Patrick Cantlay has really impressed on the PGA Tour since turning professional back in 2012, although this season hasn’t been his strongest.
Cantlay spends hours on the course daily in a bid to constantly improve, with a more successful 2025 undoubtedly the main target now.
The American does already boast a fine honours list, including eight PGA Tour titles, but none have come in 2024.
Cantlay has, however, made 18 of 19 cuts this season, with four top-10 finishes and 12 top-25 finishes to his name.
He has also featured in several team events over the years, including the Ryder Cup, while Cantlay helped the US Team win the Presidents Cup last month.
Patrick Cantlay notices big change on the PGA Tour over the last decade
But the 32-year-old has now admitted that the game has undergone major change since his breakout season.
Speaking on The Golfer’s Channel, Cantlay said: “I definitely had a different idea of how the game was played and also the game has evolved. The equipment has gotten so good that the ball doesn’t really curve that much. Even when you are trying to curve it, it doesn’t curve that much.
“When I first turned pro I played the old Tiger Woods tournament, which was the Quicken Loans, at Congressional. I got paired with Notah Begay. He grew up with the balata ball. Notah swung really smooth, super smooth with every club. His idea was that every left pin, he was going to hit a big draw and every right pin he was going to hit a big cut.
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“The game is just not played like that any more. The ball doesn’t curve as much as the balata ball used to curve. So now everything is very subtle. I actually think if you are playing the best possible golf, you are maybe only curving it two or three yards if you’re playing from the fairway all day.
“But when you get at the highest level of golf, when you are playing really firm golf courses, it’s really important when you are going at right pins for the ball to be turning left to right if you really want to get that golf ball a little bit closer. Nobody is playing like Notah any more.”
Why 2025 is a big year for Patrick Cantlay on the PGA Tour
Cantlay did come close to success at the major championships this season, having finished T3 at the US Open.
Elsewhere, he finished T22 at the Masters, before T53 and T25 finishes at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship respectively.
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The American will already have goals for the 2025 PGA Tour season, in what is a massive year given how the Ryder Cup is on the agenda.
Cantlay will undoubtedly be eyeing a spot on Keegan Bradley’s team, with the duo having both recently impressed at the Presidents Cup.
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