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Tour Mash: Kisner gets his first win, Rory back in the winner’s circle

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Kisner wins his first at Sea Island

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When a man throws a 64 with his left hand, then follows it up with a 64 with his right, he’s likely to win the fight. In this case, Kevin Kisner won a tournament, the RSM Classic, with just that weekend combination. For Kisner, the win was his first on the PGA Tour and a long-anticipated one. He had come close before, losing three events in playoffs this year alone. This time, Kevin Chappell was tasked with the runner-up duties, watching as Kisner made five birdies on Sunday’s outward nine to sign the check. Unlike the three close calls, Kisner knew how to close at Sea Island, as he explained in a post-round interview:

“I told my caddie, I said, There is no lead big enough. I’ve lost two of ’em on this hole before. It was a nice way to finish. I just hammered that drive down there on 18. A lot easier hole down there with a 9-iron in your hand.”

Related: See the clubs Kisner used to win in Georgia.

Rory back in the winner’s circle, wins 3rd Race to Dubai title

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If Rory McIlroy had properly quoted Mark Twain after the DP World Tour Championship concluded, he would have smiled and said “the report of my death was an exaggeration.” Since his mid-season pickup football injury, since the world’s infatuation with Jordan Spieth, since Jason Day’s remarkable turn at the PGA Championship along Lake Michigan, the golfing world did what it often cannot resist: it wrote off a golfer. Not Tiger Woods written off, but he’s not the guy anymore written off.

So when McIlroy blitzed third-round leader Andy Sullivan, four birdies to one, over the stretch from Nos. 11 to 15 on Sunday, the satisfaction must have been significant. With a season-ending win and a third Race To Dubai season title, McIlroy rejoined Spieth and Day as favorites to rank first in the professional golfing world. In his mind, McIlroy needs to do one thing, as he said after the round:

“I want to try and get healthy and get stronger again, get my body back, because I haven’t been able to do as much in the gym as I would have liked over the past few months, so really concentrate on that. I’ve got an eight-week period where I don’t have to play golf.”

Related: See the clubs Rory used to win in Dubai.

Kerr wins, Park and Ko claim season-ending honors

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There was a time when Christie Kerr was the Lydia Ko and the Inbee Park of the LPGA Tour. On Sunday, Kerr recalled what that was like, as she used a eagle on No. 17 to separate herself from Gerina Piller and win the CME Group Tour Championship. Not that Piller made it easy, as she birdied five of the final six holes to finish one stroke shy of a playoff. This was Kerr’s second win of the season, and a massive shot of confidence as the year draws to a close.

On the approach shot that set up her clinching eagle, Kerr had this to say:

“If you pull it going into that green, you can go down in the dip. That’s not an easy up-and-down. If you hit it right, you could be against that wall in the bunker. I knew I needed a perfect shot at that time. I stayed there and made my practice swing until I felt the shot I wanted and then I pulled it off.

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In addition to Kerr’s glory, Lydia Ko became the LPGA Tour’s Race to the CME Globe champion, earning a $1 million bonus for winning the year-long competition. She also claimed the tour’s money title.

Inbee Park earned the LPGA Tour’s Vare Trophy, awarded to the golfer with the lowest scoring average. In addition, Park earned enough points to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, an honor that will be conferred at some point next year, her 10th official season on tour.

Senior “the senior” wins the Australian Masters

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Ponce de Leon was a bit off on his calculations in the search for the Fountain of Youth a few centuries back. Peter Senior found it this weekend at Huntingdale Golf Club at the Australian Masters. Neither Adam Scott’s opening 64 nor the threat of U.S. Amateur champion and new golf darling Bryson DeChambeau could throw a scare into the 56-year-old victor, who shot 68-68 on the weekend for a two-stroke victory. Qualifying for the Gutted award was Andrew Evans. After birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 tied him with Senior, the 29-year old Aussie promptly bogeyed the final two holes to drop into a tie for the runner-up spot.

Gove wins the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational

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The TaylorMade PBI is an enjoyable event that unites golfers from many of golf’s major tours. PGA, LPGA, Champions, Web.Com, Mackenzie…the list of represented tours is robust. For some of the entrants, the event is a fun reward for a successful season. For others, like Jeff Gove of the Web.com tour, it’s an opportunity to gather some confidence after a year of struggles.

Gove finished 147th on the Web.com money list in 2015, not where he wants to be in his mid-40s. This week, though, the Pepperdine alumnus played like a man set on returning to the big Tour. Gove opened with three consecutive 69s to take the lead into Sunday. His final-round 66 at Pebble Beach secured victory by two strokes over Kevin Sutherland and Duffy Waldorf.

Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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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.

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Photos from the 2025 3M Open

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GolfWRX is live from the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities!

Back from our overseas journey, we have plenty for you to digest from Minnesota, including WITBs and in-hand looks at some pretty impressive putters.

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Photos from the 2025 Open Championship

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GolfWRX was live this week across the pond for The Open Championship! Check out links to all our galleries from Royal Portrush below.

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