News
Golf is a Team Sport
By Michael Williams
Special to GolfWRX
I had the best run of my life picking games in this year’s NFL playoffs. I predicted the Giants and Patriots in the Super Bowl at the beginning of the playoffs (oh, yes I did).
I was so dialed in that I was predicting turnovers and two plays later they would happen. I missed on only two picks: the Steelers-Broncos game and the Super Bowl. And in both cases I got it wrong cause I bet on a superior player being able to overcome a superior team. Ben Roethlisberger is clearly a superior player to Tim Tebow, but the Steelers were decimated by injuries and were sufficiently diminished as a team to make them vulnerable. In the championship game, Tom Brady’s brilliance could not overcome the combination of a stellar performance by his opposite number Eli Manning the fact that the Giants’ superior personnel at virtually every position. In each case, the better team beat the better player.
As we continue to read the tea leaves of Pebble Beach for indications of what is coming in 2012, one thing is becoming clear. More than ever, today’s PGA Tour is a team sport.
Football is the analogy that comes to mind because the comparison of Brady and Manning fits so nicely with the premise. Brady and Tiger have both had their time as the absolute rulers of the roost. Their combination of skill, charisma and the ability to perform at their best when the stakes were highest propelled them into the pantheon of the greatest in their respective sports. Manning and Mickelson, though extraordinarily gifted in their own right, have been considered to be lesser versions of their storied rivals. Although the stage was not as grand as Manning’s in the Super Bowl, Mickelson produced a dazzling display of golf, trumping his rival Woods yet again in a head to head matchup. But it wasn’t just Mickelson alone. It was Team Mickelson.
A modern golfer has three basic components to his or her team. First is the caddy, a combination of coach, conspirator, consultant and confessor. The only member of the team that is on the field of play with the athlete, they have to have the physical strength to carry a 70 lb. cart bag six miles uphill, and the internal strength to trust their livelihood to athletes who have psyches more brittle than a frozen DVD. Second is the swing guru, who is responsible for giving the athlete the practical tools to enable them to win. The best of them like alchemists, able to take a player’s raw talent and turn it into gold. The third component is the family. The wife and children are front and center at most tournaments for a reason; they are the teammates that are present in other sports. They share the training table meal, travel on the planes, checking into the hotels and cheering on the sidelines. A stable, healthy and happy family is crucial to the ongoing success of the athlete.
When you match up Team Woods vs. Team Mickelson, the team concept gains credence. At the height of his power, Team Woods consisted of Tiger, Steve Williams, Butch Harmon and a gorgeous wife with two lovely children. Steve Williams won’t win Miss Congeniality, but he is one of the best in the game at what he does. He caddied for some of the best in the game before landing the Woods gig and he earned every one of the billion pennies that he made, managing the on-course performance of maybe the biggest prima donna/SOB in sports. But, as the saying goes, it takes one to know one. Butch Harmon was and is the greatest swing coach in history, end of story. Don’t talk to me about Harvey Penick, Jim Flick, etc. It’s all about Butch, baby. And despite the crash landing, Elin and Tiger started out as a happy couple that produced the heir that Earl so badly wanted to see before he passed away. With these three anchors in place, Tiger went on a run seldom seen in the game. He wasn’t even competing with the field; at every event he was paired in a foursome with History, Legacy and Destiny. He gave them two strokes a side and beat them going away.
Now, Team Woods has had a complete turnover at every position. Now on the bag is Joe LaCava, a guy who spent 20 years with Fred Couples and most of last season with Dustin Johnson. He is experienced and professional, but it’s a little different handling two of golf’s acknowledged nice guys and one of its most petulant performers. The guy who flies F-16s is a pilot; so is the guy who flies for JetBlue, but you wouldn’t expect to swap them out and not notice the difference. The latest swing guru is Sean Foley, who seems to have convinced Tiger of his methods but is seriously lacking in the “what have you done for me, ever” category. I think everyone knows the story of the home life.
Contrast that with Phil. He has his caddy Jim “Bones” Mackay, who has been with him his entire career and knows him better than he knows himself. Bones reads moods and greens equally well, so he knows exactly when Mickelson needs a kick or a cuddle. Butch Harmon is now in service of Mickelson, and every time Phil commits to Butch’s swing principles he wins. If Phil ever decided to put in the hours on the range with Harmon that Tiger did, history might look different. Lastly, Phil has a devoted family that has only been strengthened by their recent trials. Now that they are healthy and happy, both athlete and family can concentrate on winning.
Advantage, Team Mickelson.
The issue that golf enthusiasts have with the belly putter is that the club should not be anchored to the body. The plain truth is that every club, every swing is anchored to the mind. The more stable the mind, the more productive the golfer. In stressful times, you have to able to trust yourself; you learn to trust yourself by trusting others. Phil has built a formidable circle of trust, and it will be fascinating to see how far it takes him. For Tiger, it seems that the one person that he ever trusted thoroughly, his father, left his team and this life. In this chapter in his life, the key to regaining his ability may hinge on his lifelong quest for stability in Team Woods.
Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum
Michael Williams is the contributing editor of Newschannel8 Capital Golf Weekly and Bunkershot.com, as well as a member of the Golf Writers Association of America.
You can follow Michael on twitter — @Michaelontv
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
