Riviera Country Club was left stunned this Friday after the unexpected withdrawal of Tiger Woods midway through the round. Nobody performs better in cold scenarios than Patrick Cantlay (-13). He is the master of ambiguity. He never conveys his emotions. Today he handed in a scorecard of 65 strokes, with six birdies and no bogeys, and anyone would have signed to see his face at the 18th that he had done +2. He is a rock.
Cantlay has opened a significant gap in the classification. It is true that there are 36 holes left, but the five strokes he has put in between with the second place are serious. More than 70% of the players who finished the second day with this advantage in their favour ended up winning the tournament. The last one to do so was, curiously, Brian Harman at the Open Championship. That is to say, statistically he has many chances of taking the cat to the water.
Cantlay is a very fair leader. Not in vain, he has combined the two most important areas of the game in this Los Angeles field. He has been the best in the shots to green and number one on the greens. Impeccable and unstoppable. There you have his five-stroke lead.
Today Cantlay has hit the shot, figuratively, of course, and also literally, as his second shot on hole 15 has been a delight. Top. He had a little more than 190 meters to the flag and has left the ball less than one from the hole.
Now comes the hardest part, resisting the advantage, protecting himself from the attacks that are going to come from behind and trying to be a prophet in his land, since the American, famous in the past Ryder Cup for the cap controversy, was born in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles and an hour by car from Riviera, that is, being generous and as long as the Los Angeles traffic is not a greater hell than it already is.
Cantlay has a five-stroke margin over Luke List, Jason Day and Mackenzie Hughes, while six are Corey Conners. Hovering in the top 10 with malicious intentions, Will Zalatoris (-6), author of a hole in one in the second round, Xander Schauffele (-6), Tony Finau (-5) and Hideki Matsuyama (-5).
Of course, Scheffler (-4) should not be ruled out either. The moment he completes a great round of golf with the putter he will be unbeatable. He still has time this weekend. Today he signed two birdies and an eagle. Two of those three hits he achieved by putting from outside. There’s no way, it’s impossible.
We must also highlight the great reaction of Max Homa (-4), with a round of 65 strokes, the lowest tied with Cantlay, Hughes and Conners. Another great round was that of Rory McIlroy (-2), who handed in a scorecard of 66 strokes to secure the cut and still give himself a remote option.
On the other hand, illustrious names such as Justin Thomas, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark or Nick Dunlap have been left out of this first cut in a tournament designated in 2024. Among those who have made the cut, honours for Gary Woodland, his first weekend since he suffered the brain tumour that kept him months away from competition.
