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Tiger, Phil cut a promo | European Tour schedule reshuffle | WGHOF popularity contest

Published

7 years ago

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1. Tiger-Phil promo
Oh boy. WWE’s got nothing on these two!
  • SI’s Chris Chavez…”HBO has released the trailer for the 24/7 series that will follow Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson before ‘The Match’ on Nov. 23…It would mean more than the $9 mill to take it off of him,” Woods says in the trailer. “It’s just that much better.”…The first episode of 24/7 will air on Nov. 13.”
2. European Tour schedule shuffle
ESPN’s Bob Harig…”The European Tour on Monday released its 2018-19 schedule, with several changes occurring, many in response to the overhaul of the PGA Tour’s schedule.”
  • “The tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship played at Wentworth, will move from May to September and be part of a series of events after the PGA Tour’s schedule ends in August meant to attract European stars home.”
  • “The 47-tournament schedule begins next month in Hong Kong and concludes nearly a year later in Dubai with the season-ending DP World Championship. The Dubai event follows playoff tournaments in Turkey and South Africa.”
3. DL3 taking blame
Just when you thought the 2018 Ryder Cup was dead and buried…”I dropped the ball on two or three things that could have helped, and I apologized to Jim…I should have seen some of those things coming.” (Davis Love III to Golf Digest).
But what things!?
4. Best Young Teachers in America
GD’s biennial ranking is here…Here’s a look at a few who are new to the list.
JASON BARRY / 30
Mercer Oaks G. Cse., West Windsor, N.J.
$110/hr.
JASON BIRNBAUM / 36
Manhattan Woods G.C., West Nyack, N.Y.
$250/hr.
JESSICA CARAFIELLO / 35
Innis Arden G.C., Greenwich, Conn.
$140/hr.
SCOTT CHISHOLM / 33
Rolling Green G.C., Springfield, Pa.
$170/hr.
JOE COMPITELLO / 33
Plainfield C.C., Edison, N.J.
$175/hr.
SARA DICKSON / 31
The Country Club, Brookline, Mass. $130/hr.
GREG DUCHARME / 27
Michael Breed Golf Academy at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, New York City
$300/hr.

Full list.
5. A sister act not to be overlooked
Geoff Shackelford rightly points out how impressive the fact that both Korda sisters are now LPGA Tour winners is. Quoting Al Lunsford of the LPGA…
  • “With her win, Nelly Korda joined her sister, five-time LPGA winner Jessica Korda, in the winner’s circle on Sunday, making the Kordas just the third set of sisters to win on the LPGA Tour in history.”
  • “Annika Sorenstam (72 wins) and Charlotta Sorenstam (one win) were the first to accomplish the feat in 2000, and were joined by Ariya Jutanugarn (10 wins) and Moriya Jutanugarn (one win) earlier this season when Moriya won the 2018 HUGEL-JTBC LA Open.”
An associated question: What percentage of casual golf fans know Annika Sorenstam’s sister won a tournament?
6. Popularity contest?
Also from Shack commenting on a Reuters piece regarding the WGHOF… “Steve Mona said eligibility is not strictly based on playing record, as it shouldn’t be-Captaincy’s, course designs, influence as a media member and other influencer intangibles should help push some over the finish line.”
“But then there is this face-in-the-palms admission from someone paid lavishly to not to say stupid things….”The Fame element is part of it. Some people were just more popular than others when they were on tour.” (Mona)”
“Still not sure where that leaves us with Monty. But there you have it.  A popularity contest. On the record. It’s cronyism gone public.”
7. Roberta Bowman
Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…The LPGA Tour’s Executive Leadership Team welcomes a new member…”The LPGA has named former board member Roberta Bowman as its new Chief Brand and Communications Officer. Bowman will oversee communications, public relations, television, website/digital, social media, branding, marketing and the LPGA’s creative department in the newly created position.”
“Bowman served six years on the LPGA board. Whan called her a “true visionary” for the tour….Bowman spent most of her business career at Duke Energy in Charlotte, N.C., retiring in January 2012 as Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. She spent 25 years with the company, spending the bulk of the time as Chief Communications Officer and President of the Duke Energy Foundation.”
8. No ams allowed!
So says Randall Mell writing about amateur inclusion in the LPGA Tour’s Q-Series.
  • “There ought to be a sign on the first tee at Pinehurst No. 7 this week: Only pros are welcome! A player ought to be required to declare herself a pro before signing up for Q-Series.”
  • “Apologies to the 11 amateurs playing at Pinehurst. You’re gifted, talented players who’ve done nothing wrong. You’re guilty of no breach of rules or ethics. You’ve committed no indiscretion. You’re simply following the path to a lifelong dream that any reasonable young person would consider if open to them.”
  • “It’s the path, not the players, which ought to be condemned…It’s just so unfair to the pros competing against amateurs for their livelihood at Q-Series. Amateurs aren’t playing the same game. They aren’t dealing with the same daunting challenges that define this event.”
9. New Pro V1, Pro V1x debut on Tour this week
Our Gianni Magliocco…”On Monday, players were given a chance to practice with the final version before many put the ball in tournament play this Thursday. Titleist’s Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls have been the most popular golf balls on Tour for some time, and at last year’s John Deere Classic 126 of the 156 players in the field (81 percent) played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x ball.
The Las Vegas stop has become customary with the introduction of the new prototype additions from Titleist, ever since they introduced the original Pro V1 prototype at TPC Summerlin in 2000.

 

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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.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Jamie

    Oct 30, 2018 at 10:51 am

    Thanks for acknowledging WGHOF cronyism. A black eye on the sport. Some of us have known of this popularity contest for a while.

    Reply Report comment

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News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Aug 4, 2025

By

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

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

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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News

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

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 28, 2025

By

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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WITB

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