At Riviera Patty Ice can win like the Wee Icemon

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — No Tiger (out with the flu). No Jordan Spieth (out because of a scorecard error). No problem for the Genesis Invitational Saturday, where a guy nicknamed “Patty Ice” is going to make people at Riviera Country Club remember a guy nicknamed “The Wee Icemon.”

Nobody would dare equate Cantlay, although a top current player, with Ben Hogan, one of the greatest golfers of all time.

But here we are at Riviera, “Hogan’s Alley,” where Ben won three times, including the 1948 U.S. Open—it was the Scots who called him “ Wee Icemon,” for his victory at Carnoustie.

And there is Cantlay continuing to stay ahead in the Genesis, if by three fewer shots than 24 hours earlier.

Cantlay had a 1-under 70 for a 54-total of 14-under par 199. His longtime pal and rival Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris, who both had 65s, are at 201.

“Yeah, I mean I played solid UCLA golf today,” said Cantlay. “I didn’t make any long putts or anything. Didn’t really give myself too many chances, but all in all a solid play and in a good position for Sunday.”

The chance he has here is to go wire-to-wire in what in effect is not only his hometown event (he’s from Long Beach, 20 miles away) but to win on the course across Sunset Boulevard.  

From where he went to school, UCLA. 

He also has the chance to toss a few good-natured pointed remarks at Schauffele, who is from San Diego, and San Diego State, maybe another hour and a half down Interstate 5.

“It’s a pretty comfortable pairing for us,” said Schauffele. “We play a lot week in and week out. We both love to compete. There’s nothing more we like to do than compete in big events.”

This may not be as big as the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, in which Schauffele won the gold medal for men’s golf, but it’s big and historic enough, especially in a city full of celebrities and at a location where there’s a statue of Hogan next to the practice green.

“I have a lot of friends and family out here watching, friends from Virginia Country Club where I grew up.”

Cantlay has won eight times on Tour, including the FedEx Cup. He knows what to do. So does Schauffele. So do Schauffele and Zalatoris. 

No Tiger. No Spieth. As a substitute, we have a potentially exciting conclusion.