BMW Championship: Cantlay stuns DeChambeau for 3rd PGA title

Patrick Cantlay did what many believed was an extremely difficult task. He won the BMW Championship on Sunday, putting a fitting end to an epic battle with Bryson DeChambeau by making an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.

DeChambeau missed a lot of chances throughout the tournament that looked like his all along. He missed a 6-foot putt for 59 on Friday and then missed four birdie putts to win in regulation and in the playoff on Sunday. In the end, he missed the most important putt of the week from just inside 10 feet to extend the playoff. It cost him the victory.

Cantlay made putts from 8 feet for par, 8 feet for bogey, and 20 feet for birdie on the final three holes of regulation for a 6-under 66, the last one to force a playoff. He holed par putts of 6 feet and 7 feet on the 18th hole in the playoff.

The last one gave him his third PGA victory of the season. Not only did it move him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings, but the victory also gave Cantlay the sixth and final automatic spot on the US Ryder Cup team.

Cantlay now starts the Tour Championship with a two-shot lead based on his standing as the race concludes for the $15 million prize.

It was a big disappointment for DeChambeau, who powered his way around Caves Valley and appeared to have it wrapped up when he birdied the par-5 16th for a one-shot lead, and then watched Cantlay put it in the water on the next hole.

Instead, his only big moment was saving par after driving into the stream right of the 18th fairway on the fourth extra hole.

As if the final round wasn’t entertaining enough, there were a few testy moments between the only two players who had a chance to win all day.

DeChambeau was rolling his eyes when Cantlay marked and studied 2-foot par putts on the front nine. Cantlay was walking up the 14th fairway as DeChambeau prepared to hit his approach when DeChambeau backed off and asked him to stop walking.

This was a tough loss in other ways for DeChambeau, who also closed with a 66. They finished at 27-under 261. No one has ever shot 261 on the PGA Tour and didn’t take home the trophy.

(With AP inputs)