News
Kelly Tilghman leaving Golf Channel after 22 years
Kelly Tilghman is stepping away from Golf Channel after a 22-year run at the network. The Myrtle Beach native has been a less visible presence on air in recent years.
The first woman to serve as play-by-play announcer for a PGA Tour event, Tilghman announced Wednesday that this will be her last week at Golf Channel.
Tilghman began working at the network in 1996 in the tape library, starting just a year after Golf Channel’s inception. Her departure leaves Mike Ritz and Rich Lerner as the only remaining on-air talents from the channel’s early years.
Golf Channel released this statement.
After 22 years, Kelly Tilghman is signing off from Golf Central this Sunday. She has been a trailblazer for female broadcasters and we thank her for her immeasurable contributions. Please enjoy her “A very fond farewell” column. https://t.co/Kd988ZA5lk pic.twitter.com/oxtGVNRCCh
— Golf Channel PR (@GolfChannelPR) March 14, 2018
Tilghman told Golfweek’s Forecaddie she’s not done with television just yet.
“This process was very peaceful for me…I can’t imagine a scenario where I would never be on television again.”
In a farewell letter published on Golf Channel’s website, Tilghman wrote about the decision to step away at Bay Hill.
“It’s the perfect spot for so many obvious reasons. Arnold’s family will be there. My Golf Channel and NBC family will be there. I know you will too, like you always have. I’ll forever cherish the memories we’ve built together.”
You can read her full letter here, which includes the Arnold Palmer anecdote below.
“Enter Arnold Palmer. I’ll never forget that day in the early years when he paid our tiny newsroom a surprise visit. It was an honor to be in his presence. One could only imagine how I felt when he put his hand on my shoulder and whispered, “I hope you believe in this place as much as I do.”
“Yes, Arnold, I did.”
See what GolfWRX members are saying about Tilghman’s departure in the forums.
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...
Foley
Apr 11, 2024 at 5:07 pm
I really don’t get it after what she said about tiger,nasty comments.
What tiger has going on in his life nothing to do with Tillman, when I turned on masters today,I said to my wife is that Tillman that stupid commentator, I quickly tuned the channel, Tillman go get lost
Brandel Duval
Apr 6, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Kelly I wish you the best of luck for you and that giant P E N I S of yours.
steve
Feb 5, 2019 at 4:44 pm
I didn’t like her Tiger comment, what a terrible blunder, what a total idiot, glad she’s gone!
jc
Dec 13, 2018 at 5:41 pm
played her parents course back in the 70s in myrtle beach…now it is a shopping center…gator hole I believe was the name
joro
Jul 6, 2018 at 9:25 pm
if only she could take Rich ‘the schnoz” Lerner with her. Good Luck for the future Ms. Tighlman. Say, I still have the mag with you picture with a noose on the front. lol
Thankgodsheisstillgone
Aug 2, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Not sure what to use the mute button for now??
Bob Jones
Jun 25, 2018 at 11:41 am
Yes, she made she mistakes, but she was always gracious and respectful, a quality lacking in many of the announcers we now have.
steve
Feb 5, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Her “mistake” was not a mistake, rather a disgusting comment and she should’ve been fired immediately. Glad she’s gone, good riddance…
Dave r
Jun 16, 2018 at 9:41 am
Will miss the fine person she was. A whole lot better than hair man Brandel boy or Joe Buck from fox lord these two are the most look at me I’m good at nothing two goofs on tv.
One-Iron
May 19, 2018 at 9:59 am
I literally laughed out loud on some these comments about Kelly Toughman. Thanks for the laughs 😉
ThankGodShe’sGone
Apr 23, 2018 at 6:22 pm
Worked way too hard to sound like a man while doing such a horrible job calling golf. Funny enough, while trying to sound like a man she also pretended to fawn all over Faldo and Palmer…it made no sense. When working the golf central desk she did not work as hard to sound like a man. Thank god she is gone!!! Hope she takes the manlady who is calling nfl football with her.
joro
Apr 4, 2018 at 12:43 pm
Goodbye Kelly, and take the Schnoz with you.
Magavin
Mar 20, 2018 at 11:26 am
Man tough crowd. Hilarious but tough.
joe
Mar 19, 2018 at 1:07 pm
She was very bland with her talking, I could’ve done that job for a nice six-figure salary. Why are TV broadcasters so revered and paid so much $$? Strange.
Kelly also was the dummy who made that racy remark about Tiger, I believe.
Jack Nash
Mar 19, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Keep Kelly and Dump Lerner. He’s a poor man’s (very poor) interpretation of the late Great Jack Whittaker. Lerner is an Overbearing, condescending, know it all, that doesn’t. Asking Rory after his win about working out so hard was a shot at Miller for mentioning during the broadcast that his swing was better pre workouts. Nope, Lerner needs to be dumped. Kelly is much more favorable and even handed as an on air persona.
Greg
Mar 26, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Never heard that comparison before but you are correct – Lerner does remind me of the great jack Whittaker. Good call
Hans Skrillex
Mar 18, 2018 at 11:25 am
Heard she’s a muff diver.
SImms
Mar 17, 2018 at 8:15 pm
Very fine job, MS. Tilghmen, always was very Professional at her job…think about the way she presented herself over the last 20 years compared to the group we see on the Golf Channel now…no comparison…
Vic
Jun 27, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Well said.
Styx Hexanhammer
Mar 16, 2018 at 4:40 pm
LOL
joro
Mar 16, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Goodbye Kelly, and take the Schnoz Lerner with you.
Charlie Daniels
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Her voice is deeper than Darth Vaders, and she has a bulge down low that would make a horse jealous. But really I think you’re all just grasping for straws.
Scott McDonald
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:23 pm
Kelly has been a gracious hostess for many years. Good insight as a former player. Well liked by Tiger and Mr. Palmer. Never tough on players but that was her role. Don’t be a stranger??
Austin Powers
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:16 pm
That’s no woman, that’s a man baby!
Bobby Blanks
Mar 15, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Kelly was a true pioneer and we should always respect what she has done for the golf community. Being the first ever Trans TV personality is tough.
Dalenchmob
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Haha 🙂
John Ford
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:24 am
Wish Kelly nothing but the best in her future endeavours. Hopefully she now has the time to get rid of that pen is of hers.