Kenny Kim designated Patrick Cantlay his “Hustler Play of the Week,” predicting the $8,100 LIV star will slip to 8–10 percent ownership while chalk concentrates on Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley and Justin Rose in the same salary band. Cantlay is hardly out of form—he owns a 4th-place finish and two additional top-15s in his last six starts—and has produced two top-12s in previous Open Championships. Kenny pointed out that Cantlay’s ball-striking has remained elite and that the short game, a weak spot earlier this year, has shown positive gains over his last few events. At a price that fits balanced builds and an ownership discount that grants immediate roster leverage, Kim sees Cantlay as the ideal third or fourth click for GPP players who want ceiling without eating chalk.

Cantlay’s $8,100 salary is his cheapest in years, and Lack sees that discount as a perfect ownership pivot. The Californian gained 5+ strokes on approach at the Rocket Mortgage and is "playing far better than the results suggest." With most DFS players gravitating to flashier names in the $8k band, Lack wants Cantlay’s well-rounded profile and hot irons in GPPs.

Eric Polzin said Patrick Cantlay is finally a player he is willing to click at a major, calling him the sixth-best specialist in his Royal Portrush model and "totally fine" in both DFS and outright pools. Cantlay’s Open resume—31st in 2019 followed by 25th, 8th, and 33rd in the last three editions—stands in stark contrast to his disappointing U.S. Open and PGA Championship performances, which Polzin chalked up to Cantlay pressing too hard. Because DraftKings slotted him in the mid-$9K range and books are hanging him longer than the usual 20-1 tier, Polzin views him as a value anchor for balanced line-ups and would sprinkle top-20 tickets to capture the floor that shows up in his 72-percent make-cut projection.

Byron Lindeque is again playing Patrick Cantlay top-20, this time at −105. His placement tool has Cantlay inside the top-20 in 55% of starts, translating to a calculated 22% expected edge at the posted price. Lindeque called Cantlay "auto-cash" last week as the Californian hovered between 10th and 20th throughout. While a plus-350 top-five is tempting, Lindeque prefers the steadier payout on a golfer who grades out elite in easy-course scoring and possesses previous top-five Rocket Mortgage finishes.

Matt Gannon said Patrick Cantlay is the best anchor in the 10-K tier at only $10,200. Cantlay’s lone Detroit start produced a T-2 where he gained strokes in every category, showing the course fits his controlled power/elite irons profile. Gannon added Cantlay would not add this start to his schedule unless he was "motivated" to rack up OWGR and Ryder Cup points, so he expects a fully engaged effort and projects another top-5 finish. The price break versus Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley gives salary flexibility while still capturing top-end win equity.

Eric Polzin said Patrick Cantlay was "basically the best play on the board" this week at Detroit Golf Club. Cantlay clears every hurdle in the Nine-to-Five model: top-5 in total driving, ball-striking and strokes-gained approach over his last 24 rounds, plus a top-10 rank in par-5 scoring. The Donald Ross specialist filter also places him in the elite tier, and the model awarded him a coveted "good outright" tag—important because the tag has produced winners in 15 straight PGA events. Polzin acknowledged Cantlay’s boom-bust recent pattern (T12 → MC → T12 → MC) but feels the predictable, soft-scoring setup mitigates that volatility. He’s anchoring Polzin’s DFS core and is an auto-bet in outright markets at anything 14-1 or longer.

Shane Bacon completed his fade trifecta with Patrick Cantlay, pointing out that Cantlay rarely plays "gen-pop" events and may treat Detroit as a tune-up. Bacon added that Cantlay has struggled to convert birdie looks lately—ranking 60th on Tour in putting from 10-15 feet—and that 22-under has been the winning score four of the last five years, a pace he doubts Cantlay matches right now.

Jason Sobel said the Rocket Mortgage Classic is one of the most predictive stops on Tour because it rewards pure fire-power and birdie making. He plans to fade expensive headliners such as Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, and other elite names who are squeezing Detroit into an already brutal month-long run of Memorial, U.S. Open, Travelers and the upcoming Scottish swing. Sobel expects their motivation and energy levels to be low after that grind, while sportsbooks will still hang short odds on them. He prefers reallocating outright and DFS exposure to mid-tier bombers who can rack up birdies without the inflated price tags.

