Patrick Cantlay loses hat sponsor after Ryder Cup furore and Rory McIlroy clash
Ryder Cup star Patrick Cantlay is best remembered from his time in Rome for the fuss that followed his decision to refuse to wear the USA team cap. But the world No. 5 won’t have to worry about that going forward after he was dropped by his headwear sponsor.
The former FedEx champion became a major talking point at the biannual team matchplay event when a rumour emerged that he was refusing to wear his team’s cap in protest against the fact that Ryder Cup players do not get paid for appearing in the competition.
The 31-year-old denied the claim and insisted his decision not to wear a hat was simply because the one-size item did not fit his head.
However, that did not stop the American from running the gauntlet of fired-up European fans on the second day with the galleries waving their hats at him and singing songs about his bank balance.
Cantley needed to sink a long putt on the final green of his Saturday fourballs match with Wyndham Clark against the European pairing of Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick to ensure that the USA team could not lose the match.
When he made the putt, Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava broke into animated celebration on the green, ironically waving his own hat at the crowd before doing the same to McIlroy as the Northern Irishman tried to line up a putt to half the match.
Initially, LaCava refused to step away from McIlroy, who went on to miss the putt. The scene sparked an unsavoury confrontation between the pair that continued in the car park with the world No. 2 caught on camera firing a volley of expletives at the American team.
Ultimately the Europeans would go on to regain the Ryder Cup with a comfortable 16.5-11.5 victory. But Cantlay’s cap drama became a key flashpoint from the flagship event.
Now, Goldman Sachs has decided not to renew their endorsement contract with the American star, according to a report in the New York Times DealBook, as report The Fresno Bee.
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Cantlay has worn a cap with the financial institution’s name on the front of it for the past four years on tour, as part of a brand awareness campaign for their consumer banking services called Marcus.
But a Goldman Sachs spokesperson told DealBook: “We constantly evaluate the firm’s partnerships, and at this time, our logo will no longer appear on his hat.”
There has been no suggestion that the company’s action was driven by the drama of the Ryder Cup and Cantlay is expected to remain involved with Goldman Sachs, with board member Mark Flaherty also sitting on the PGA Tour’s board.
But for now at least, the decision over whether Cantlay wears a cap or not during his rounds will not be driven by money.
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