“It was definitely colorful. Thought I played pretty well the front nine, had a mis-hit drive on seven, felt weird; from then on out wasn’t driving it very well. That’s what I’m going to go do, and work on that for tomorrow,” DeChambeau said before spending another lengthy session on the range.
The night before he worked on putting after missing a six-foot putt that would have given him a historic 59.
“Putter is great right now. That’s something I worked on last night and I figured something out. Keeping my hips a little more still has helped out, and I’m seeing the lines a little bit better,” he explained.
“It’s taken me a little bit to acclimate for some reason, but I’m now ready to go with the putting, and hopefully I can get it done tomorrow.”
While DeChambeau is a wild ride, Cantlay is – with all due respect – perhaps as vanilla as they come on the TOUR. Not that there’s anything wrong with vanilla. While birdies and eagles rained down across the course Cantlay stayed as steady as always.
He was unphased by what was going on anywhere around him. He didn’t blink when DeChambeau went five-under in three holes to surge ahead by three. He was impervious to the roars that echoed throughout the property and just locked into his own game.
He had started the third round in style, three under through the first three holes with an eagle and birdie of his own. But you wouldn’t know it. There wasn’t a fist pump to be seen.
Sitting four behind through 12 holes and with two par-5s to come Cantlay might have been forgiven for thinking it might not be his day. He never thinks that way.
“It’s not difficult. If staying patient wasn’t going to help — there’s nothing I can do at that point. I’m just trying to stick to my game plan. I know there’s birdies out there, and every day you play, you might play with someone that’s on a tear,” Cantlay deadpanned after.
Two holes later he had the lead as DeChambeau went swimming twice. Cantlay’s expressions never changed. Did he even see it happen? How did he feel?
“I feel pretty much the same, just working on my business. I’m just trying to stay in my own little bubble out there,” he added. “I feel like that’s the best way I can go about doing my thing and it gives me the best chance to succeed.”
So Sunday awaits. There is a trophy to be had. There are FedExCup positions to gain ahead of the TOUR Championship. There are Ryder Cup spots. Plenty is up for grabs.
What are each expecting?
“Fireworks,” DeChambeau says.
“Same old process,” Cantlay counters.
Of course.
