Patrick Cantlay is trending up at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, while Kurt Kitayama’s shaky second round could signal trouble in Memphis.
Scottie Scheffler may own the spotlight at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but two very different weekend stories are developing behind him.
Patrick Cantlay is moving in the right direction. Kurt Kitayama suddenly looks vulnerable.
Cantlay enters the weekend at 5-under par, six shots behind Scheffler, after another encouraging performance at TPC Southwind. He isn’t likely to needlessly chase the world No. 1, but as Joe Idone with PGATOUR.com pointed out, his position gives him a legitimate opportunity to climb into the top five and secure valuable FedExCup points.
Cantlay arrived in Memphis ranked No. 42 in the FedExCup standings, putting added importance on every spot he can gain during the first playoff event.
His history at TPC Southwind also suggests he’s comfortable on this golf course.
He finished runner-up here in 2023 and has recorded top-15 finishes in each of the past two editions. Friday’s ball-striking provided another reason to believe a weekend charge is possible.
Cantlay even supplied one of the round’s highlights by holing a 30-foot approach shot for eagle at the par-5 third.
If the iron play stays sharp, he doesn't need anything spectacular. A couple of steady rounds could push him much higher on the leaderboard while others begin feeling the pressure.
Kitayama faces almost the opposite situation.
After sharing the first-round lead, Kurt Kitayama stumbled to a 3-over 73 Friday, sending him tumbling into a tie for 27th.
More concerning than the score itself are the underlying numbers.
Through two rounds, Kitayama ranks 52nd in putting, 53rd around the greens and 41st off the tee. He’s also finding only about half of his fairways, putting enormous pressure on his approach game to keep rescuing him.
That's a difficult formula at TPC Southwind, where one missed shot can quickly bring water, rough or bogey into play.
Kitayama's ball-striking ability gives him enough firepower to recover, but Friday showed how quickly things can unravel when other parts of his game aren't cooperating.
So while Scheffler tries to run away from everybody, Cantlay and Kitayama enter Saturday headed in opposite directions.
Cantlay looks positioned to quietly climb. Kitayama now has to prove his opening-round surge wasn't temporary.
