20.05.12
If Patrick Cantlay, the world's top-ranked amateur, seems mature for 19, consider that he's been playing with PGA Tour pros since he was a little kid as part of instructor Jamie Mulligan's renowned program at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, Calif. "Patrick has the maturity level of someone a decade older," says Mulligan. "He's not reacting to outcomes. He's doing the process and loving the game and getting himself
comfortable so he can play well regardless of whether it's the U.S. Open or a PGA Tour event or the NCAAs." Cantlay, who as a freshman at UCLA won the 2011 Nicklaus Award for Division I player of the year, is sneaky long and has a pure putting stroke. He's now working to diversify his long game "without a mechanic," in Mulligan's preferred lingo. "At the
highest level, [shot-making is] done without thinking, 'my knee is here' or 'my elbow is here.'" The big question is when Cantlay will try to play at the
highest level full time. With Mulligan and Cantlay focused on the long term, it may be a while before this can't-miss kid is playing for pay. Pros, after all, don't rush.
Source: ESPN