Cantlay thanks peers for Player of the Year title

NEW YORK • FedEx Cup winner Patrick Cantlay was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year on Tuesday after his storming end to the season.

The 29-year-old led wire-to-wire at East Lake to claim the Tour Championship, capping a four-win campaign that included US$7.6 million (S$10.2 million) in official winnings plus US$15 million as the FedEx Cup champion.

Despite a stellar year from world No. 1 Jon Rahm, who was a finalist alongside Americans Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa, fourth-ranked Cantlay won the Jack Nicklaus Award, which is determined by vote of the Tour membership.

"The fact that it's voted on by my fellow PGA Tour players, I think that means a lot to me," he said. "It wasn't something that I necessarily thought was on the radar middle of the year, but then I closed really well and played a lot of really nice golf towards the end."

From two full years off due to injury and on the verge of retirement in 2016, Cantlay won the Zozo Championship, Memorial Tournament and BMW Championship before closing out the season with the Tour Championship victory.

"On behalf of the PGA Tour, I would like to congratulate Patrick Cantlay on being honoured as the 2021 PGA Tour Player of the Year," said commissioner Jay Monahan.

"Receiving this award through a member vote reflects the respect his peers have for Patrick. His play throughout 2020-21 was phenomenal, and in stepping up to win consecutive FedExCup play-offs events and the FedExCup, Patrick was at his best when it mattered most in our season."

No player has won four tournaments in a season since Justin Thomas' five wins in 2016-17.

Cantlay also finished runner-up at The American Express and had seven top-10 finishes in 24 starts this season.

REUTERS