Tag: Patrick Cantlay

PGA Tour players and Saudi Arabia PIF boss have ‘constructive’ meeting in Bahamas

During the meeting, Yasir Al-Rumayyan talked about his vision, priorities and motivations for investing in golf.

Last week Golfweek was first to report a group of PGA Tour players were planning to meet with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the head of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, in an effort to continue towards a deal that would seemingly reunite men’s professional golf.

While the original report stated the meeting was scheduled at a private residence in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, following the conclusion of the Players Championship at nearby TPC Sawgrass, flight tracking data showed the meeting appeared to happen in the Bahamas. After the meeting, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan sent a memo to players – first shared by Monday Q Info – to provide a brief update.

“The conversation throughout was constructive and represents an important part of our due diligence process in selecting potential investors for PGA Tour Enterprises,” Monahan said of the meeting between player directors and Al-Rumayyan. “This mirrors the approach we employed earlier this year as we evaluated an investment offer from the Strategic Sports Group.”

“During the session, Yasir had the chance to introduce himself to our Player Directors and talk through his vision, priorities and motivations for investing in professional golf,” Monahan continued. “As we continue these discussions with the PIF, we will keep you updated as much as possible, but please understand that we need to maintain our position of not conducting negotiations in public. To that end, we will provide no further comments to the media at this time.”

The message doubles down on Monahan’s comments at last week’s Players Championship and only confirms what had already been widely reported. The Tour has maintained the discussions with the PIF dating back to the June 6 framework agreement have been productive, but nine months later a deal has still yet to be reached.

During his annual State of the Tour address, Monahan confirmed he and SSG representatives met with Al-Rumayyan in Saudi Arabia in January. That same month, the SSG invested $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit entity that was originally supposed to include the PIF via the framework agreement.

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Rory McIlroy explains what he wants PGA Tour players to learn from Saudi PIF meeting

McIlroy wants players to understand that Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing” with an investment in golf.

Earlier this week Rory McIlroy said he wanted “the train to speed up so we can get this thing over and done with” in reference to the ongoing discussions between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Choo choo.

Patrick Cantlay confirmed a Golfweek report that a group of PGA Tour players are planning to meet with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the head of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, on Monday in an effort to continue towards a deal that would seemingly reunite men’s professional golf. The original report stated the meeting was tentatively scheduled at a private residence in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, following the conclusion of the Players Championship at nearby TPC Sawgrass.

After finishing T-19 at the Players, McIlroy said he was glad that players would finally be meeting with Al-Rumayyan, including Tiger Woods.

“I mean, he’s a player director. He’s on the board, so absolutely he needs to be involved,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy wants players to understand that Al-Rumayyan “wants to do the right thing” with his investment in golf and that he wants to be involved “in a productive way.”

“I think I’ve said this before, I have spent time with Yasir and his. … the people that have represented him in LIV I think have done him a disservice, so Norman and those guys,” McIlroy said of his perception of the difference between the PIF and LIV. “I see the two entities, and I think there’s a big, I actually think there’s a really big disconnect between PIF and LIV. I think you got PIF over here and LIV are sort of over here doing their own thing. So the closer that we can get to Yasir, PIF and hopefully finalize that investment, I think that will be a really good thing.”

That said, McIlroy believes there’s a way to incorporate team golf, but it doesn’t have to necessarily look like LIV.

“But, again, it’s going to require patience. People have contracts at LIV up until 2028, 2029. I don’t know if they’re going to see that all the way out, but I definitely see LIV playing in its current form for the next couple years anyway while everything gets figured out,” McIlroy explained. “I don’t think this is an overnight solution, but if we can get the investment in, then at least we can start working towards a compromise where we’re not going to make everyone happy, but at least make everyone understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.”

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PGA Tour Enterprises launched with nine players, including Tiger Woods, on board of directors

The more significant news was the naming of retired Tour pro Joe Ogilvie to the board.

The newly formed PGA Tour Enterprises announced its first board of directors on Wednesday.

The 13-member board has nine PGA Tour Directors, approved by the Tour’s Policy Board, and four Strategic Sports Group Directors, appointed by the SSG investor group. This board will lead all commercial activities related to the PGA Tour and will focus on driving fan engagement and growth, as well as developing new media, sponsorship and commercial opportunities.

All six current Player Directors from the Tour Policy Board will simultaneously serve on the Tour Enterprises Board of Directors: Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods.

