Cantlay Fires 60 in Rain-Wracked Travelers Championship


After rains prevented all but two players from completing their opening rounds in the Travelers Championship on Thursday, weather was a factor again Friday in the $6 million PGA Tour event.

But the wet conditions didn't halt amateur Patrick Cantlay's assault on the rain-softened TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. The UCLA sophomore-to-be fired a spectacular 10-under 60 in his second round, when lift-clean-and-place provisions were instituted.

Cantlay posted eight birdies and an eagle - the latter coming for the second straight round on the par-5 13th hole - to take a four-stroke lead over PGA Tour regulars Webb Simpson (65), Vaughn Taylor (66), D.J. Trahan (62) and Alexandre Rocha (66).

After completing a 3-under 67 in the morning, Cantlay told reporters he was enjoying his time in Cromwell, particularly after surviving last week's U.S. Open at Congressional, where he finished as the low amateur. "Not nervous really at all after last week," he said before teeing on in the second round.

"You know, not unnerving at all. The golf course is good. It's in real good condition after all the rain. The greens are a little slow, but they're really true. If you have a good roll on them, they'll go in."

Because of more rain Friday, the players weren't able to resume their first rounds until 12:45 p.m. Play on the second 18 didn't start until 5:30 p.m., so, for some, the second round will be completed Saturday morning, weather permitting.

PGA Tour rookie Jim Renner got off to a hot start with a 7-under 63. Ryan Moore and Andres Romero posted 6-under 64s, while firing 65s on the rain-softened course were Taylor, Brian Davis, Rocha, Michael Putnam, John Rollins, Chris Couch, Bryce Molder, Johnson Wagner, Nick Watney, Zach Johnson, Fredrik Jacobson and Michael Bradley.

In his second 18 on Friday, Cantlay, playing on a sponsor's exemption, fired a 5-under 30 on the front nine. On the back, he got three birdies and the eagle for another 30. He needed only 24 putts in the second round.

Cantlay's 60 was the 24th time that score has been made in PGA Tour history and the first time an amateur has ever gone that low in a Tour event. The last amateur to win on Tour was Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Other low second rounds were 7-under 63s by Heath Slocum and Brandt Snedeker; both are at 133 through 36 holes.