Jack Cantlay’s first nine holes at the U.S. Junior Amateur were lackluster.
Two bogeys, a double and a lone birdie added up to 39 as he made the turn at Bandon Dunes on Monday. It was a respectable score, but if he really wanted to make some noise, he’d need some more inspired play on his closing nine.
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Cantlay — younger brother of PGA Tour star Patrick — carded four birdies and two eagles over his final nine holes at Bandon, good for a record-setting 28. The total represented the lowest nine-hole score in U.S. Junior Amateur history.
“It’s just another round of golf,” Cantlay said after his opening-round 67. “Sometimes you play good and sometimes you play bad. Today, I played good.”
Good is a bit of an understatement. Cantlay’s front nine (he started on No. 10) was nothing short of blistering.
The 18-year-old made 3 on every hole but one during his run, carding a ho-hum 4 on the lone outlier at the par-4 7th. He eagled both par-5s — each stretching over 550 yards — and birdied four of the five par-4s. Oh, and this was the first time Cantlay had ever broken 30 for a nine.
“[There’s] a first time for everything, I guess,” he said.
He picked a heck of a time for a first like this.
Through eight holes on Monday, Cantlay was four over and looked to be fighting just to make it to the match-play bracket. But after going nine-under over his last 10 holes, he’s just a shot off the lead heading into Round 2.
“Every round of golf is the same,” Cantlay said of his mindset heading into the second round. “Just try and go out and do what I did today.”
If he continues to play like he did Monday, Patrick won’t be the only famous Cantlay in golf for long.