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Sergio Garcia Surprises Golfers at Bethpage Black

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On a recent spring morning at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, local golfers were following their normal routine.  Range balls were being struck and tee times confirmed. Then something out of the ordinary happened. Fresh off the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, TaylorMade Staffer Sergio Garcia strolled up to the driving range. The mood couldn’t have been more different than in 2002, when Sergio’s frustration with U.S. Open spectators came to a head at Bethpage Black. Instead, he was greeted by both surprised and ecstatic golfers.

Beyond the “meet and greet,” Garcia then announced that all golfers would be fit for TaylorMade’s SLDR S driver. This was part of TaylorMade’s “Distance for All” campaign for the SLDR S family, which the company says is designed to fit a wide variety of golfers and swing speeds. Check out the day’s highlights in the video below.

[youtube id=”7ZhCf8omzYQ” width=”620″ height=”360″]

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Derek

    Jul 13, 2014 at 8:41 am

    While I’m a HUGE fan of major companies like TMAG giving back to the pouplace and having stars like Sergio and Bubba et all surprising golfers with visits and givewaways…

    Why are TMAG and the pros focusing on premier golf courses..? (yes I realize that Bethpage and it’s 5? courses are public… But it costs $200 with a cart for any non-NYState resident and like $120 even for a resident…)

    We keep going on about how we want to grow the game and increase continued participation… I golf at least bi-weekly and have for 5 years and counting… but when I see the major companies and pros supporting the more prestigious courses and the wealthier-already-committed golfers and giving them free gear… What does that say to less wealthy, less fortunate and less-inclined-to-golf golfers?

    I for one already do not support TMAG as a company. And now further I have lost almost complete respect for them as a golf icon because I now know that never will I be able to enjoy the pleasure of meeting a professional golfer; the pleasure of a free driver fitting by the “#1 driver in golf”; the pleassure of a free “#1 driver in golf”.

    I feel as though this was the wrong tactic. I can GUARANTEE most of the people playing Bethpage Black that day had updated or decent drivers. I can GUARANTEE that your average lower quality course where half the guys still use their dad’s, brother’s, uncle’s sets and the other half have 2-3 year old sets cause they can barely afford to play; let alone gear up every year, would have appreciated the sentiment much more.

    Just my 2 cents.

  2. Dan

    Jul 7, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    Funny that they have a “Distance Driver” event at BSP Driving range, where we are not allowed to hit drivers b/c they go onto Round Swamp Road

  3. Lee

    Jul 2, 2014 at 3:06 am

    What a blast for those lucky enough to have been involved.

  4. Tom

    Jul 1, 2014 at 11:09 am

    Nice job Taylormade. Good for all the folks at BP, Taylormade, and Sergio. Worth every penny they paid for all those drivers, the help getting it done and Sergio to be there. Nice to have us “commoners” surprised once and a while

  5. Tin Whistle

    Jul 1, 2014 at 11:06 am

    Way to go, Sergio. Now go win the Open Championship.

  6. Brodie Hock

    Jul 1, 2014 at 10:33 am

    Sergio still has Sergio moments…but he has come along way since the US Open at Bethpage back in ’02

  7. Pingback: Sergio Garcia Surprises Golfers at Bethpage Black | Spacetimeandi.com

  8. Martin

    Jun 30, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    Very cool.

  9. Will

    Jun 30, 2014 at 8:45 pm

    I was at this event, it was pretty awesome. Got fitted for a 10* SLDRs. Very cool promotional event by TaylorMade.

    • Dave C

      Jul 1, 2014 at 11:11 pm

      Were you given the driver or did you pay for it?

      • I

        Jul 2, 2014 at 3:41 am

        Free, like it says, they were giving them away. Free.

      • steve

        Jul 2, 2014 at 4:01 pm

        Yeah Sergio was there selling them out of his trunk

        • Billy baroo

          Jul 2, 2014 at 7:23 pm

          Yup getting rid of the ” junk in his trunk ” good one BILL!

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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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.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

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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

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

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BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

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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)

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