The PGA Tour’s 2022 “Tag Team Champions” marched to victory at the TPC Louisiana Sunday and wrapped up a dominating week in The Big Easy.
For three days, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were untouchable — they set tournament records on each of the first three days, allowing themselves to take a breather over the final 18 as they concluded with a ho-hum round of even par 72 and a winning 29-under par total that saw them go wire-to-wire — the first time that’s happened in this event.
They were so far ahead, they came to the 72nd tee with a three-shot lead, played the last hole like a couple of 10 handicappers and finished with a bogey on the par five 18th.
It didn’t matter, they still beat Billy Horschel and partner Sam Burns by a couple of shots. Horschel and Burns tried to apply some pressure down the stretch but Burns hit his tee shot in the water at the short par four 16th then the two suffered a bogey at the par three 17th, ending any sort of pressure they might have thought about throwing at the winners.
This was a win that Schauffele desperately needed. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since January of 2019.
“It’s awesome. I’m happy we could get it done. Today was the worst of our four quarters,” Schauffele said after three super days and one mediocre Sunday.
“We bring out the best in each other,” was how the poker-face Cantlay put it. And they had their best stuff for the first three rounds. They set a best-ball (four-ball) scoring record with a 59 last Thursday, the first time either had posted that magic number. They set the 36-hole scoring mark with an alternate-shot 68 on Friday then put themselves totally in the driver’s seat with a best-ball round of 60 on Saturday.
Sunday scoring conditions were difficult with winds blowing early. Truth be known, none of the teams closest to them were making any kind of run. Birdie runs are difficult in the alternate shot format.
The Ryder Cup teammates gave the Burns/Horschel team some hope by starting with seven straight pars to start their final 18 holes. Burns and Horschel picked up two birdies on their first five holes to apply some heat. But things took a turn for Cantlay and Schauffele at the par five seventh went Cantlay hit a perfect seven-wood for the second shot that stopped just seven feet from the hole. Schauffele finished off the eagle and the favorites moved to 31-under par and seemingly untouchable.
But then golf happened and the pair made back-to-back bogeys at 10 and 11, dropping back to even for the round and reviving some hope for a couple of teams, including Burns and Horschel.
There was a fast bounce-back birdie at the 11th that got Schauffele and Cantlay back to 30-under and they stayed there, basically daring anyone else to catch them.
There would be no challenge and they’d take the title despite the sloppy finish at 18.
They got the trophy, the paychecks and the belts.
And no, the belts will not be up for grabs at Wrestle Mania.
3 Comments
baxter cepeda
There was a bit of gagging going on down the stretch from the So Cal boys, but these two are even better together than they are on their own.
I have to say, if Sam Burns just keeps that tee shot right of water at 16, the lead would have basically vanished at that point.
Also are we 100% satisfied with how adamant Billy was arguing to get the most favorable ruling possible?
Fact is he didn’t know. No one knew. A lot of pga tour players would have gone back just to be safe. Sam was quite quiet.
Then on 17 Sam hit that pitch shot short; and later Cantlay from further away knocked it super close, closing the door. What’s that K word you like to use sometimes?
Anyhow, this 2 man event once again stood out, especially as we approach golfs dog days of summer events sandwiched between the monthly majors.
Now no one likes hurricanes; but it’s worth noting this course looked and played it best with significantly less overgrowth from their last bug storm. I still think the course needs a Reno and more color. It just feels like it’s not up to the design standard of Mr Dye courses. Maybe it was a budget thing at the time. But if this is going to be the home of the worlds premier professional 2 man event, I would like to see the Dye Designs company come in and take this place to the next level of what they do.
The course has has potential; as does this So Cal duo in becoming one of the best tandems ever.
Tom Edrington
The rebuilding of the course is ongoing, they did a lot in a short time — a work in progress. Yes, Billy and Sam could have applied the heat but didn’t.
baxter cepeda
It is extremely impressive what they have done recovering from the storm.