Brandon Gdula said Patrick Cantlay remains a priority bet/DFS play despite his hefty $11,400 salary because TPC River Highlands is as close to an annual cheat code as Cantlay gets. He has seven consecutive top-15 finishes here, two straight top-5s, and has gained strokes in 26 of 28 possible categories during that span – the only blemishes being putting weeks back in 2018-19. Gdula noted the track’s demand for driving accuracy and precise wedges mirrors Harbour Town, another Cantlay stronghold, and argued the no-cut, 72-man field reduces the risk of Cantlay’s recent missed-cut funk (both in majors). With the betting markets still hanging 20-1 outright and DFS salary not quite at Scheffler/McIlroy levels, Gdula feels Cantlay’s unparalleled course fit outweighs form concerns, making him a core piece in balanced builds and a worthwhile outright sprinkle.

Derek Farnsworth called the Travelers a "get-right" spot for Patrick Cantlay. Cantlay consistently dominates Pete Dye venues and specifically loves TPC River Highlands, yet arrives at reduced ownership after a missed cut at the U.S. Open. Farnsworth trusts the long-term data—Cantlay ranks top-5 in the field on Dye courses, boasts elite tee-to-green form over the past 12 months and gains strokes in all facets except, occasionally, the putter. In a no-cut setting that rewards ceiling, Noto views Cantlay as a contrarian spend-up pivot to Scheffler.

Mike Carver backed Patrick Cantlay at 25-1 to win the Travelers. Cantlay owns multiple top-5 finishes at TPC River Highlands and repeatedly flashes low rounds here. Unlike many contenders at Pinehurst, Cantlay had the weekend off after missing the U.S. Open cut, giving him extra rest and no Oakmont grind on his body. Carver framed this as a perfect ‘bounce-back with fresh legs’ spot on a track Cantlay clearly loves.

Wes Renoylds advised skipping Patrick Cantlay in the outright market, even though the California native has never finished worse than 15th in eight consecutive Travelers starts and posted 5th and 4th the last two years. Renoylds thinks Cantlay’s current form is merely "all right"—solid but nowhere near elite—and the market is still pricing him as if a win is imminent. Renoylds expects Cantlay to flash later in the summer, possibly during the FedEx Cup Playoffs, but is content to let the iron-clad course history beat him this week. He may use Cantlay in conservative placement bets but refuses to pay a sub-20-1 number for a player whose ball-striking has slipped outside the top-25 over the past two months.

Hunter backed Patrick Cantlay at $9,800, noting seven straight top-15s at TPC River Highlands including T4 and T5 the past two years. Cantlay ranks fifth in Strokes Gained per round at the course and owns seven top-15s in 13 starts this season. Crucially, he is third in 400-450-yard par-4 efficiency over his last 50 rounds, a key split with eight of the track’s 12 par 4s falling in that window. Hunter views him as a safe, high-floor cash cornerstone with realistic win equity.

Hunter endorsed Patrick Cantlay at $9,800, noting seven straight top-15 finishes at TPC River Highlands, including T4 and T5 the last two years. Cantlay ranks 5th in Strokes Gained per round at the track and owns seven top-15s in 13 starts this season. He also sits 3rd in 400-450 yard par-4 efficiency over his last 50 rounds; eight of the course’s 12 par fours fall in that bucket, making Cantlay an ideal cash-game anchor.

Cody Williams backed Patrick Cantlay at +2200 on FanDuel, saying his profile perfectly matches TPC River Highlands. Cantlay ranks second in strokes-gained total in easy scoring conditions and fourth on comparable short courses per Williams’ model. Course history is stellar—finishes of T5, T4, T13, T13 and T11 the last five years. Recent form is quietly solid despite a U.S. Open MC: T13 at the RBC Heritage, T4 at the Truist, and T12 at the Memorial. Williams emphasized Cantlay’s consistently strong approach play and his ability to capitalize when birdies are available, calling the Travelers "one of the Cantlay spots you simply have to bet."

Cody Williams recommended betting Patrick Cantlay outright at +2200 on FanDuel, arguing that both recent form and course history line up almost too neatly for the eight-time PGA Tour winner. Cantlay shook off a missed cut at Oakmont with a run of T13 (RBC Heritage), T4 (Truist) and T12 (Memorial), gaining strokes on approach in all three. TPC River Highlands is one of his personal honey holes: finishes of T5, T4, T13, T13 and T11 the last five years. In Williams’s key-stat model Cantlay ranks 2nd in strokes-gained total in easy scoring conditions and 4th in strokes-gained total on comps to River Highlands—metrics that matter because winners here routinely push past 20-under. Add in his usual top-10 proximity numbers from 100-150 yards and a strong bent/Poa putting track record and Williams believes the California native is perfectly positioned to convert chances on a 72-man birdie fest.

