Patrick Cantlay, ROME: Hats off!
He gave the 44 th Ryder Cup a much-needed boost by holing a hatrick of putts at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. This flipped his fourballs game and gave the U.S. a glimmer hope that they might mount a comeback on Sunday singles to retain the Cup.
The Europeans were inspired by Ian Poulter’s Poulter-geist late Saturday 2012, when he went into Poulter mode and led them to one of their greatest comebacks in Medinah.
Cantlay had a busy day. Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir, who was busy in the morning taking on Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and other players, posted on social media about Cantlay, claiming that he is behind the rift within the U.S. team and that he believes the players should be compensated for participating in the Ryder Cup. He also stated he has shown his frustration by refusing a cap.
Cantlay is paid handsomely by DeWalt to wear a hat during the PGA Tour. Previously, Cantlay was paid by Goldman Sachs, and now by DeWalt. Cantlay said, “The Hat doesn’t Fit.” When asked why he didn’t wear a hat, Cantlay replied, “The Hat doesn’t Fit.” It didn’t work at Whistling Strits and it didn’t work this week. “Everyone knows that.”
It’s possible, and many golfers have done so before, including Rory McIlroy. Michael Collins of ESPN tweeted that Cantlay’s claim that he couldn’t find a suitable hat – even though the players were measured months in advance for the team uniforms — was “like a fat man at Whole Foods saying I can’t locate the vegetables.”
Cantlay wants to win the Ryder Cup, but to say otherwise is absurd. This is the same guy who said to his Whistling Straits teammates, “Let’s step on them and score 20 points.”
Fans began to taunt Cantlay in the stands, as he was playing with American Wyndham in a fourballs game against McIlroy, Fitzpatrick, and Fitzroy. Cantlay was taunted by fans at the sixth green. They shouted, “Show Me the Money,” and at the 16 th, they began waving their hats.
On September 30, 2023, spectators at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy, threw their caps and hats at Patrick Cantlay (not shown) during the Sunday afternoon fourball matches at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images).
I’ve never seen so many people standing up at the tee box and greens. Cantlay thought it was great. You know, when we went to the first hole today, I told Wyndham that we would use all of the energy there as fuel. And we did.
If there’s a crack in the U.S. locker-room, it didn’t look like one when Cantlay acted out tipping his hat and his teammates around the green responded with their own.
“Y’all don’t quit,” American Brian Harman replied as Cantlay faced Hat-Gate questions at a subsequent press conference. “We love one another, man. I’ve had a lot of fun hanging out with these guys. “Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m saying, I love you boys.”
Cantlay replied, “I love you too, Harm.”
Clark replied, “I think you are putting too many things into your hat.”
Harman snorted, “They said it, but it must be, on Twitter.”
If it’s on Twitter it’s real. Cantlay continued, “Verified.”
Joe LaCava, a caddie, waves his hat with Patrick Cantlay, a member of Team United States, on the 18th hole during the Sunday afternoon fourball matches at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, Italy on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images).
The hat-waving on Saturday had another unintended consequence. Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava had enough of the day. He has worked with Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, and many others during his distinguished 30-year career. McIlroy was trying to line up a putt in order to tie the match. Tensions erupted. The situation escalated from being chippy and getting personal. McIlroy was restrained and assisted into his team car by Shane Lowry. Cantlay’s decision to play without a cap was the catalyst for the Ryder Cup getting interesting.
Paul Azinger, NBC. “He could come out tomorrow with a hat with a big ol’ middle finger on it.
What are we doing in this country if all Americans do not come out tomorrow to play without hats with Cantlay?
