While Patrick Cantlay is already a very accomplished golfer, he got a reminder that he still has a ways to go before being considered the best.
In the aftermath of Scottie Scheffler being named PGA Tour player of the year by his fellow golfers, Cantlay was asked by media about how pros prioritize things such as wins, top finishes and scoring average.
Cantlay began to give his answer, saying, ‘Well I think it comes down to the individual’ before diving into a story about a visit to the house of Tiger Woods.
‘I went over to Tiger’s house, I think to talk Ryder Cup after I had won Player of the Year, and it felt like a big deal to me at the time that I had got a Player of the Year, and they give you this little Jack Nicklaus bronze trophy,’ he explained per Golf Magazine.
‘So we’re walking through Tiger’s house and we’re in the basement and he’s got like, 11 of ’em lined up right next to each other all in the corner of the basement — boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Patrick Cantlay said a look at Tiger Woods’ basement trophy cabinet was humbling
Cantlay, who won PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2021, has won eight PGA Tour events
Tiger won eight PGA Tour Player of the Year awards across a ten year period in the 2000’s
‘And I go, “Hey, I’m catching up,” and he looked at me and he goes, “You got a lot of work to do.”‘
Woods won the award in all but two years between 1999-2009 – losing out to Vijay Singh (2004) and Padraig Harrington (2008).
Cantlay has won eight times on the PGA – including the 2021 Tour Championship, which granted him the FedExCup.
He’s also been a part of the 2021 and 2023 Ryder Cup teams as well as the 2019 and 2022 Presidents Cup teams.
Cantlay was also asked about if he would ever leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, but the California native says he doesn’t imagine leaving the Tour.
‘It’s a personal calculation based on your values, your priorities, et cetera,’ Cantlay told Golf Magazine.
‘So I don’t think it’s a surprise that there’s a certain type of player that’s tended to go over there, on the whole. For me? I have no plans on joining LIV. I don’t plan on joining LIV. I see myself playing on the PGA Tour.’
‘I declined offers,’ Cantlay said. ‘Pre and post joining the board. And the most recent offer I got, I declined in the same meeting that my management team brought it to me.’
