TOUR

Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele Combine for PGA Tour Victory

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele saw their great friendship progress past yet another landmark, as the duo were crowned Zurich Classic of New Orleans champions.

Schauffele, who was without a win on the PGA Tour since 2019, has come under question in recent weeks.

His brilliant display in Tokyo was enough for him to secure the gold medal, but he has struggled in stronger fields throughout the last few years.

Cantlay, on the other hand, has been electrifying since last summer, winning four PGA tour tournaments along the way.

The pair recorded a two-stroke victory over Sam Burns and Billy Horschel, who were three ahead of the Sam Ryder and Doc Redman team.

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The formidable partnership of Cantlay and Schauffele has long been an intimidating sight, but they have never won this event despite pairing on several occasions.

This season, they were determined to finally get their hands on the title, as they opened with a scintillating 59.

That was one-stroke ahead of Taylor Moore and Matthew NeSmith, who would then falter with an uninspiring 73 the following day.

Doc Redman and Sam Ryder, Aaron Rai and David Lipsky and the duo of Tommy Gainey and Robert Garrigus – who astonishingly missed the cut – were two back on 61.

If you weren’t able to watch across the weekend, the format of the tournament is: Four-ball, Foursomes, Four-ball, Foursomes.

The leading team kept their foot on the pedal during the Foursomes, as they recorded a strong 68 to expand their advantage.

The South African pair of Garrick Higgo and Branden Grace shot the lowest score of the day, combining for 64.

Jason Scrivener and Jason Day, alongside Redman and Ryder, had shot 65 for the second round of the tournament.

When you have two players as talented – and occasionally flawless – as Cantlay and Schauffele, any lead afforded to them typically proves to be majorly costly.

That was the case for Saturday, as the duo supported their Thursday’s Four-ball score of 59 with another outrageously low score, this time 60.

Burns and Horschel had propelled themselves further with a gutsy 63, and the team of Dylan Wu and Justin Lower shot a 63 of their own.

If this tournament is close, then the final Foursomes round can be particularly interesting as the players come down the stretch.

Despite Cantlay and Schauffele shooting a sub-standard 72 by their own standards, they still triumphed comfortably in the Louisiana sun.

Horschel and Burns played valiantly for their 68, but the gap between them and the overnight leaders proved too mighty.

Davis Riley and Will Zalatoris, Keegan Bradley and Brendan Steele, NeSmith and Moore, alongside the duo of Bubba Watson and Harold Varner III finished T4.

The PGA Tour leaves America for the Mexico Championship next, where a certain Abraham Ancer will be looking for glory on home soil.