Patrick Cantlay downplays Bryson DeChambeau calling him out for walking
Whether it “put a little chip” on his shoulder or not, Patrick Cantlay wasn’t going to feed the fire after his BMW Championship victory.
Cantlay was asked about a situation on the 14th hole in the final round, when Bryson DeChambeau backed off his approach shot and said, “Patrick, can you stop walking.”
The NBC Sports announcing crew was a bit taken aback.
“You know, I’m surprised he called Patrick out like that,” said analyst Paul Azinger. “I mean that could break your own concentration when you call a guy out.”
“I completely agree with that take, Paul,” said on-course commentator Jim “Bones” Mackay, Phil Mickelson’s longtime caddie.
Announcer Dan Hicks asked how often that happens.
“Almost never,” Azinger said. “I think it might have broken Bryson’s concentration. Probably put a little chip on Cantlay’s shoulder.”
Cantlay went on to birdie that hole – DeChambeau made par – and eventually won in a six-hole playoff.
When asked about the situation after the round, Cantlay said, “He just wanted me to stop walking. We had just been told by the rules officials to kind of speed up, and I’m not always the fastest walker, so I was trying to get ahead and do my part. No big deal.”
There was little-to-no conversation between Cantlay and DeChambeau, the final twosome, throughout the round and a quick handshake between the two after Cantlay finally ended the playoff.