The more significant news was the naming of retired Tour pro Joe Ogilvie to the board.

“Given the significant time investment required from the players to serve on both Boards – and as part of the Tour’s governance review – the Player Directors identified the benefit of having a ‘Director Liaison’ on both Boards as well,” the Tour said in a news release. “Ogilvie will join the PGA Tour Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises Board of Directors.

Joe Gorder, who serves as an Independent Director on the Tour Policy Board, and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan round out the Tour representation on the Enterprises Board. Monahan will serve as the CEO of Enterprises, and Woods will serve as the Vice Chairman of the Board.

As announced in January, SSG – a consortium of American sports team owners led by Fenway Sports Group – joined PGA Tour Enterprises as a minority investor, providing an initial $1.5 billion of capital that will “unlock investment opportunities to grow the Tour and enhance the game of golf around the world.”

The four SSG Directors will be:

  • John W. Henry, Principal, Fenway Sports Group; Manager, Strategic Sports Group
  • Arthur M. Blank, Co-Founder, Home Depot; Owner and Chairman, AMB Sports and Entertainment (Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Drive GC, PGA Tour Superstore)
  • Andrew B. Cohen, Chief Investment Officer and Co-Founder, Cohen Private Ventures; Vice Chairman, New York Mets
  • Sam Kennedy, Partner/CEO, Fenway Sports Group; President & CEO, Boston Red Sox

The PGA Tour Enterprises Board will elect a chairman at an upcoming meeting.

“Today’s announcement is another milestone for our organization, as I believe we have arrived at a PGA Tour Enterprise’s Board of Directors with the right composition, expertise and balance necessary to take our organization into the future,” said Monahan. “Our current and former players will provide essential insight into our members’ priorities and needs. And we welcome key SSG members to the leadership team, whose exceptional track records and achievements in global professional sports will lend a wealth of knowledge into the opportunities ahead for the PGA Tour. Their expertise will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the success and growth of our commercial initiatives.

“It’s an opportunity for us to shape something special that will not only create more value for the PGA Tour, but will also benefit and grow our fanbase,” the Player Directors and Liaison Director said in a joint statement.  “We’re ready to get started.”

“Our role on the Enterprises board will focus on hearing Player Director ideas and working alongside them to ensure the sport’s commercial growth occurs in a way that creates the best possible product for fans,” said Henry. “All of us at Strategic Sports Group see a bright future for the PGA Tour and the constitution of the Enterprises Board is an important first step in realizing that future.”

In addition to Ogilvie’s forthcoming appointment, Monahan will be a voting member as well, which will expand that Policy Board from 12 to 14.

Player Directors

Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods

Liaison Director

Joe Ogilvie

PGA Tour Commissioner

Jay Monahan

Independent Directors

Edward Herlihy, Jimmy Dunne, Mark Flaherty, Mary Meeker, Joe Gorder

PGA of America Director

John Lindert

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Patrick Cantlay’s lead shrinks, here comes Will Zalatoris and more from 2024 Genesis Invitational

Catch up on all of Saturday’s action here.

A Tiger Woods-less Genesis Invitational continued Saturday at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

Woods withdrew Friday afternoon and revealed Saturday via his Twitter/X account that he came down with the flu.

As for the players still on property, Patrick Cantlay holds a two-shot 54-hole lead after a third-round 1-under 70. Three birdies and two bogeys were good enough to keep a charging group at an arm’s distance, a pack that includes his best buddy Xander Schauffele.

Schauffele, after a 6-under 65 on Day 3, is two shots back at 12 under and tied for second alongside Will Zalatoris (who we’ll get to in a bit).

If you missed Saturday’s action, here are five things to know from the third round of the Genesis Invitational.

Genesis Invitational: Photos | Fans react to Jordan Spieth DQ

Patrick Cantlay lights up Riviera, Gary Woodland’s day off in a dark room, Luke List’s putter is lit among 5 takeaways at Genesis Invitational

Cantlay shot 64 while Luke List poured in 224 feet of putts on Thursday at Riviera.

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Waiting to do a post-round interview with PGA Tour Live, Patrick Cantlay was asked to name his best finish at the Genesis Invitational. He shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea.

One of the writers overheard this exchange and provided the answer: “He finished third last year.”