Even though Byron Lindeque bet Patrick Cantlay top-20 earlier in the week, he drew a sharp DFS distinction: fade Cantlay in tournaments at $9.8K if his projected ownership climbs above 20%. Byron stressed that Cantlay’s Travelers record—six straight top-20s but never better than solo 4th—offers floor without winning upside, exactly the profile to avoid at chalky ownership. Cantlay’s recent form has also cooled (no top-15 since the Masters), so Byron would rather leverage public overconfidence elsewhere and reserve Cantlay exposure for conservative prop markets where a T12 still cashes.

Byron Lindeque locked in Patrick Cantlay at –140 for a top-20, noting the bet has never lost in Cantlay’s six career Travelers starts. Even though Cantlay rarely contends for podiums at River Highlands, he is a model of consistency, finishing no worse than T15 since 2019. With only 72 players teeing it up, Byron sees an implied probability edge of roughly 12 percentage points versus Cantlay’s historical 100 percent hit rate here. He advised listeners to ignore low podium conversion and instead treat the top-20 ticket as a bankroll builder, especially on peer-to-peer books like ProfitX where you can name your own price before the market tightens.

Eric Polzin labeled Patrick Cantlay a classic leverage play: smash him if people bail, fade him if he turns chalky. Cantlay’s recent results read like a heartbeat—MC at the U.S. Open, 12th, MC at the PGA, 4th, 13th—but his Travelers resume is pristine with finishes of 5th, 5th, 13th and 13th. Polzin’s specialist matrix also ranks Cantlay near the top for short, easy scoring courses with thick rough. If projections hold him under 15 percent ownership, Polzin plans to roll out heavy GPP exposure and sprinkle a 25-to-1 outright; if the field crowds back in, he will pivot elsewhere. "Cantlay is either a tournament-winning play or an easy fade—ownership decides it," Polzin concluded.

Matt Gannon called TPC River Highlands a ‘Pat track,’ noting that Patrick Cantlay rarely burns bettors on layouts that reward driving accuracy and dialed-in wedges. Cantlay owns multiple top-15 finishes here—including holding the Friday lead before an 8 on the par-5 13th two years ago—and ranks top-5 in total strokes gained at the Travelers over the past five seasons. With the driver largely de-emphasized and birdies required, Cantlay’s combination of elite fairway-finding (6th in fairways gained) and a putting surface (bent-poa mix) he is historically comfortable on makes him a strong outright and placement bet. Gannon expects Cantlay to, at minimum, be on Sunday’s feature coverage, whether that results in a back-door T3 or a legitimate win chase.

Gannon said he is fine eating the expected heavy ownership on Patrick Cantlay because Cantlay ‘plays great at this golf course every single year.’ He equated Travelers to Harbour Town—another Pat-friendly track where following the chalk paid off earlier this season—and expects a similar outcome given Cantlay’s elite tee-to-green consistency on positional layouts.

Andy Lack conceded Patrick Cantlay has been a bankroll-draining “scumbag” but still ranked him No. 2 in his Travelers model, pointing to elite course history and classic flop-lag dynamics. Cantlay owns four top-15 finishes in his last five trips to TPC River Highlands and ranks top-5 in the field in both fairways gained and birdies-or-better on Pete Dye designs over the last three seasons. Lack expects single-digit ownership after Cantlay’s ugly Oakmont showing, making him an intriguing GPP pivot and a live outright at roughly 18-to-1 if books overreact to the missed cut. The angle: accurate driving plus a proven knack for low-scoring Dye tracks sets up a likely T9 floor with legitimate win equity, so Lack plans to buy the dip despite recent frustrations.

Andy Lack vented that Patrick Cantlay continues to torch bankrolls despite looking flawless on paper. Cantlay’s ball-striking metrics screamed top-10 again at Oakmont, yet he missed the cut and cratered DFS lineups that paired him with Rory, Rahm and high-owned value plays. Lack argued the disconnect between Cantlay’s strokes-gained profile and actual finishes has persisted long enough that gamers should treat him as an auto-fade in matchups and GPPs until he shows he can convert the numbers into a Sunday back-nine. The opportunity cost of his $9K DraftKings salary, coupled with mounting ownership, makes Cantlay dead money in Lack’s view.

