Patrick Cantlay was born in Long Beach, California to Steve and Colleen Cantlay, He has a sister, Caroline, and two brothers, Nick and Jack Cantlay. He attended Servite High School where he won the California State High School Championship as a senior.

In his freshman year at UCLA, Cantlay won four tournaments and won the Haskins Award as the most outstanding college golfer in 2011. He was also named the Golf Coaches Association of America Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year.

In June 2012, Cantlay decided to forgo his final two years of college to turn professional.

In September 2021, Cantlay played on the U.S. team in the 2021 Ryder Cup; he won three and tied one of the four matches he played. In August 2022, Cantlay successfully defended his title at the BMW Championship.

Cantlay qualified for the US team at the 2022 Presidents Cup; he won three and lost one of the four matches he played.

Early in the 2023 season, Cantlay contended in back-to-back weeks at the Masters Tournament and the RBC Heritage, finishing T14 and third, respectively. Despite his strong results, much of the media coverage focused on his slow pace of play.