Cantlay smiled and said, “Oh, yeah.” Indeed, his record at Riviera Country Club is pretty stellar – four top-20 finishes in the last five years, including a T-4 in 2018 in which if he made any putts on the weekend he’d already be a tournament champion here.

That could be in Cantlay’s not-too-distant future if he can keep putting like he did on Thursday. He poured in more than 127 feet of putts en route to shooting a career-best 7-under 64 at Riviera in his 29th career Tour round here and claiming a one-stroke lead over the trio of Jason Day, Cameron Davis and Luke List.

“Made every putt I should have and a couple longer ones,” said Cantlay, who gain just over 4 strokes on the field for the day on the greens and ranked second in SG: Putting. “It was a good start.”

Cantlay grew up not too far away – depending on 405 traffic – in Long Beach, California, and attended UCLA before turning pro, logging many more rounds at Riviera during his tenure there.

“It’s a place I’m comfortable,” he said. “It feels like a home game.”

FRIDAY: Tee times and TV/streaming info

He birdied eight of his first 14 holes in the opening round to vault to the top of the leaderboard, including holing birdie putts of 15 feet at No. 6, 26 feet at No. 8 and 28 feet at 14.

His lone blemish of the day happened at the par-3 166-yard 16th, where his tee shot caught a sycamore tree and left him in the rough 58 yards from the hole.

“Obviously a spot I’ve never been,” he said. “I’ve been on most places on this golf course.”

He didn’t bother to have caddie Joe LaCava pace it off, chunking his next into the bunker but scrambled for bogey.

“It was a good up-and-down,” he said.

And another good start: Cantlay has three 64s in his last four starts and entered the week leading the Tour with a first-round scoring average of 64.75 and went even lower.

Asked a few weeks ago whether he’d rather win at Pebble Beach or Riviera, two of his favorite places on the planet, he took the fifth, pleading that “I don’t like that question,” but something suggests that winning this close to home and just down the road from Westwood would be the former Bruin’s personal fifth major.

MORE: Tiger battles back spasms in return to PGA Tour

Here are four more things to know from the first round of the Genesis Invitational.

10 of the best players at the Genesis Invitational over the last 5 seasons

These players love Riviera.

The PGA Tour’s third signature event of the year has arrived, and a loaded field is in Los Angeles for the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

Tiger Woods, who hasn’t played an official Tour event since the Masters, last teed it up at the PNC Championship in December. Before that, he placed 18th at the Hero World Challenge.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Max Homa and Justin Thomas are among the players who will join Woods.

Reigning champion Jon Rahm is unable to defend his title due to his move to LIV Golf.

Genesis: Picks to win, odds

Here are 10 of the best players at the Genesis Invitational over the past five seasons.

Scottie Scheffler goes low, Ludvig Aberg making bombs among 5 things to know at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Catch up on the action here.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Ludvig Aberg’s putter was hot from the get-go on Friday at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The 24-year-old Swede sank a 42-foot birdie putt at the first and rolled in a 36-foot eagle putt from off the green at the second and hardly slowed down – he drained a 28-footer at the fourth – en route to carding a bogey-free 7-under 65 in the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

“I don’t remember the last time I did that,” he said of draining two bombs to start a round. “So, obviously that’s a little bonus.”

Aberg improved to 11-under 133 and tied for the 36-hole lead with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (64) and first-round leader Thomas Detry, who shot 2-under 70 at Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

Pebble Pro-Am: Saturday tee times | Photos

Aberg, who had a four-putt from four feet a week ago at the Farmers Insurance Open and finished T-9, led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting on Friday, holing more than 120 feet of putts.

“I felt like over these last couple of weeks it’s been quite streaky,” he said of his putting. “It’s been a little bit a lot of good and a lot of bad. We just checked a little bit of alignment, a little bit of setup yesterday and try to keep it inside the frame.”

It paid quick dividends as he added a nine-foot uphill birdie at 11 and a tap-in two-putt birdie from long range at the par-5 14th. Aberg is making his debut in this event, but he played here twice in college for Texas Tech in the Carmel Cup.

“I never played well here actually,” he said with a smile. “I never did.”

Apparently, he’s a quick learner.

Here are four more things to know at the midway point of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Rickie Fowler on whether LIV defectors should be punished in seeking a return to PGA Tour: ‘They made decisions, and there has to be something for it’

“The good thing is the decision’s not up to me.”