Guy Boston Sports advised jumping on Patrick Cantlay at roughly +150 for a top-20 (or pick-em for a top-30). He pointed to Cantlay’s rock-solid U.S. Open resume—T14, T14 and T3 in the last three editions—and a well-rounded skill set over his last 16 rounds: 17th in strokes gained off the tee, 17th in approach, 7th in putting and 21st in bogey avoidance. Cantlay is also coming off a T12 at the Memorial and owns a recent top-five, giving him the momentum box. In a tournament where simply avoiding big numbers is half the battle, the tout labeled Cantlay’s balanced profile and recent form a bargain at current odds.

Matt Chivers called Patrick Cantlay the best non-major winner on Tour and thinks the U.S. Open is where he finally cashes in, especially now that his price has ballooned from 28/1 to 45/1. Cantlay finished two shots behind Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst last year and owns back-to-back T14s in 2022 and 2023. He missed only one cut in 2024 while ranking 16th in total strokes gained and 25th in putting, though distance and approach numbers lagged. Early 2025 form is trending: T5 at the Amex, T5 at the Genesis (Signature Event), T12 at THE PLAYERS, T13 at RBC Heritage, T4 at the Truist. He is currently 9th in total strokes gained and 2nd in GIR percentage. Chivers believes that level of consistency plus a proven U.S. Open track record makes 45/1 a clear buy.

John Haslbauer circled Patrick Cantlay as a mis-priced contender whose skill set mirrors Oakmont’s demands. Cantlay tops the Tour in Approach Putting on fast greens and sits inside the top-10 for SG: Total at recent U.S. Opens, never missing the cut in the last five editions. He is one of only nine players ranking above average in Total Driving, Driving Accuracy, proximity from 100-150 yards, and Approach Putting—four stats Haslbauer weighted heavily. Oakmont’s 28-yard fairways and 8,500-sq-ft greens place a premium on lag putting and bogey avoidance; Cantlay checks both boxes, sitting top-5 in three-putt avoidance and SG: Total in major championships over the last five years. With a balanced tee-to-green profile and odds expected around +2500, Haslbauer views Cantlay as the best mid-tier outright and a rock-solid DFS core play for balanced builds.

Geoff Fienberg said he would rather fire an outright on Patrick Cantlay than Justin Thomas in the 37-to-40-to-1 window. Cantlay is one of the few names in that price band actually playing steady golf this season, while Thomas continues to "struggle in the majors" and makes Fienberg worry about surviving Thursday. Cantlay’s fairway-first, tee-to-green profile should travel to Oakmont, giving a 40-to-1 ticket real weekend life, whereas Thomas’s volatility could turn an outright into a Friday trash-can. Fienberg advised grabbing any stray 40-to-1s on Cantlay and leaving Thomas alone unless the number balloons well past 50.

Kenny Kim said Patrick Cantlay is the safe pivot if players don’t trust Aberg in cash games. Cantlay qualifies as a "total driver," gaining 12 yards over the average hitter this week while still hitting 1 % more fairways than the field. Kim views off-the-tee performance as Oakmont’s most essential stat—even more than approach—because missing fairways means hacking out of six-inch rough. Cantlay’s recent form includes multiple top finishes, and his balanced driving plus steady putting gives him a high-floor profile Kim prizes in cash construction.

Rick Gehman warned that Patrick Cantlay’s DFS profile does not justify his $8,900 salary at Oakmont. Gehman expects the same story we’ve seen all year: roughly +5 strokes tee-to-green matched by a cold putter, good for another T13–T18 that never threatens the win. Cantlay’s U.S. Open resume—four straight top-15s and no missed cuts—adds floor, but Gehman argued that floor is all you are paying for while sexier plays crowd the $8K tier. He noted Cantlay’s season-long numbers (2.0 SG:T2G, –0.3 SG:Putting) scream “very good, not great,” and that watching him grind par after par offers little leverage when Ludwig Aberg and Collin Morikawa sit directly above him. Gehman advised allocating salary to higher-variance, higher-upside options instead of Cantlay’s safety-without-ceiling profile.

