like what years?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Just a couple years ago.

Q. Do you recall what led you to put that 7-wood in the bag?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I think I put that 7-wood in the bag maybe four or five years ago. I think I had a hybrid before, so I just was experimenting on trying to get a club that went five or ten yards further and still was versatile, I could hit it high or low, and that club has been in the big pretty much since.

Q. What is the best shot you've ever hit with it?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I've hit some good ones. The one today is right up there.

Q. I'd like another one for context.

PATRICK CANTLAY: I can't think of one.

Q. What is your stock carry with that club, and how far did that shot carry?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Probably around 245, 250, and I think my cover number there was 240.