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Making History In Wales
More than nine years ago, in a hotel conference room in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Sir Terry Matthews was one very excited man. That day the serial entrepreneur with a Midas touch used the forum of his Canadian resort hotel and golf club – Brookstreet Resort and The Marshes Golf Course, to talk about his recent success in having his burgeoning Celtic Manor Resort in Wales named as the host facility for the 2010 Ryder Cup.
As far off as it was at the time Matthews knew EXACTLY what it would mean for himself and his native country. That’s because Matthews had been working on his Ryder Cup plan for nearly three decades.
Matthews, who was born in a farmhouse on the property his world-class Welsh resort now occupies, knew that to bring profile to any business project in diminutive Newport, Wales it would take a grand event. He also was keenly aware that the Olympics or a World Cup (soccer (football)) was certainly out of the question. Instead he focused on what was becoming one of the biggest sporting competitions in the world, The Ryder Cup.
With the plan to bring the Ryder Cup to his hometown he began the process of acquiring the land, building the resort and infrastructure, and bringing golf to life on a landscape ideally suited to the pursuit. By his side he had famed golf course designer Robert Trent Jones,Sr., and eventually his son Robert Trent Jones II, as talented and willing early collaborators. Subsequently the team from European Golf Design was brought in to create nine holes expressly for the purposes of the Ryder Cup, with Jones, II. still being consulted.
The elder Jones and Matthews had been introduced in Florida back in 1980 and formed a lasting friendship that would eventually lead to the development of Celtic Manor Resort and the Brookstreet Resort near Matthews’ Canadian home base. It was Jones who told Matthews what a great setting the Usk Valley would be for golf, sparking what would become a Welsh landmark.
This week, many, many millions of dollars later, the stage is set for the culmination of the nearly 30 year-old dream that should have a lasting impact on on Wales – across many sectors.
Matthews expects that the 50,000 people who will make their way to Celtic Manor in the next few days are the same people who will return again and again to enjoy the fine lodgings at Celtic Manor and play its 3 golf courses, including the Twenty Ten Course modified and shaped specifically for Ryder Cup action.
Some might call it one of the world’s most elaborate marketing campaigns but when the world catches site of Celtic Manor this week with the play of two competitive sides set against it, it should all make sense.
While the players and captains of this year’s respective United States and European Ryder Cup teams will likely not have thought about the event being played in Wales for as long as Sir Terry Matthews, their anticipation will likely be equal as they prepare for what are always matches that are historic in nature.
I’ll pass on the predictions on the outcome of the matches, although you can see some GolfWRX.com coverage on the topic by JB Audi here: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/412955-ryder-cup-preview-and-predicitons/ , but for those unfamiliar with the Twenty Ten course layout (which most are) let’s take a look at some key holes. The canvas that these matches will be played on, especially with a set-up that is expected to vary daily, will undeniably be a factor in the results.
The Twenty Ten Course is unlike any other ever used to host the biennial battle for Samuel Ryder’s donated trophy. No other Ryder Cup venue was molded with the needs of players, spectators, and media in mind. At the same time its flexibility is perfectly suited to golf matches of the highest level.
Designed to be spectator friendly The Twenty Ten course presents many challenges to the golfer. Depending on the set-up varying lines of play could offer great rewards if successfully traversed. At the same time, those up to those challenges may suffer greatly in the form of lost holes.
Set on the floor of the Usk Valley with the Usk River flowing throughout, the Twenty Ten Course has nine holes plagued by water. At just under 7500 yards and playing to a par of 71, it has transformed immeasurably from its beginnings as the Wentwood Hills Course.
No hole can be more critical in a Ryder Cup then the very first. With hands shaking an early lead can set the tone for a match.
Hole #1 serves up a 465-yard par four that doglegs hard to the left. Nervous players will be sure to try and avoid the grouping of bunkers on the inside of the dogleg to ease their way into their first approach shot of the day. This is no easy warm-up hole and could instill either confidence or fear that may last the entirety of the day.
At 610 yards from the very back deck hole #2 is unlikely to be played at full length every day during the matches to afford some scoring opportunities. Even shortening the hole will not guarantee that it will be successfully reached in two as the green complex boasts ample movement in the surface, repelling less than perfect shots.
The 5th hole is one of the shorter par fours on the front side but it is speckled with danger courtesy of thick rough and water crossing in front of the green. Players will have to have keen focus on hitting this fairway in order to control their shots into the green.
The hole to follow will really test the early nerves with water playing down the whole of the right side. Don’t be surprised to see a player visit the drink here on their approach if the hole location is tucked to the right.
#9 will be a “go hole” for just about every player with the forward tee being put into play, making this par five that shortens in from a monstrous 666 yards to a more reasonable 580. Birdies will be a must with eagles fairly common through the 3 days of play.
As much as #9 will serve up under par scores, the 11th will be an even easier touch. The downhill par five of just 562 yards is protected by water on the left but routinely gives up eagles to the pros when the Celtic Manor Wales Open is played. This could be where a lot of matches swing.
That too, can be said of the 15th hole, likely the most dramatic test on the course and certainly the one that should generate the most banter. If matches reach this juncture expect to see some fireworks. Even European Captain Colin Montgomerie says the fairway is virtually obsolete as most players will avoid the circuitous route of 377 yards and take a more aggressive route across the dogleg, directly to the putting surface. Shots remembered for ages will be struck here this week.
Lastly, the course closes out with a par five which will also be shortened for the week. This will present the chance to finish up with a long drive and the task of reaching the green in two by way of an approach that must carry a pond at the front of the green. As evenly matched as the teams appear, we could see more than a few matches reach a conclusion here.
Thirty years of foresight and eight years of specific course work just for the Ryder Cup have now concluded and the set is ready for the biggest golf drama in Welsh history to play out.
It’s sure to be a compelling one.
This feature provided to GolfWRX.com by Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)
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...
