Patrick Cantlay silences critics at Genesis Invitational after calls for ‘huge’ PGA Tour fine

Patrick Cantlay is in contention to win the Genesis Invitational and end his 18-month wait for a PGA Tour title after three solid rounds of golf at Riviera Country Club

Patrick Cantlay is still on course to win the Genesis Invitational – despite being criticised for breaking a PGA Tour rule.

Ex-Presidents Cup vice-captain Tony Johnstone called for Cantlay to receive a “huge fine” after he failed to shout fore twice during the opening round of the tournament at the Riviera Country Club in California. Johnstone was furious with the 31-year-old’s etiquette.

Back to back shots and Cantlay hits a ball-spotter and then spectators around the green,” wrote Johnstone on X. “Would a shout of ‘fore’ be out of the question?” Johnstone then added: “(Cantlay) should be nailed with a huge fine.”

Despite the controversy, Cantlay is poised to claim his first PGA Tour title since defending the BMW Championship in August 2022. He shot a round of 70 on Saturday to reach 14 under par, boasting a two shot lead over Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris.

Schauffele and Zalatoris both carded a 65 on Saturday, putting them in the running at the Genesis Invitational. Luke List trails Cantlay by three shots, sitting at 11 under par, with Harris English and Jason Day one shot behind.

Despite the competition behind him, Cantlay remains optimistic about winning once more. He expressed satisfaction with his performance, mentioning that he did not have to rely on difficult putts.

Cantlay acknowledged that he did not have many opportunities but overall, he considers it a good day and is in a strong position for the upcoming final round. However, Schauffele is also in good spirits.

The winner of the Olympic gold medal stated that in order to perform well in golf at Riviera, one must be on top of their game, and he has been able to achieve that in the past few days.

He expressed his desire to have a chance to compete on Sunday. Schauffele noticed that Pat is still scoring birdies, making him a formidable opponent to beat at the moment.

Cantlay and Schauffele, who have a close friendship, are both in a strong position to potentially win the Genesis Invitational. In contrast, Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion, is not faring as well, currently sitting at four under par after shooting scores of 74, 66, and 69. Despite not winning a major in the past decade, McIlroy believes that his game is in a strong place leading up to the Masters in April.

He expressed satisfaction with the progress made last week while working with his coach Michael Bannon, feeling optimistic about his performance despite not being in contention.

Overall, he feels confident in the state of his game. Tiger Woods will not participate in the final round on Sunday due to withdrawing on Friday because of an illness.

The 15-time major champion, who also serves as the tournament’s host, informed fans on X that he had to pull out from the Genesis Invitational because of illness, specifically the flu. Woods mentioned that he is currently resting and improving.

Wishing the players good luck for the upcoming weekend. Expressing regret for not being able to attend and expressing gratitude to Genesis and all the fans for their support.