News

Rory’s Return: The Wells Fargo Championship

Published

14 years ago

May 3, 2011

By Scott MacLeod, via Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

What better way to put your mark in the PGA Tour record books than with a charging finish of just 62 strokes? That is exactly what PGA Tour rookie Rory McIlroy did last year at the Quail Hollow Club to secure his first PGA Tour victory.

It’s hard to imagine that an equal bit of excitement will take place this year at the newly renamed Wells Fargo Championship but because of the quality of the layout in Charlotte, you know you will be guaranteed a champion of equivalent stature.

That might well be McIlroy, still just 21 years old but a year wiser. Coming off his recent Masters upset that saw him lead through 63 holes and then fail miserably down the back nine on Sunday he appeared well focused when he met the media in Charlotte on Tuesday.

“I’m very happy with my game; looking forward to this week,” said the young Irishman. “My game’s in good shape and hopefully I am ready for another good week.”

McIlroy loves playing at Quail Hollow, so much so that faced with having to drop an event from his schedule in 2011 in order not be playing seven straight weeks, the Players got the kiss-off. “This is one of my favourite golf courses; one of my favourite events of the year,” reiterated Rory who says he is not quite as comfortable at TPC Sawgrass but can see himself putting the Players back on his schedule at some point. This year it just did not fit his very active itinerary.

“The Players would be five in a row. It’s just too much golf for me. I feel I just get too lazy, too lethargic,” said the defending champ who is trying to be well prepared for the U.S. Open Championship at Congressional in June.

As for his play last year, McIlroy can do nothing but smile when you ask him about the magical weekend that saw him make the cut on the number, shoot 66 on Saturday, post a 32 on his opening nine on Sunday and then blast his way to his 1st PGA Tour title. “Shooting 30 on the back nine, that was the best performance of my career,” he responds with a delicate but noticeable pause before he adds, “so far.” His final round score was the lowest by a winner since Brad Faxon’s 61 at the 2005 Buick Championship.

As for this week the defender, even with his past success, still approaches the Quail Hollow Club with great reverence and respect. The George Cobb design that Tom Fazio renovated more than a decade ago does instil that in many. “(It’s) a really tough golf course; you don’t have to drive it that good because the rough is not that long. If you give me four 69’s this week I’d snap it right out of your hands and wait in the clubhouse. It’s a golf course where there are a few greens out here that are challenging and you have to stay patient. Every tough golf course you’ve got to take advantage of the par fives and try and make your score there. I think that’s what a lot of people will try and do here this week.”

As expected, with the Players on tap for next week and with the quality of the venue and tournament, the field at the Wells Fargo this week is stuffed full of talent.

Joining McIlroy in the field are past champions David Toms, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, and Anthony Kim. Another, Sean O’Hair, was in the field but pulled out early in the week. Eleven players accounting for 13 of the 19 PGA Tour wins in 2011 are in Charlotte, including last week’s winner, Bubba Watson, who tied for 22nd here last year.

Expect a very game Phil Mickelson to have a presence at Quail Hollow. He finished 2nd to Rory last year and you know he will want to make up for that near miss.

My pick of the week? I think it’s time for Rickie Fowler to follow Rory and get his first PGA Tour win in Charlotte. Fowler finished 6th here last year and although his 2011 has been less than stellar Quail Hollow might just inspire some great play. Also watch for Arnold Palmer Invitational champ Martin Laird; this is a course that will suit his game well.

2011 Wells Fargo Championship

Dates: May 1-7, 2011

Where: Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C.

Par/Yards: 36-36—72 / 7442

Field: 156

Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy

Purse: $6,500,000; Winner’s Share: $1,170,000

Format: 72-hole stroke play

–

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Canada's Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

Aug 4, 2025

Ronald Montesano

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

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 29, 2025

GolfWRX Staff

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.

News

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

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 28, 2025

Brian Knudson

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)