SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

October 6, 2020

Patrick Cantlay

TPC Summerlin

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get started. Like to welcome Patrick Cantlay into the interview room here at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Patrick is our 2017 champion, a two-time runner-up, so if we can get some comments, Patrick, on a place that is near and dear to your heart obviously.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, it's always nice to be back here playing. The golf course is in about as good a shape as I've seen it. Looks like it's excellent, I think better than any the last three years that I've been here.

So it's a golf course I really like. I think it's good and it rewards a guy who drives the ball really straight. You got to play from the fairway, but if you do, you got a lot of scoring opportunities and you can make a bunch of birdies.

THE MODERATOR: Before we open up to questions, let's talk a little bit about last season. I know that's a motivating factor for you. You finished 34th in the stands and really made sort of a valiant run there at the BMW Championship but came up a little bit short.

Just talk about your goals for this season.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, last year was weird obviously with the big break and everything and the limited schedule, so I feel like actually my game has been better lately. I played well in Chicago, and so there is a ton of events this year still left, and big events that are going to have great fields.

I'm excited. It still feels like last year even though it's a new year. I think after play these next three events, which are obviously really big events, we got a couple week break before the Masters.

There are still some really big events in this calendar year, and I am looking forward to them.

THE MODERATOR: Great. We'll open up to questions.

Q. Patrick, I don't know where you live, but have you thought about buying some property around TPC Summerlin?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I'm in south Florida so I got the tax situation covered, so...

Q. Could you go into a little bit more about -- I mean, one, two, two. There has to be a little more than you just liking the place, or is it just the fact that you like the place?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I think, like I said, it really rewards driving the ball in the fairway. A lot of the tee shots look good to me here, so I do play from the fairway a lot around here.

Just feels like -- you know, some courses you play and you feel like you can make a bunch of birdies, you feel like there are a lot of birdies holes out there. For me out here it feels like almost every hole is a birdie hole. Feels like I have a lot of opportunities around this place, and I feel comfortable with the lines and everything.

I have a lot of confidence here, so I've played well.

Q. You alluded to it a little bit earlier. There were some -- a stretch there where you weren't Patrick Cantlay, you weren't the Patrick Cantlay that we've become accustomed to. Was it any specific part of the game? Was it anything that you're working on going forward that you look back on that might help you as you go forward?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I think it was just -- it was a weird year for me last year. Felt like when I was gaining momentum like something happened, you know? I was feeling like I played okay on the west coast. I was just about to kind of really round into form, and then I decided it get that nose surgery so I wasn't able to go play Mexico or the first Florida events.

Then I came back ready for the PLAYERS Championship and my game was actually feeling pretty decent and I played good that first round. Then we went into the big shutdown, kind of took away all my momentum. On the restart just took me a few events to get back into my old self.

It's just kind of a weird year. I think if it would've been a normal year without that big break that might not have been the case. But it was, and like I say, there is a bunch of tournaments this year that are still left before the new year. I'm really looking forward to them because my game feels good.

Q. Hey mate, how are you going?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Hey, Ben.

Q. Are you playing again next week, and do you think your luck in Vegas will extend?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I've never played golf course next week, but I am playing. I'm playing the next two weeks. I've heard really good things, so, yeah, I'm hoping so. It's the same elevation, so there is that little added layer of complication here in Vegas compared to other weeks.

So that'll stay the same. I've heard the golf course is really good, so I'm looking forward to seeing it. Obviously you hear a lot about that place, and don't -- at least for me -- haven't had a lot of the opportunities to play. I'm excited to go see it.

Q. That was going to be my next question. Have you had any stories out of Shadow Creek that you can share?

PATRICK CANTLAY: No. I've never been there. The first time I saw any pictures of it was during that Tiger/Phil match and it looked good. I'm excited to see it. I heard it feels like a little oasis out there. Like you're out in the desert but doesn't feel like you're in the desert, so that'll be cool to see.

Q. Talk about playing without fans, if you've gotten used to it, what the advantages, disadvantages are, especially after two majors how it felt to not have fans.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I think it's definitely different for most of us who have played in those big events with fans before.

I think if you hadn't played or hadn't seen crowds like that it was maybe -- I don't want to say to your advantage -- but not as much of like a shell shock. So maybe for some of the rookies it leveled the playing field a little bit.

But I think we've played a lot tournaments now with no fans or relatively no fans, so for me it's not too much different as far as how I feel. I'm still trying to shoot the lowest score.

But at times it is a bummer not seeing them, especially if you were to make a birdie or hit a great shot. So I think I've played a bunch of tournaments with fans more than without and I enjoy having them out there. Sometimes feels like they help you focus. Feels like more of a stage.

So I'm looking forward to having them back, and hopefully they come back soon.

Q. Patrick, have you played Augusta National in November?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I haven't, but I have played in January, and so I think November will probably be better off than January. January it was -- grass was really long and it was very cold.

It changes the golf course. Makes it much more difficult.

Go ahead.

Q. What are your thoughts about playing the Masters in November?

PATRICK CANTLAY: I think a lot of it will be weather dependant. I don't know if we'll get a different wind. I imagine it could potentially be cold, and if it is really cold it would change the golf course immensely.

I'm looking forward to seeing it. I think a place like that has so much tradition and so much allure that if we see it with some brown and yellow trees, maybe that would be cool. And looking back on it, it'll be interesting to say in the future, I played in that fall Masters.

Then also it's kind of exciting to think that the Masters are only -- you're going to play two Masters in the next six or seven months, so that's also kind of interesting, too.

THE MODERATOR: Well, Patrick, if the past is any indication we may see you back in here Sunday afternoon. Thanks for your time today.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Thanks, John.