Patrick Cantlay's beautiful summer continues. A University of California, Los Angeles student, who reached the semi-finals on Saturday in Wisconsin, will play against Kelly Kraft tomorrow for the U.S. Amateur Championship, using Mizuno JPX800 irons.
If Patrick Cantlay achieves ultimate victory on Sunday, it will be a huge step forward for him. In reality, at the U.S. Open, Patrick Cantlay has already shown that his future in professional circles is likely to be among the stars. Now, he just lacks a major victory. "Very special," Patrick Cantlay said, "Perhaps one of the most amusing things in my life."
Patrick Cantlay is currently the world number one amateur player. On Saturday, with his TaylorMade R9 Driver, he won a 4 & 3-hole victory over Jordan Russell. Texas' Kelly Kraft, using a Scotty Cameron putter, triumphed in the other semi-final with a 3 and 2-hole victory over England’s Jack Senior.
22-year-old Kelly Kraft from Southern Methodist University faces a tough battle in the final, as Patrick Cantlay's resume significantly outweighs his own. But Kelly Kraft said he would rise to the occasion. "Tomorrow we will have drama on the golf course; so far, we've been successful and played well," Kelly Kraft said, "Tomorrow I feel good fortune."
Sunday’s final will consist of 36 holes. The first 18 holes will begin at 8:30. 19-year-old Patrick Cantlay will continue as a sophomore at UCLA. He tied for this year’s U.S. Open in 21st place, winning the Best Award for amateur players. Additionally, he held his ground at the Travelers Championship in June, tying for 24th, where he shot a second-round 60, par 10 medals.
R&A executives initially ranked Patrick Cantlay at the top of the amateur rankings. The players ranked second, third, and fourth are all Americans: Jordan Spieth, Peter Uihlein, and Patrick Rodgers. All these players made it to the quarterfinals last Friday. Pete Uihlein is the defending champion of the United States Amateur Championship. In the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship, Pete Uihlein defeated Patrick Cantlay in the semi-final. "This year’s semi-final, I wasn’t as nervous as last time; I think this is because I’ve participated in these events before," Patrick Cantlay said.
In the first six holes, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Russell were tied. But on the seventh hole, a 617-yard par 5, Patrick Cantlay successfully shot a birdie, taking the lead. Patrick Cantlay had subsequent bogeys, twice bogeying, but his opponent, using a TaylorMade R11 Driver, maintained a 1-hole lead. "Then I started moving up," Patrick Cantlay said.
From there, Patrick Cantlay never lost the lead. "Once Patrick got momentum, he played consistently... as hundreds of times before," Jordan Russell said.
22-year-old Jordan Russell from Texas A&M University, using a Titleist 910D3 Driver, was defeated by Pete Uihlein in the quarterfinals. After the game ended, Pete Uihlein praised Jordan Russell as one of the most underrated college players. "This week was big," Jordan Russell said, "On average, I played some of the toughest games I've ever encountered early in the morning, yet I played well, and there were two."
Kelly Kraft took the lead on the third hole and never lost it. "I still have a few more holes to play, so until then, I don't want to get too high," Kelly Kraft said, "Until the end of that round, I have peace of mind. Hope that tomorrow, I can perform properly."
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