Calling himself ‘unable to quit Patrick Cantlay,’ McClure plans to sprinkle Cantlay in outrights and top-10s. Cantlay owns the fifth-best strokes-gained tee-to-green average over the past 24 rounds on courses measuring over 7,400 yards with firm greens—conditions Oakmont is expected to feature. Although not as long as Scheffler or DeChambeau, Cantlay ranks top-15 in total driving, giving him a blend of distance and fairway rate that can limit Oakmont’s penal rough exposure. At +3500 outright and double-digit top-5 odds, McClure sees Cantlay as the value pivot off more popular Xander and Morikawa tickets.

Jim Sannes endorsed Patrick Cantlay at 22-1 and $11.3K on FanDuel because the two-time Memorial winner remains a perfect stylistic match for the track. Cantlay captured titles here in 2019 and 2021, added a 3rd-place in 2022, and ranks top-five in career strokes-gained at the venue. Sannes downplayed Cantlay’s missed cut at the PGA Championship, noting he was 4th at Quail Hollow the week prior and routinely gains off-the-tee plus on approach—both premium stats in Muirfield Village’s narrow fairway, small-green setup. With elite course history and a mild odds drift, Sannes views Cantlay as a legitimate outright and upper-tier DFS pivot off the Scheffler/Xander chalk.

Pat Mayo acknowledged he is tempted by Patrick Cantlay again this week because the ball-striking remains elite—Cantlay gained 5.6 strokes on approach two weeks ago at the Truist and continues to stripe it off the tee—but the putter is still ice-cold. Mayo said Cantlay "couldn't buy a putt" during that hot iron run and worries that another neutral or negative week on the greens makes an outright win unlikely at single-digit odds. His solution: use Cantlay in One-and-Done, DFS cash builds or top-5/top-10 bets where the tee-to-green floor still prints, but pass on the outright until the flat stick finally cooperates.

Rich Gehman called Patrick Cantlay a maddening enigma but still plans to be “warmer than the field” in DFS because of Cantlay’s sticky Muirfield Village history: multiple Memorial wins and several additional top-4s with just one missed cut prior to 2023. Gehman is tossing out the PGA Championship MC, noting he is doing the same for Thomas and others. While Cantlay looked “lifeless” at Valhalla—never under par—Gehman believes the course-fit outweighs that recent form. His strategy is to roster Cantlay roughly five percentage points above projected ownership (e.g., 18% if the field sits at 13%) to gain tournament leverage without going all-in. The ceiling remains elite, making Cantlay a worthy DFS overweight and an outright consideration for bettors willing to embrace volatility.

Andy Lack said he will not hesitate to fire an outright ticket on Patrick Cantlay if books hang anything near 25-1. Lack admitted Cantlay has been a frustrating investment this season—nearly winning at the Zurich before burning bettors at the PGA Championship—but reminded listeners that Muirfield Village is "one of his most comfortable golf courses on the PGA Tour." The two-time winner’s elite course history, combined with the expectation that softer recent form could keep ownership in check, makes Cantlay the prototypical buy-low candidate. Lack’s plan is simple: monitor slow-moving shops, pounce on any 25-1 mis-pricing, and trust Cantlay’s familiarity with Jack Nicklaus’ demanding layout to spark a ceiling week.

Pat Mayo projected Patrick Cantlay to debut around 20–22 / 1 and said anything in that range is an immediate click. Cantlay owns two Memorial victories and gained strokes tee-to-green in all five of his career starts at Muirfield Village, a resume Mayo believes books will undervalue after Cantlay’s fade at Valhalla. The wider fairways accentuate Cantlay’s elite driving accuracy, and Mayo reminded listeners that Cantlay ranks top-10 in the field in 175-225-yard proximity over the past 24 rounds—his best iron bucket. With Rory McIlroy skipping the event and Ludvig Aberg slumping, Mayo expects public money to gravitate toward Morikawa, Schauffele, and Thomas, potentially letting Cantlay drift to 25-1 by Monday afternoon. Mayo advised locking in outrights or each-way tickets before bettors recall Cantlay’s course history and steam the number back down.

Mike McClure’s SportsLine simulation spit out Patrick Cantlay as one of its top outright tickets at +4000. The model highlighted Cantlay’s rock-solid major profile—28 cuts made in 32 starts, five top-10s including a T3 at the 2019 PGA—and noted that he’s landed inside the top 25 in half of his career majors. Cantlay owns eight PGA Tour wins, has been as high as No. 3 in the OWGR, and posted top-30 finishes in both of his Wells Fargo appearances at Quail Hollow, the same track hosting this year’s championship. With course familiarity, elite ball-striking pedigree, and a friend-turned-major-winner comparison to Xander Schauffele, the model believes Cantlay is undervalued at 40-1 and worth a sprinkle in outright markets.

