During the FedEx Cup playoffs, Patrick Cantlay went to sleep seven nights in a row with the number “one” next to his name in the FedEx Cup rankings. After winning the Tour Championship in 2021, he’ll wake up on Monday morning with a considerably larger sum of money in his bank account: $15 million (out of a whopping $46 million prize), according to ESPN.
Having begun the week at 10 under par, Cantlay finished the week at 21 under par, never trailed for the last 72 holes to defeat world No. 1 Jon Rahm of Spain by one shot at the Tour Championship and win the FedEx Cup at East Lake Golf Club. Cantlay and Rahm battled it out throughout the final three days, with Rahm attempting to close the gap on Cantlay’s four-shot lead but unable to get back to even par with Cantlay.
Cantlay remained composed throughout the final round, which turned into a two-man race late in the day and was essentially playing for $10 million (the difference between the first-place prize money of $15 million and the second-place prize money of $5 million), despite the fact that he was playing for the $10 million first-place prize money.
Cantlay went up to the plate and hit a 6-iron from 218 yards that rolled 11 feet short of the hole, giving him the best opportunity of the day to make eagle. It took Cantlay just six inches to make birdie and seal his win after Rahm’s eagle chip effort slipped beyond the cup.
