BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 21, 2026

Patrick Cantlay

Bellerive Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Can you talk about the finish, because you're coming off a bogey and you suck it up and make two more birdies and shoot 65. Pretty good?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I played an okay front nine. I had a few nice up-and-downs. But it was overall a little sloppy. Didn't make many putts. Then got going on the back nine. Like you said, it was really nice to finish with a couple birdies, especially after a 3-putt on 16.

Q. You started with three birdies on the back too. Can you take us through that. You probably knew you need to get going, right.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I hadn't made much on the front nine and it's nice to see one go in on 10. Made another one on 11. Hit it close on 12. Had a nice finish. It was a really nice to hit a wayward drive on 17 and then lay it up to a number and make a 11-footer for birdie.

Q. Yesterday JT said it feels kind of weird to be outside the bubble trying to make it to East Lake. He's been there many years. Similar scenario for you. Has it been kind of weird needing a result this week and have you paid much attention to it?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I would say almost regardless of where I'm at, top of the FedExCup or on the bubble, I don't really think about it. I definitely know the best way to move up that board is to play well this week and so I just put all my attention there.

Q. Same goes for Presidents Cup?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, same exact thing. Both those things are a little out of my control. What is in my control is to play as well as I can this week.

Q. How have you felt the game trending, feels like the putter's been a little bit better recently, approach play the last couple weeks good as well, what's improved for you recently?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I feel like the game's been trending, feeling more comfortable definitely with my irons. Yeah, I just got to get hot with the putter. If you put a week together with good ball striking and then you get hot on the putting green, then that's usually your best finishes of the year. So trying to stay patient, but feel like everything's turning in the right direction.

Q. Does it feel like it's been a long time since you've won?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, it does. And that's just something that, you know, it comes in stretches. I've won a lot really quick and had some time in between some wins. Like I said, get hot with the putter, anything can happen.

Q. More comfortable with the irons, was there some little adjustment that you made?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah I've been working really hard with Jamie Mulligan, my swing coach, and I think we've made a lot of nice progress this year and kind of some positions at the top and coming into the golf ball. So just feels like it's a little easier to control day in, day out. Yeah, it's feeling good.

Q. What about the putting then? Is there an adjustment to that as well? Is there something you've seen that's helping you make more or is it just a matter of you're making more, I mean sometimes you just get hot?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I think putting, there's a lot of variance. Sometimes you hit a bunch of lips and it feels like nothing's going to go in. Sometimes the hole feels twice as big. So just continuing to do my process and really stay patient and not try and force it that's what I'm trying to do.

Q. Is that hard to stay patient?

PATRICK CANTLAY: It is. Like I said, I think I did a good job of that today. Not making much on the front nine and then being able to make a few putts on the back nine. It's just a mindset.

Q. What do you tell yourself? Do you just say, Okay, I'm hitting it good, they're going to go?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I try to be a little less maybe specific. I think sometimes I get too trying to hit the perfect line, the perfect speed. So trying to be a little more natural.

Q. Have you talked to Brandt at all about Presidents Cup stuff?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Just in passing, saw him at some tournaments. Just joking around like normal.

Q. You're going to make it hard to not select you, aren't you, or try to?

PATRICK CANTLAY: That's the goal.

Q. You had 3-under par rounds here in 2018, is there anything about the course that suits your eye?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I think it's a golf course you definitely have to play from the fairway, the rough he's up. And if you do, you can be aggressive on some holes. Today I drove the ball great and gave myself a lot of chances.

Q. Did you feel like the course played more difficult, easier today compared to yesterday, given you remember the first guy out?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, it's probably a little easier. First one out, you get perfect greens, and maybe the wind's down a little bit. I think if the weather stays like it is scores will be pretty good.