Cantlay claims Memorial Tournament crown in play-off

By Sports Desk June 06, 2021

Patrick Cantlay defeated Collin Morikawa in a play-off to win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday.

Cantlay earned his second Memorial title, having also won the tournament in 2019, after Morikawa was unable to match his par putt on the first play-off hole.

A sudden-death shoot-out was needed at Muirfield Village Golf Club after Cantlay and fellow American Morikawa finished 13 under through 72 holes following final-round 71s.

It became a showdown between Cantlay and Morikawa on the final day after runaway leader Jon Rahm was forced to withdraw following a positive coronavirus test.

Defending champion Rahm was six shots clear of Cantlay and Morikawa in the third round before the duo were thrust to the top of the leaderboard.

"It's such a weird situation and so unfortunate because, me included, everyone knows it would be a totally different day today had that [Rahm's withdrawal] not happened," Cantlay said after his fourth PGA Tour triumph.

"There's nothing I can do about it and I just tried to work as hard as I could to reset and really get focused.

"I started off a bit shaky today but I really hit a lot of good shots coming in and it felt the same as when I won a couple of years ago. I felt calm and collected and it worked out."

Scottie Scheffler (70) finished two shots behind Cantlay and Morikawa, while Branden Grace (71) was a stroke further back as Patrick Reed and his three-under-par 69 earned him outright fifth at eight under.

Reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (71), four-time major winner Rory McIlroy (72) and former world number one Jordan Spieth (73) ended the event in a share of 18th position at one under.

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    1200 – Burns hit back against McIlroy, who had taken the third hole, by producing a fine putt to half the deficit on the next.

    1150 – Tyrrell Hatton holed a great putt to move one up against Brian Harman as Europe continued to dominate, although Scheffler ended Rahm’s two-hole winning run to cut the Spaniard’s lead in half.

    1140 – You could tell Matt Fitzpatrick was happy with his opening shot with the speed at which he picked up his tee and marched on. That set the tone for the Yorkshireman to win the first hole.

    That left Europe leading four of the five matches, with Rahm and Hovland both two up. What a start!

    1130 – A par on the first was enough for McIlroy to win the hole against Burns, putting him one up like Rahm and Viktor Hovland, but there was red on the leaderboard with Cantlay taking the lead versus Justin Rose.

    1120 – McIlroy received a great ovation on the first tee and followed it with a great shot. Scheffler pegged Rahm back on the third to leave all matches tied.

    1110 – Morikawa was not enjoying the tee so far today, hitting another that stops just short of the long grass. Scheffler almost levelled his match with Rahm, but his putt on the second is just short.

    Europe captain Donald does not believe last night’s tension will hamper his side today, telling Sky Sports: “We are excited, today is a new day. We want to start strong.”

    1100 – McIlroy walked past Cantlay and LaCava without even a glance as he put all his focus into his match against Sam Burns. Will tensions rise on the course again today?

    Morikawa recovered well from the rough, finding the green on the first before missing a putt to win the hole. Cantlay, without a cap again, walks out to the first tee to boos from the crowd.

    1050 – Close to hitting a spectator! Collin Morikawa could not follow the first two on the tee, firing his effort way left and into the crowd. First blood goes to Europe as Rahm sinks a brilliant 15-foot putt to win the first hole after Scheffler came up way short.

    1040 – Two good tee shots from Rahm and Scheffler to settle the nerves. The crowd loved them. We are under way in Italy.

    1030 – Five minutes until Masters champion Jon Rahm takes on world number one Scottie Scheffler in the first match. The Spaniard looks in the zone out there today. The atmosphere is building on the first tee.

    1020 – Former Europe captain Paul McGinley believes the United States need to eclipse the ‘Miracle at Medinah” to retain the Ryder Cup. Europe famously recovered from 10-6 down heading into the singles in 2012 to pull off an unlikely victory, but Zach Johnson’s side trail by five points. “This will be unbelievable if America come anywhere close,” McGinley, who led Europe to victory at Gleneagles in 2014, told Sky Sports. “Miracles do happen and this will be bigger than the Miracle at Medinah if America come back from here. Yes they have momentum, but Europe are also stoked up.”

    1010 – Luke Donald’s side will also have plenty of extra motivation after the second day’s play ended with angry scenes on the 18th green which later continued outside the clubhouse. Rory McIlroy was annoyed that Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava initially refused to move from his eyeline as he waved his cap over his head in celebration of Cantlay’s birdie on the last.

    1000 – Welcome to the PA news agency’s live Ryder Cup blog. It is singles Sunday at Marco Simone in Rome. Europe need just four points to complete their revenge mission and regain the trophy from the USA.

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    Former European captain Paul McGinley believes the United States need to eclipse the ‘Miracle at Medinah” to retain the Ryder Cup in Rome.

    Europe famously recovered from 10-6 down heading into the singles in 2012 to pull off an unlikely victory, but Zach Johnson’s side trailed by five points at Marco Simone despite a spirited fightback on Saturday afternoon.

    “This will be unbelievable if America come anywhere close,” McGinley, who led Europe to victory at Gleneagles in 2014, told Sky Sports.

    “Miracles do happen and this will be bigger than the Miracle at Medinah if America come back from here. Yes they have momentum, but Europe are also stoked up.”

    That was a reference to the controversial end to Saturday’s play, with angry scenes on the 18th green later continuing outside the clubhouse at Marco Simone.

    Rory McIlroy was annoyed that Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava initially refused to move from his eyeline as he waved his cap over his head in celebration of Cantlay’s birdie on the last.

    McIlroy and team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick still had birdie putts of their own to halve the hole and the match, but neither was able to convert.

    McIlroy was later pictured angrily gesturing towards LaCava before being shepherded into a courtesy car by Shane Lowry.

    Europe captain Luke Donald vowed to give his players the right “messaging” before Sunday’s play and unsurprisingly sent out his strongest players early in the singles, with Jon Rahm first out against Scottie Scheffler.

    McIlroy, who had gone out first in the last three Ryder Cups, was fourth in the line-up against Sam Burns.

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    1000- Welcome to the PA news agency’s live Ryder Cup blog. It is singles Sunday at Marco Simone in Rome. Europe need just four points to complete their revenge mission and regain the trophy from the USA.

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