Kristoffer Reitan is currently in contention at the Truist Championship. This comes after his week at the Cadillac Championship, which saw him tied for second.
Reitan’s Unexpected Cadillac Championship Performance
Kristoffer Reitan’s week at the Cadillac Championship was unexpected. The 28-year-old Norwegian found himself tied for second at 9 under alongside Scottie Scheffler and Si Woo Kim, six shots behind leader Cameron Young. His Saturday round reflected how quickly he has settled into the PGA TOUR. He produced a composed performance in demanding conditions at Doral.
“My round? Very, very pleased,” Reitan said. “Very, very difficult. Conditions out there, a lot of wind, it’s a tough golf course to begin with. Just happy with the way I was able to maneuver my way around there.”
That ability to “maneuver” defined his week, especially considering how it began.
A Last-Minute Entry
Not even Reitan’s caddie, Tim Poyser, expected him to get into the field. Following their T2 finish alongside Kris Ventura at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Poyser flew home to Edinburgh, Scotland. Reitan had a casual round lined up Tuesday at Panther National with Rasmus Højgaard, Marco Penge and Ventura.
Everything changed when Patrick Cantlay withdrew due to illness. Reitan moved to first alternate and scrapped his recreational round, heading to Doral to prepare. Jake Knapp withdrew about an hour before his Thursday tee time with a sprained thumb, and Reitan was in, stepping into a pairing with J.T. Poston.
Caddie Issues Resolved
The logistical scramble didn’t end there. Poyser couldn’t make it back in time for the opening round, leaving Reitan without his regular caddie for Thursday. His swing coach, Denny Lucas, carried the bag on short notice, and Reitan opened with a bogey-free, 4-under 68. Poyser returned Friday and resumed duties for the r.
Navigating Doral’s Blue Monster
Reitan navigated Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster for three days. The course demanded creativity – shaping shots, managing trajectory and accepting that par was often a good score – and Reitan delivered.
- Reitan sank a 6-foot putt for birdie on No. 16 at Cadillac.
- He reached par-5 No. 8 in two and made birdie at Cadillac.
In blustery conditions at Doral, he produced a controlled performance. This performance belied his late arrival and relative inexperience at this level.
Reitan’s week at the Cadillac Championship was never supposed to look like this. It wasn’t supposed to include a spot near the top of the leaderboard, a Saturday charge through punishing wind, or a Sunday tee time with a realistic chance to contend in one of the PGA TOUR’s Signature Events.