Players described Wilmington Country Club as similar to Caves Valley, home of last year’s BMW Championship, so it’s no surprise that Patrick Cantley tops the leaderboard with 54 holes played. . Defending his champion may not be putting the ball as well as he did in Baltimore a year ago, but golf he’s moving around the course in an equally effective way.
The reigning FedEx Cup champion is trailing his best friend and first three-day opponent Xander Schauffele and Scott Stallings by a stroke at 12-under. The Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup, Zurich Classic titles, and even a duel between his two men who have been on vacation with their significant other feels like the only item missing from their friendship.
The two cool-headed Americans, who have a similar demeanor and are similar from a statistical standpoint, enter the final round as the top two on both the Caesars Sportsbook leaderboard and odds board.
Still, it wasn’t too long ago that we saw this duo paired up in the final round. We have to look back at the Travelers Championship won by Schauffele while Cantlay was terrible. Cantlay, who was the victim of a six-over 76, pulled out of contention early on Sunday, robbing his golf fans of the possibility of a back-and-forth match between the two.
This time it is inherently different, as the stakes are high and Schauffele acts as the chaser. Cantley starts the final round with a slight advantage, marking his 54-hole lead for the first time in just about a year. This was the final event of the tour championship last season. It was at this very tournament that Cantlay started his march to the FedEx Cup title, where in dramatic fashion he defeated Bryson DeChambeau.
leader
1. Patrick Cantray (-12)
Despite not winning as many as they did in 2021, Cantlay is playing even better than he did a season ago. The world No. 4 without a solo win this season has been close multiple times in the playoffs, including losing to Scotty at the WM Phoenix Open, to Jordan Spieth at RBC Heritage.
Add in another runner-up result at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and Cantlay has a top ten finish in the opening half of the season. Consistency often doesn’t pay off on his PGA Tour in the short term. Long term is a different story, and now it could be hugely profitable for Cantley.
Cantlay, who is projected to move up the FedEx Cup standings with his win at Wilmington CC, becomes the first man to not only successfully defend a postseason event, but also defend the FedEx Cup crown There is a possibility. If he can accomplish that mission, Cantlay could raise more than his $20 million in two weeks.
“Maybe in bigger tournaments it’s easier to narrow my focus. I stayed in the moment and did a good job of trying to have the right frame of mind and good attitude,” Cantley said. “I love this golf course. I love the grass I play on.
Other Candidates
T2. Xander Schauffele and Scott Stallings (-11)
T4. Adam Scott and Scotty Schaeffler (-10)
T6. Colin Morikawa and Aaron Weisz (-9)
T8. Joaquin Niemann and Corey Connors (-8)
Any player within four strokes of the lead must still believe they have a chance to lift the BMW Championship trophy. Cantlay is a difficult player to surpass, but the pursuer boasts a solid resume. Schaufle and Schaeffler have touched the lead at various points throughout the championship, but Morikawa made the biggest move on Saturday.
After a terrible performance on the green in the second round, the two-time major champion figured something out with his putting stroke and was able to push himself into competition again. Morikawa, who signed a 6-under 65 and the only player in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for the 2021-22 season, will be aiming for his first victory in over a year. Nonetheless, he has stepped up his game in major championships and big moments, and talked about what he needs for his first title since the 2021 Open.
“Be patient. I think you’ll take advantage of how dry and bouncy these greens are when you’re on the fairway and have good angles and good numbers. But just be patient.” said Morikawa of his game. Final schedule. “Obviously a lot of the good rounds here I think we got off to a good start at the start of the round and that’s the key. , 9, 10, 11, 12. It’s been a while — hopefully we’ll be within the lead tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to that.
Rick Gehmann and Marc Immelmann discuss action at the BMW Championship on Saturday. Follow and listen to The First Cut Apple podcasts When Spotify.
What Zaratris’ WD Brings to the Postseason Finale
The St. Jude Championship winner went on to join the BMW Championship and slightly lead the FedEx Cup standings.There is a need to Withdrew mid-round on Saturday Due to a back injury, Zaratris’ exit paved the way for another player to move up the order and start the tour championship. This head start has proven crucial over the past few years, with the leaders starting the Tour Championship at 10 under par. FedEx’s Cup No. 2 saw him open at 8-under and Zaratris, who is currently projected to drop to his third place in the standings, will tee off at 7-under this week.
Impact on tour championships
All eyes are on the top of the leaderboard, but the top 30 in the FedEx Cup rankings are also of particular interest. Each shot counts, and those in the bubble will be vying for a spot on the field of the Tour Championship next week.
“I’m just coming out and trying to win a golf tournament,” said Denny McCarthy, now 7-under and T10. I know we have to do well, but winning is also a pretty good result.”
|
Aaron Wise |
twenty five |
T6 |
1,412.795 |
|
Brian Harman |
26 |
T38 |
1,405.711 |
|
Adam Scott |
27 |
T4 |
1,389.177 |
|
Corey Connors |
28 |
T8 |
1,384.303 |
|
Denny McCarthy |
29 |
T10 |
1,265.678 |
|
Sahith Siegala |
30 |
T26 |
1,213.658 |
|
Davis Riley |
31 |
T44 |
1,170.698 |
|
JJ Spawn |
32 |
T26 |
1,150.084 |
|
Tom Kim |
33 |
T58 |
1,149.288 |
| Shane Lowry | 34 | T18 | 1,147.877 |
| KH Lee | 35 | T26 | 1,121.399 |
2022 BMW Championship odds and picks updated
- Patrick Cantray: 23/10
- Xander Schaufle: 33/10
- Scotty Schaeffler: 9/2
- Scott Stallings: 15/2
- Adam Scott: 10-1
- Colin Morikawa: 14-1
- Aaron Wise: 20-1
- Rory McIlroy: 35-1
- Joaquin Niemann: 35-1
- Corey Connors: 40-1
Fairways are important on Sunday, with Morikawa and Connors leading in terms of driving precision among the above. Morikawa was finally able to show something with his putter on Saturday, and is just three strokes away from Cantrey’s lead. Kantray is my pick for him to win the BMW Championship, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Morikawa could post the clubhouse lead and give him something to think about.
