Golf fans all say same thing after seeing images of Patrick Cantlay at Presidents Cup practice
PGA Tour star Patrick Cantlay arrived in Canada wearing a Team USA cap, prompting a unanimous reaction from golf fans.
Patrick Cantlay is unlikely to be accused of leading a split within the Team USA locker room at the 2024 Presidents Cup.
That's because he rocked up to the first day of practice at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada, wearing a team cap.
The action gets underway on Thursday with five rounds of foursomes matches and Cantlay and the red, white, and blue are expected to run out comfortable winners against Mike Weir's International team.
Cantlay became a pantomime villain at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy for apparently refusing to wear a team hat as a protest for not getting paid in the biennial contest.
A report came out at 11am on the Saturday morning of last September's showdown at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club claiming that Cantlay, along with Xander Schauffele, were sitting in a separate area of the locker room.
By the end of the day thousands of European fans were taunting Cantlay.
The golfers were reportedly unhappy about not being compensated for playing in the Ryder Cup and also allegedly pushed back against allowing the Netflix cameras inside the team room.
Schauffele's father, Stefan, later confirmed his son was involved in a tense exchange with the PGA of America that almost saw him booted out of the team on the eve of the contest.
Cantlay also reportedly refused to attend the annual gala dinner.
For their part, they both denied the reports and claimed nothing could be further from the truth.
"It's not about that [the money]," Cantlay said when asked directly about his decision not to wear a cap.
"It's just about Team USA and representing our country."
Pressed further, Cantlay refused to give a concrete answer on whether Ryder Cup participants should be paid.
Captain Zach Johnson said reports of a fractured team were also wide of the mark.
"There is not a rift in this team room," he said.
"This is one of the most united teams I have ever been associated with.
"And when it comes to the dollar sign, I don't mean to sound cliché, but the Ryder Cup is about more than any of that.
"It's about standing with a band of guys to represent your nation, to represent more than you in the game of golf.
"And you know what, I would say if there's anything that deals with money, there's guys that would pay to play in this.
"So I am not understanding that, and I think that is extremely inaccurate and arguably irresponsible."
Cantlay is likely to partner Schauffele again this week.
On paper, the duo look like one of U.S. captain Jim Furyk's most formidable pairings.
Team USA have already got in their first practice session.
Here's some comments from golf fans after seeing Cantlay in a hat:
"Is that Pat in a hat?"
"Is Patrick going to be paid to play this week?"
Other fans suggested the 2024 Presidents Cup is likely to be a dull affair, given the absence of some of the best players in the world.
The U.S. team is without Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
Both players are prohibited from playing because they are still banned by the PGA Tour, which runs the Presidents Cup.
The International team is also without the likes of Cameron Smith, Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann.
Will you be watching the 2024 Presidents Cup?
Let us know on X or join us on Facebook.
