It appears Patrick Cantlay was just warming up when he emerged as low amateur at the U.S. Open last weekend. The 19-year-old UCLA golfer followed that with a blistering 36 holes at the Travelers Championship on Friday, including a course-record 60 in the afternoon, to take the tournament lead at 13 under par (67-60 – 127).
His closest challengers, Webb Simpson, Vaugh Taylor, D.J. Trajan and Alexandre Rocha, was four strokes behind him in a cluster for second place.
Cantlay, who twice eagled the par-5 13th hole at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., is bidding to be the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991, when Phil Mickelson won the Phoenix Open. No amateur has ever won the Travelers – Jim Grant tied for second in 1964.
Competing in soft conditions, with no wind and players using lift, clean and place, Cantlay’s round of 60 featured eight birdies and the eagle on 13.
