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Most dangerous par of the year | European Ryder cup picks bad for Euro Tour? | Michelle Wie shuts it down

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7 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt (ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com)

September 6, 2018

Good Thursday morning, golf fans.
1. Bjorn chooses experience (and controversy)
Mark Cannizarro of the NY Post writes…”One day after US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk announced three of his four captain’s picks – all of which were chalk selections that surprised no one – European captain Thomas Bjorn was faced with much more complicated decisions.”
  • “Bjorn on Wednesday announced Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson as his four at-large picks, but there were a number of ways he could have gone, and he left himself very open for criticism.”
  • “In Garcia, Poulter and Stenson, Bjorn clearly went with experience over current form. Five of his eight players who automatically qualified for the team are Ryder Cup rookies, which had a massive influence on his decisions.”
  • “Among those disappointed players left off the team were Thomas Pieters, who went 4-0-1 as a rookie in 2016 and has been in good form this year; Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who went 2-0-1 in 2016 and also was in better form than the veterans chosen; Matt Wallace, who’s won three times on the European Tour this season, including last week in Denmark, Bjorn’s home country; and Russell Knox, who won the Irish Open in July.”
2. Rory and Rose respect the Garcia pick
Ahead of the BMW Championship, here’s what the pair had to say…
  • “I feel with the five rookies we have, experience will be a big thing, especially at home,” said McIlroy. “I think the three, Paul, Ian and Henrik, they were certain and then it was just between Sergio, Rafa, maybe Matt Fitzpatrick, a couple of those guys. But at the end I think with Sergio’s record in the Ryder Cup, and I think the intangibles as well, the things people don’t see what he brings to the team room.
  • Rose: “Many players deserve a spot in the Ryder Cup team, but no one is here to do anybody favours, either. It’s about how can you assemble 12 guys to put points on the board when it counts on Friday, Saturday, Sunday in a Ryder Cup and Thomas obviously felt Sergio was more likely to deliver a point when needed.
  • “Matt Wallace became part of the conversation and every credit to him. He’s kind of new on the scene so that would have been an interesting introduction to the team, but I think he just got to keep doing what he’s doing and there will be many Ryder Cups in his future.
3. …but will it do permanent damage?
Geoff Shackelford wonders if the experience/establishment pick could do more harm than good for the European Tour.
  • “Garcia, and to a lesser extent Stenson, will ultimately determine the wisdom of Bjorn’s strategy. (Casey and Poulter seem to be unanimously well received selections.)…The greater concern for Europe should be what this says to younger players and those attempting to be loyal to the European Tour.”
  • “Rafa logged 9 starts on the tour in 2018, not including World Golf Champioships and majors…Another contender for the team, Matthew Fitzpatrick, made 7 European Tour non-major/WGC starts but is leaving for the PGA Tour.”
  • “Wallace has made 18 non-major/WGC European Tour starts in 2018. Despite three wins, he was 13th on the European Tour points list. Perhaps his inconsistency this year, coupled with an MC at the French Open proved fatal….Meanwhile, Garcia has posted just 3 non-major/WGC European Tour starts in 2018 and several other numbers are not helping his cause.”
  • “While the Ryder Cup team should not be filled out by those loyal to the European Tour, the Bjorn decision could have ramifications into the future.”
4. The most dangerous par of the year
An ESPN the Magazine oral history by Anna Katherine Clemons focuses on Talor Gooche’s alligator experience at the Zurich Classic earlier this year.
  • “GOOCH: We were on the last hole. After I hit my tee shot, I knew I had a tough lie down near the water. When I got up there, my ball was within arm’s reach of three gators. A few other golfers came over, and we were trying to figure out how to get the gators to move. Then Chesson Hadley, who was in the group ahead of us, said, “I got this.”
  • “CHESSON HADLEY: I just wanted to be the hero. I’m no reptile tamer, but I thought if I got one to go back in the lake, the others would follow. I grabbed a rake and went for it.”
  • “ANDREW LANDRY, GOOCH’S PLAYING PARTNER THAT DAY: He scared two of them down to the water, but they immediately turned around and got really close to the shore, like they were in attack mode.”
5. Michelle Wie withdraws from season’s final major
Michelle Wie has withdrawn from a second major this season.
“After going through an evaluation with my doctors and my Physio team,” wrote Wie on Instagram, “we have all concurred that my right hand is not quite ready for competition yet. So unfortunately, I have decided to withdraw from the Evian Championship next week. I’m extremely disappointed, but right now rehabbing my right hand back to pain free is my absolute first priority!! Thank you all for staying patient with me and for all the words of encouragement!!!”
6. Spieth on qualifying for East Lake
Oh boy. Nothing like these pros scratching and clawing to make it through the “Playoffs.”
  • Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner writes…”When it was suggested by a reporter that he has to “scramble” this week to ensure his spot at East Lake, he smiled and corrected him: “I’m actually inside the number right now, you might forget. So I don’t know about the scrambling. I just have to play normal.”
  • “Indeed, according to the PGA Tour projections, Spieth likely needs to finish no worse than solo 28th to reach the Tour Championship…That’s not his goal, of course – he’s trying to win the tournament and crack the top 10, since, historically, it’s more difficult to win the FedExCup if you’re outside that number.”
  • “My mind will not be set on any kind of projections, I can promise you that,” Spieth said. “It’s not do or die for me.”
7. Mickelson the Tour’s top putter?
Golf Digest’s Alex Myers points out...”With two tournaments remaining in his PGA Tour season (At No. 9 in the FedEx Cup points list entering this week’s BMW Championship, Mickelson is assured of also playing in the Tour Championship in two weeks), Mickelson is on the verge of leading the tour in strokes gained putting for the first time in his career.”
  • “Mickelson is currently No. 2 in the category, gaining .841 strokes per round. A final-round 63 at the Dell Technologies Championship helped him close the gap on Jason Day, who leads at .862. Greg Chalmers is No. 3 at .790.”
  • “Mickelson’s previous best in this relatively new metric was finishing fifth (.661) in the category in 2013. Unfortunately, strokes gained putting wasn’t around when Mickelson turned pro in 1993, but in going back to 2004, that’s still a solid sample size of 15 seasons.”
8. Food and drink delivery on a golf course via drone
Golfweek’s Bill Speros…”Golfers in North Dakota will soon be able to get refreshments delivered during play from a drone…King’s Walk Golf Course in Grand Forks, N.D., will be delivering food and drink via a drone for a $3 service charge in about 10 minutes. The orders will be attached to the drone via a rope.”
  • “Wherever you are, you should be able to get what you want within a few minutes,” Yariv Bash, CEO of FlyTrex, the Israeli drone logistics startup operating the service, told CNNMoney. “Why wait?”
  • “The course has traditional refreshment carts and a restaurant. The drone service begins with a six-week trial on Sept. 15 and delivery to a single course location. Customers will order via an app. Expansion will follow, if it proves successful. The drones weigh about 33 pounds and fly at 30 MPH.”
9. WLD winners
Golf Channel Digital….”Maurice Allen won his first Volvik World Long Drive Championship Wednesday night with a 393-yard blast to defeat Justin Moose.”
“Allen had never made it past the quarterfinals, but he was clearly the best competitor all night long, with drives of 392 yards in the quarterfinals, 393 in the semis and 393 in the final.”
“On the women’s side, Phillis Meti defeated Chloe Garner to capture her third championship belt. Meti also won in 2006 and 2016.”

 

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Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

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Aug 4, 2025

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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

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 29, 2025

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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

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

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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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