Michael Breed said Patrick Cantlay is a tough sell in betting markets because the putter has completely abandoned him of late. While Cantlay’s ball-striking numbers remain "really good," Breed stressed that the former FedEx Cup champ has been losing strokes on the greens for several weeks and now heads to Quail Hollow’s slick Bermuda surfaces, historically Cantlay’s worst split. With par projected to be a premium score, Breed thinks every missed mid-range putt will cost Cantlay valuable ground. He plans to sprinkle Cantlay in a few DFS GPP lineups for upside but is passing on outrights and top-10 tickets until the flat stick shows signs of life.

Mike McClure revealed he grabbed Patrick Cantlay at 45-to-1 and still rates that price as clear value. After running his simulations, Cantlay showed a positive expected value even as some books drifted down to 40-to-1. McClure compared Cantlay’s number to similarly-talented peers such as Xander Schauffele at 22-to-1 and concluded Cantlay is being overlooked by both bettors and DFS ownership metrics. With Cantlay’s elite tee-to-green profile and track record in tough major setups, McClure believes anything 40-plus is a green-light outright wager.

David Barnett said he is locking in Patrick Cantlay for a Top-20 finish at +130 because plus money on one of the steadiest tee-to-green players in the field is “a gift.” Barnett reminded listeners that Cantlay has gained at least 1.2 strokes off-the-tee in five of his last six starts and ranks 4th in total driving during that stretch. Quail Hollow’s soft, rain-soaked layout rewards pure carry distance (Cantlay averages 182-mph ball speed) and punishes crooked drives, a combination that fits Cantlay’s accurate power profile and his top-15 long-iron proximity from 175-225 yards. With the PGA Championship cutting to the top 70 and ties, Barnett thinks Cantlay’s high floor plus recent form make the +130 line his favorite cash bet of the week.

Barnett called Patrick Cantlay ‘borderline a lock’ at 45-1, citing a ball-striking resurgence that mirrors his 2021 FedEx Cup form. Cantlay has gained over 1.2 strokes off-the-tee in five of his last six starts and ranks 4th in total driving over that span. He owns four career major top-5s, including T-3 finishes at both the PGA (2019) and last year’s U.S. Open, and Barnett believes the modern PGA setups play much closer to U.S. Opens—firm greens, penal rough, premium on long-iron proximity—elements Cantlay handles well. With the Tour’s Policy Board drama no longer siphoning his attention, Barnett sees an elite tee-to-green profile coming in underpriced relative to equally talented peers in the 25-to-30-1 bucket and is adding Cantlay to his outright card before the number shortens.

At 45-1 (DraftKings) Reynolds views Patrick Cantlay as a sneaky contender. Cantlay finished 4th at last week’s Truist, leading the field in Greens In Regulation and ranking 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach. While his Quail Hollow history is average, Reynolds noted Cantlay gained nearly 3.5 strokes putting in Sunday’s final round—evidence the flat stick may finally be heating up. With top-10 Strokes Gained: Approach numbers and elite scrambling (71% last 36 rounds) Cantlay profiles well for a major where GIR rate is only 61% and slick Champion Bermuda greens punish weak short games.

Mike McClure’s SportsLine simulation model flagged Patrick Cantlay at 44-1 as one of its favorite outright bets for the 2025 PGA Championship. The model likes Cantlay’s combination of elite consistency and course history: he has made the cut in 28 of 32 career majors, owns five top-10s including a T-3 at the 2019 PGA, and finished top-30 in both of his Wells Fargo starts at Quail Hollow. Currently No. 14 in the OWGR (peaked at No. 3), the eight-time PGA Tour winner is considered the best player yet to bag a major, a label McClure believes he can shed on a track where ball-strikers thrive. FanDuel is hanging the best price, so McClure recommends grabbing the 44-1 number before it shortens.

