It seems like a lifetime ago and not just January that PGA Tour pro Patrick Cantlay broke up a sleepy Friday night broadcast of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions with an audible F-bomb that woke some viewers out of their slumber going, “Did he just say what I think he just said?”
After a rewind of the DVR, yes, in fact, he did.
If you were wondering the back story behind Cantlay’s F-bomb that was picked up by a hot microphone during Golf Channel’s coverage from Hawaii, Cantlay finally filled in the blanks earlier this week.
Speaking on the No Laying Up podcast, Cantlay recounted how during a long wait on the 17th tee at Kapalua’s Plantation Course, fellow competitor Jon Rahm and caddie Adam Hayes observed that the wildly erratic weather conditions during the round — which included heavy rain at times — were reminiscent of the storm during the final round of the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Cantlay had finished before the heavy stuff came down and Shane Lowry won in a cakewalk, but Rahm wasn’t so lucky. A rules official warned his group that it had to continue playing as there was no lightning in the area that would force a suspension of play.
“I was adding to the story that this rules official was probably waiting his whole life to tell these spoiled-brat tour pros to play,” Cantlay said. “That was his moment at the British Open on Sunday and he was going to be like pumped to get up in your ear and be like, ‘Hey, guys, get going.’ ”
Only in real-time as Golf Channel came back from a commercial break, Cantlay can be heard saying clear as day, “I’ve been waiting for this weather for 40 years. These pampered f$#%s need to play.”
I don't know exactly what Patrick Cantlay is talking about at the beginning, but I love all of it pic.twitter.com/UaSihp5SBp
— Garrett Morrison (@gfordgolf) January 4, 2020
“That’s my fault. I’ve got to be better at that,” Cantlay said. “It was a funny moment.”
Then he added one of the more memorable lines of the golf season when he said to his caddie, Matt Minister, “Two more holes and we can get a Mai Tai.”
“I’ll get my Mai Tai; you can get your water,” Minister replied.
“Don’t spoil it for me,” Cantlay said.
Allow Cantlay to set the record straight here as well: “I was kind of making a joke to my caddie before I hit my tee shot that, man, we need to go get a drink after this (long round). You’re going to need a Mai Tai after carrying this bag up this mountain all day,” Cantlay explained.
And then he confirmed what made the line even funnier: “I don’t really drink during tournament weeks.”
It was both a colorful and off-color exchange and now it all makes sense. What was left unasked, however, was how much Cantlay was fined for his “conduct unbecoming.” That, we just may never know, but it all goes to a good charitable cause, so Cantlay’s got that going for him, which is nice.
You can listen to the full podcast here.