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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

November 5, 2017

Patrick Cantlay

Las Vegas, Nevada

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome the 2017 champion of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Patrick Cantlay. Patrick, welcome to the winners circle in the PGA TOUR. If we can get some comments on what was a memorable day for you?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, tough day towards the end, but really easy at the start. I felt like I needed to go out there and make a bunch of birdies. I was trying to get to 12 or 13 under. I thought that would be close. But with the wind coming in, obviously it was a little different end to the tournament.

JOHN BUSH: I know it's early in the season, but you move up to No. 3 in the FedExCup standings and that sets you up really well now. Talk a little about your goals heading into the rest of the season?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, goals for the rest of the season, definitely majors. It will be nice to be into all of those, and making it all the way to the FedEx final and playing well in those events, those are big. First time playing last year, and really realized the gravity of them, and would like to do well and compete there too.

Q. Your journey has been well documented. It's been a long while since you've (inaudible). What does this mean to you?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I don't really associate the two together that way. It feels good to be doing what I feel like I was born to do and what I practiced to do for such a long time. The other part is so separate and it was such a heartbreaking deal that I don't even -- it's not even on the same level as golf.

But on the golf side, having won, I hope they pile up. I feel like getting your first one can sometimes be the toughest one to get, and I feel really good about my game, and hopefully I can start getting some more wins.

Q. (Inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: There's not a lot of give up in me. I never really thought about giving it up. I thought maybe there was a chance my back would never feel good enough to play again. But, fortunately, I feel great. I have a good program. I figured out a way to feel good all the time. It's all good. I'm happy to be playing.

Q. (Inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Well, it was really two different days out there. It was really like the first 14 holes, and then the last four holes. The first 14 holes was a shootout. For me, it felt like every time I wasn't making a birdie I was losing ground. Then the last four, with the wind kicking up, I mean, that wind in and off the left on 18 makes that hole particularly difficult, and I was just trying to hit quality shots all the way to the end. The finish did not happen how I thought it would, but it was just enough.

Q. (Inaudible) do you feel like you had kind of missed your chance at 18?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I knew it was tough, so I knew those guys were behind me and they still had to play the 18th hole. I wasn't really worried about those guys. I was trying to, like I said, hit quality shots until the end and try to finish strong.

I made a few bogey putts there on 18 that I ended up really needing and staying present and being able to make those putts when I had done some things that I didn't intend on was big for me.

Q. I wonder if you could take us through the second half hole (inaudible) and the chip shot on the second playoff hole?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Second playoff hole, I hit a drive to the right. I thought it would be okay, and it was right behind those trees, kind of in between them. I felt like I could chip out and hit that shot that I hadn't been able to hit the last couple times, or play one that went kind of through them, under one, and back to the right. I felt like as long as I kept it below the tree branch that was in front of me and cut it enough, I felt like it would go in a pretty decent spot.

I maybe didn't cut it as much as I wanted to. I think the rough stopped it from being able to spin and get any cut on it, but it ended up in a good spot. It was a good shot. I was very committed to hitting a good one there. The two-putt was no -- the two-putt was no gimme. So good speed on the first one and tapped the second one in.

Q. What club did you use?
PATRICK CANTLAY: That was 4-iron.

Q. How far did you have?
PATRICK CANTLAY: 185.

Q. If I could follow-up, all the time it's taken you to get a victory (inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Sure. Like I said, there were times that I didn't know if my back was going to get better to where I could play golf with no pain. I knew that I would definitely -- I had a medical. I had ten events on a medical, and I knew I for sure would play at some point. I wasn't going to just leave them hanging. I would play and see if I could get through it. But there were some really low times. I'd say I'm better because of it, as tough as those moments were.

But sticking to it and really being committed to what you're going to do and working on it every day, I mean, that's how I got through it. I got through it by just putting my head down and trying to do everything I could every day, and that's all you can do. Take it one day at a time. I feel like if you do that and really stay committed to that, you can get through pretty much anything.

Q. I know you're playing a limited schedule with your back, going forward is that something you'll continue to do, play a limited schedule?
PATRICK CANTLAY: At the start I was just taking it slow. I had taken so much time off I wanted to take it slow and really give myself the best opportunity to feel good all the time. Fortunately, I felt great, and I've played a lot of golf recently. I played four out of five weeks for the playoffs, and then two in a row after flying to China last week.

So, you know, my back feels good. Sitting here right now, I feel great. So looking forward to playing more. But I'm still going to pick my spots. I feel like the more you pick the tournaments you want to play, so when you show up, you are ready to go, that's the best way to go about it.

Q. It really wasn't that long ago you had (inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Feels like a long time ago.

Q. That's my next question. Do you sort of feel like you (inaudible) because it's a victory that you'd like to see?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I don't feel like I'm behind the eight ball. I feel like it feels like someone put the pause button on playing. But I feel like I picked up right where I left off, where I was playing good before. I feel like this year has been really good. I don't feel like I'm behind the eight ball with those guys. It's been great to see those guys play well because I know their games. I know who they are as people. I know how hard they work. I know what they do.

I feel like I've always been right there with those guys, so looking forward to working hard and hopefully having some battles with them in the future.

Q. (Inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, of course, I want to be the best player in the world, and I want to win a bunch of tournaments. I feel like if that's not what you're out here for, you shouldn't be out here.

Q. You mentioned the two-putt on 18 (inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: It would have been nice. I thought I had a chance to just burn the high edge a little bit. It was good pace though. That's all I was worried about. Trying to give myself dead weight, and hit it with really nice pace.

Q. (Inaudible) was there a notion that you only have so much time left to play golf?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Not really.

Q. (Inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Sure, and I've put in a lot of hard work. But I knew that I'd be able to get to where I wanted to be if I felt healthy. If I felt like I didn't have pain and I could practice and prepare for tournaments. I know how to practice and prepare for tournaments, so I can do what I want. I feel like I can play well and compete with anybody.

Q. (Inaudible)?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I really wasn't. My main goal was just to get 100% healthy. I knew if I could get 100% healthy, everything else would take care of itself.

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