Matt Vincenzi called the 45-to-1 outright on Patrick Cantlay the best number on the board for an elite player this week. Cantlay just posted his best approach performance in two years—gaining more than five strokes on the field—and ranks top-5 in Total Driving over his last three measured starts. Vincenzi believes the market is over-reacting to a quiet win drought and the distraction of Cantlay’s PGA Tour policy-board duties, noting that Rory’s form snapped back the moment he left that board. With Valhalla rewarding precise long irons and Cantlay’s ball-striking peaking, Vincenzi thinks bettors are finally getting compensated for Cantlay’s balky putter. He urged locking in the 45s now, pointing out that Cantlay has never been priced this far down the board in a major when his tee-to-green metrics were this strong.

Discussing Tier 2, Polzin referred to Patrick Cantlay as the "simple and easy click." Cantlay shows the highest make-cut probability in the tier, the shortest odds, and grades No. 1 in the 9-to-5 raw model. Polzin likes that combination of safety and ceiling, noting Cantlay offers both reliable floor points and legitimate win equity—ideal when you do not want to gamble in your pool’s second slot.

Geoff Fienberg said he might have no choice but to punch a Patrick Cantlay outright at 45-1 because the number has finally drifted far enough to reward Cantlay’s quietly elite ball-striking. Fienberg pointed out that the Californian is flushing it again—ranking top-10 in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green over his last four measured starts—and yet the market still prices him as if he were in his usual 22-to-28/1 window. With Quail Hollow rewarding patient long-iron play and Cantlay recording three straight top-15 finishes while gaining with both driver and irons, Geoff thinks the 45-1 sticker is a classic over-reaction to his winless season. He is willing to accept mediocre recent putting because the projected −8 to −10 winning score reduces the need to make every 10-footer. Fienberg framed it as a simple value play: "Mock me for a 45 if you want, but the skill set is exactly what wins here."

Eric Polzin labeled Patrick Cantlay the “cheapest safe-upside option” on the slate, perfect for builds that fade the 11K giants. Cantlay has made 16 straight cuts and rolls in with solid form— 4th last week, then 13th, 36th, 33rd, 12th, 31st, and 5th in preceding starts— giving managers a high-floor path to 6-of-6 lineup survival. Although his Quail Hollow history is modest, Polzin trusts Cantlay’s combination of tee-to-green consistency and all-weather short game to bank another top-20. At $9.5K on DraftKings he delivers $1,000+ in savings versus Rory and Scottie while still carrying legitimate win equity. Polzin recommends slotting Cantlay into cash games and single-entry GPPs, noting that any outright number north of 30-1 is worthy of a sprinkle.

Marc Williams pegged Patrick Cantlay at 40/1 as mis-priced given his pedigree. Cantlay owns multiple wins at big-boy PGA Tour stops—twice at the Memorial, twice at the BMW Championship—as well as the 2021 Tour Championship, yet somehow has only five top-10s in 32 career majors. Williams noted that the 33-year-old has not missed a cut all season and was T4 at the recent Truist Championship, signalling trending form. Cantlay’s combination of driving accuracy and elite lag putting plays at Quail Hollow, a course that rewards patient ball strikers. Williams believes the ‘best player without a major’ tag could disappear this week and recommends both outright tickets and top-5 props.

Despite a winless streak since August 2022 and a best Quail Hollow finish of T-21, McLaren likes Patrick Cantlay at +4500 (DraftKings). Cantlay is gaining more strokes off the tee than McIlroy over their last 16 measured rounds—doing so with far better accuracy—and his 0.91 SG:Approach in that span ranks 12th in the field. He’s 14th in the OWGR, arrives off a T-4 at the Truist Championship, and hasn’t missed a cut in nearly a year. McLaren will also grab a top-10 at +360 but feels the outright number is long relative to Cantlay’s tee-to-green profile and recent form.

Matt Gannon also endorsed Patrick Cantlay in the mid-9K range. He stressed that Cantlay is both long and accurate off the tee—exactly what Quail Hollow’s long Bermuda track demands. With ownership likely tempered by recent lukewarm finishes, Gannon sees Cantlay as a strong leverage play capable of contending if the driver cooperates.

Rich Gehman sees Patrick Cantlay trending at the right time. Cantlay has gained strokes putting in two of his last three starts and is averaging roughly +1.0 strokes per round ball-striking in 2025—up from +0.5 in 2024. He back-doored a T4 at Truist despite a late bogey and doesn’t need a win to pay off his DraftKings price tag. Gehman thinks the steady tee-to-green improvement perfectly fits a Quail setup where par is valuable. While Cantlay’s major record still feels light for a player of his caliber, Gehman views him as a strong DFS leverage play and top-20 bet this week.