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — On Tuesday, Rory McIlroy said LIV defectors shouldn’t be punished if seeking a return to the PGA Tour. Not all of his fellow competitors share his latest view.

“The good thing is the decision’s not up to me,” said Rickie Fowler when asked his opinion after the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday.

But when pressed on the matter, Fowler took a firmer stance on the issue.

“I don’t think it’s a direct road,” he said. “I mean, they made decisions and there’s — there has to be something for it. Whether how small or big, that’s not up to me.”

Patrick Cantlay, one of the independent player directors on the Tour’s board, spoke only in broad terms on the topic.

“I think everyone’s divided,” he said. “It’s up to a group of us. I know players feel all over the board on that issue, and so my job as a player director is to represent the entire membership. So if something like that were to come down the road, I’m sure we would have to have a robust conversation around that topic.”

He added: “I haven’t really been putting a ton of thought into that until the moment comes because I’ve been trying to focus on what’s in front of me.”

Justin Rose, the defending champion this week, said it’s complicated, noting “there will never be a one-for-one ration where one guy feels good about everyone coming back because they got something and they didn’t.

“But I think ultimately, if this is all structured the right way, those guys coming back strengthens the Tour and everybody that’s now involved in this new structure is going to benefit from those great names coming back and being a part of the Tour. So you have to look at it objectively as well. Anything that’s going to strengthen the Tour in the long term is going to benefit the players now. From that point, you’ve got to get your head around that, I suppose. I don’t think there’s an easy reintegration anytime soon, but I don’t see that as off the table.”

McIlroy, once the most vocal proponent for the Tour, has softened his stance since saying in June that “the people that left the PGA Tour (for LIV) irreparably harmed this tour” and as a result there must be “consequences to actions.”

“If people still have eligibility on this Tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try and do something, let them come back,” said McIlroy during his pre-tournament press conference. “I think it’s hard to punish people.

“Obviously I’ve changed my tune on that because I see where golf is, and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and having a diminished LIV tour or anything else is bad for both parties. It would be much better being together and moving forward together for the good of the game. That’s my opinion of it. So to me, the faster that we can all get back together and start to play and start to have the strongest fields possible I think is great for golf.”

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Thomas Detry’s walk-off birdie among 5 things to know at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Here’s what you need to know from the opening round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Less than a week ago, Thomas Detry was leading the Farmers Insurance Open in the third round when he spun a wedge from 90 yards back into the water and made double bogey. He admitted it was “a punch in the face.” He went on to shoot 2-over 74 a day later and finished T-20. On Thursday at Spyglass Hill, he was cruising along once again when he fatted his approach at the final hole. But this time there was no penalty area to ruin a good round. This time, he pitched in from about 20 yards short of the green to shoot 9-under 63 and take a one-stroke lead over Patrick Cantlay after the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

“It was an uphill lie, I felt pretty comfortable I would put it within 3 feet to be honest,” Detry said in his post-round interview. “And it rolled nicely, just trickled in the hole. It was lovely to watch.”

Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Best celebrity photos | Friday tee times

Detry, a 31-year-old pro from Belgium, said having an extra day to get over last week’s disappointment – the Farmers Insurance Open is the only PGA Tour event that ends on Saturday – helped put it behind him.

“Last weekend was a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “I played some great golf and I didn’t really have the finish that I wanted to. I was in contention the whole weekend except the last five or six holes.”

On Thursday, the weatherman was wrong with his dreary forecast and sunshine prevailed during the opening round. It still was breezy and the tree-lined Spyglass course served as a buffer and allowed for slightly better scoring than at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Detry birdied his first three holes of the day and came home in 30 with a flurry of three straight birdies to cap the day.

Here are four more things to know from the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

MORE: Rory McIlroy assessed two-shot penalty for illegal drop at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

10 of the best players at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am over the last 5 seasons

See their records here.

This week, a loaded 80-man field is on the Monterey Peninsula for the PGA Tour’s second signature event of the year, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

The Crosby Clambake will look a bit different this time around, with the celebrity amateurs playing in just the first two rounds. Monterey Peninsula Country Club has been removed from the rotation, so the field will play Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill over the first two days before just the pros take on Pebble over the weekend.

Thanks to its elevated status, this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am boasts its best-ever field that includes Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schaufelle, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

Here are 10 of the best performers from the last five AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Ams.

Pebble Pro-Am: Odds, picks to win | Sleepers