PACIFIC PALISADES — Between his time at UCLA and the 12 years he has been playing on the PGA Tour, Patrick Cantlay has played a ton of rounds at Riviera Country Club. But it’s doubtful that he ever played two better back-to-back rounds at the famed course than he has over the first two days of this week’s Genesis Invitational.
Cantlay followed his opening round 64 with a bogey-free, 6-under-par 65 in Friday’s second round, leaving the former Servite High star at 13-under 129 and five shots ahead of a trio of golfers at 8 under – Jason Day (69), Luke List (69) and Mackenzie Hughes (65).
Cantlay’s two-round total of 129 ties his third-lowest 36-hole total in a PGA Tour event and he and List are the only two players in the field with just a single bogey through 36 holes. Cantlay’s five-stroke lead ties Sam Burns (2021) for the largest margin through 36 holes in the tournament’s storied history.
Through two rounds Cantlay is 6 under on Riviera’s par-5s, 5 under on the par-4s and 2 under on the par-3s, highlighted by a phenomenal demonstration of putting. Through 36 holes he is No. 1 in the field in strokes gained putting, having gained 6.876 shots on the field.
“I’m putting great and leaving the golf ball in the right spot, which is really key around here,” said Cantlay, who has probably played the course 70 times in college and as a pro. “It’s the best putting surfaces I’ve ever seen around this place. I like when the greens are really fast, and they’re as fast as I’ve ever seen them and I’ve made a bunch. It’s a golf course I’m really comfortable on and it’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen it.”
As a Southern California native, Cantlay said this tournament feels like a “home game,” and the local fans have shown him plenty of love through the first two rounds, giving him loud ovations and shouting words of encouragement as he made his way around the course.
Cantlay has said he considers Riviera one of the best…
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