Patrick Cantlay has become the focal point for the European-strong crowd in Rome at the Ryder Cup following reports he’s refusing to wear a hat in a protest about players not getting paid, but Zach Johnson has rubbished those claims. Team USA got off to a sluggish start to the defence of their 2021 Ryder Cup victory as Europe raced to a five-point lead by the end of play on Friday.
But there were murmurs in the background that it wasn’t only the tricky conditions on the course that were causing Team USA problems. The US team were said to be ‘fractured’ with Cantlay named as the person leading the ‘split’.
He is said to want players to be paid and is demonstrating his frustration by not wearing a team cap in the event. European fans caught wind of the report and soon began trolling Cantlay throughout the day on Saturday, waving their hats around in jest whenever the American came near them.
But the American team appeared to pour cold water on the reports as they adopted the waving hat celebration for themselves when Cantlay dropped a clutch putt on the 18th hole to keep Team USA within five points heading into Sunday’s singles. Both Cantlay and USA captain Johnson were asked about the reports surrounding the supposed rift reportedly led by the 31-year-old.
Cantlay refused to be drawn on the matter, brushing off all questions regarding ‘hat-gate’. But Johnson gave a more pointed answer, insisting there is no truth to a fractured dressing room and that Cantlay is very much on board with his entire team.
“I’m going to assume it’s social media garbage of that nature,” Johnson said. “This is the closest knit team I’ve ever been associated with.
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“This team is different, it’s special. Patrick is one of those 12. He is beyond committed. If anything, I would like to emphasise that he has been an awesome leader inside our clubhouse.
“That is an asinine statement. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Cantlay’s agent also told Sky Sports that the American is simply not wearing a hat because he ‘couldn’t find a fit that he was comfortable with’. Reports that Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are sitting separately from the rest of the US squad were also quashed.
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