Golfer Patrick Cantlay graduates from amateur status, forgoes eligibility for PGA Tour
Sophomore golfer Patrick Cantlay decided to turn professional after playing for two seasons at UCLA to play in the PGA Tour.
By Steven Covella
June 25, 2012 3:03 a.m.
Graduation is a moment of mixed emotions: excitement for the future and disappointment that a big phase of life is over.
While UCLA golfer Patrick Cantlay won’t be experiencing graduation anytime soon, as he announced Tuesday that he would turn professional, the sentiment is still the same.
“Obviously we’re losing a great player; but not only that, he’s a great teammate,” rising senior Mario Clemens said of Cantlay. “We all learned a lot from him, so we’re sad to see him go, but I’m excited for what he has ahead of him.”
The decision to drop his amateur status by signing with an agent means Cantlay, who just finished his sophomore year at UCLA, will no longer be able to compete at the collegiate or amateur levels.
Aside from winning the national championship that eluded the Bruins in his two years at UCLA, there wasn’t much, if anything, left for Cantlay to accomplish in the amateur and collegiate ranks.
“I had a really good time at UCLA for my two years,” Cantlay said. “I learned a lot and I developed a lot, and I’ve played really well this last year. I feel like it’s time for me to play as a pro.”
Since entering UCLA in the fall of 2010, Cantlay has risen to the top of the world amateur rankings, won multiple player-of-the-year awards and won low amateur titles at two PGA Tour majors. Cantlay’s ability to mature and adjust to the high-level of play demanded by PGA Tour events ““ and to play well in college on top of that ““ were indicators to himself and those around him that it was time to move on.
“Last year, everything hit him so fast. … It was probably tough to wrap his arms around what it meant and it’s taken him a year to kind of digest everything that took place,” said coach Derek Freeman, referring to Cantlay’s tremendous success last summer.
“It takes time to line everything up and get everything to where you want it to be and maximize his opportunities ““ and that’s what this is all about ““ he’s able to maximize what’s going on in his life right now,” Freeman said.
While the UCLA program will be losing a high-caliber golfer with Cantlay’s departure, his impact on the collegiate and amateur levels will be felt for years to come.
His success at major professional events has proven the value of having amateurs in PGA Tour events, said Freeman.
“More than anything, he probably gave exposure to college golf better than any amateur has done in a long time,” Freeman said.
“Absolutely for UCLA because he carried the bag and wore the hat ““ I think everyone knew he played golf at UCLA ““ but I think more than that, he proved that college golfers at their best can compete at the highest levels.”
Outsiders will notice the absence of Cantlay’s stoic, yet strong, presence on the golf course, but his teammates will miss the person they’ve become friends with off of it.
“On the course, (most people) think of (Cantlay) as quiet and very to himself, but he’ll talk your face off pretty much,” rising junior Anton Arboleda said, “He knows a lot and he’s not afraid to talk off the course when he feels comfortable with a group of people.”
Looking back on the freshman who came to his program in 2010, to the professional golfer leaving the program now, Freeman is most impressed with Cantlay’s drive to get to this point.
“(Cantlay came) in as a young player, had really lofty goals and really wanted to prove to himself that he’s a great player. To see him act upon that and carry through with that is pretty impressive,” Freeman said.
“There’s a lot of kids out there that have the goals and the thoughts, but aren’t able to carry through with it, and he was able to do it.”
