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Homa! | McIlroy’s Sunday scaries | Tiger’s Medal of Freedom brethren

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6 years ago

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

May 6, 2019

Good Monday morning, golf fans.
1. Homa the brave
ESPN’s Bob Harig with a bit of perspective on Max Homa’s Wells Fargo win.
  • “We shrug. Good golfers make millions. Justin Rose, who tied for third, has made more than $2.5 million this year and doesn’t even rank among the top 10. Matt Kuchar, who leads the FedEx Cup points and who was vilified earlier this year because he at first declined to pay a fill-in caddie more than $5,000 after winning $1.2 million, has made more than $49 million in his career.”
  • “Two years ago, Homa, 28, played a full schedule of tournaments and made just $18,008.”
  • “…So yeah, that $1.42 million he received Sunday might seem obscene (and to be sure, a good bit will be eaten up by taxes, caddie fees, lodging, travel, etc.), but it signifies something very real to a player who just two years ago was missing cuts at an alarming rate and questioning a game that for a time seemed so easy.”
2. Meanwhile, in China…
Golfweek’s Alistair Tait on Mikko Korhonen’s China Open win…
  • “The Helsinki native earned his second European Tour title when he defeated France’s Benjamin Hebert at the first hole of a sudden death playoff.”
  • “Korhonen birdied the first extra hole after he and Hebert finished tied on 268, 20-under. It is Korhonen’s second victory following last year’s Shot Clock Masters. He is just three wins behind Mikko Ilonen, Finland’s most successful golfer.”
  • “It’s an amazing feeling,” Korhonen said. “I don’t know how I did it. But it’s probably the putter that was my winning formula this week. I made lots of putts from outside 15-20 feet this week. I made a birdie on 17 and gave myself a chance to win it on 18 but I didn’t manage to do that.”
3. Kim in a playoff
AP Report…
Sei Young Kim overcame a rough start to win the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship on Sunday at cold and windy Lake Merced, outlasting Bronte Law and Jeongeun Lee6 with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
  • Three strokes ahead entering the day, Kim opened with a double bogey and a bogey and dropped another stroke on No. 8. The 26-year-old South Korean birdied the par-5 15th to regain a share of the lead, dropped back with a bogey on the par-3 17th and birdied the par-5 18th for a 3-over 75 and a spot in the playoff at 7-under 281.
  • “It was really tough,” Kim said. “The whole day I got a lot of pressure. And I missed the last par 3, and that’s really bad for me. I’m still like almost my heart came out.”
4. Robby!
Golfweek’s Dan Kilbridge on Robby Shelton’s righting of the ship and perseverance in a playoff…
  • “Shelton made birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Scottie Scheffler and take the title. It’s the first Web.com Tour victory for the 23-year-old from Mobile, Ala., and his first pro victory since winning the 2017 GolfBC Championship on the Mackenzie Tour. A two-shot swing on the final two holes of regulation forced the playoff, as Shelton birdied the par-5 18th hole while Scheffler finished bogey-par to fall back into a tie. Shelton birdied No. 18 again in the playoff to secure the win and overcome a brutal start to the final round.”

 
5. Sunday scaries
Golf Digest’s Joel Beall on McIlroy’s final-round faltering…
  • “Following six straight pairs to start his round, McIlroy had 25 feet or so for eagle on the par-5 seventh, but left five feet on the birdie try, which he failed to convert. On the 315-yard par-4 eighth, McIlroy’s drive was just 37 feet from the pin, yet he could not get up-and-down for birdie, and followed with a three-putt at the ninth for a bogey.”
  • “The official ejection came at the 10th. After his second came up just short at the reachable par 5 (the fourth-easiest hole of the week), McIlroy flubbed two straight chips, and his third wasn’t to tap-in range. McIlroy, visibly unnerved from the short-game woes, missed the bogey attempt, the double putting an end to his tournament aspirations. He finished with a two-over 73, eight shots back of Homa.”
6. Good company
Golfweek’s Bill Speros on the athletes in general, golfers in particular, Tiger Woods joins as a Presidential Medal of Freedom winner…
  • “Tiger Woods will complete what could be history’s most-illustrious golf foursome Monday when he receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump in a ceremony at the White House Garden today.”
  • “The three previous golfers to receive the honor are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Charlie Sifford. They are among 33 sports figures, including Woods, to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Previous winners from the world of sport include Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King and Muhammad Ali.”
7. Move over, Bernhard, there’s a new long putter in town!
Digest’s John Strege…”McCarron, 53, won the Insperity Invitational at the Woodlands Country Club in the Woodlands, Texas, on Sunday, his second victory in the last three weeks, with the PGA Tour Champions’ first major on deck, the Regions Tradition.”
“Momentum is tough to quantify in a sport that has three or four days off between tournament rounds, but McCarron clearly is on a roll that establishes him as the favorite.”
8. Fourth time’s a charm?
Golfweek’s JuliaKate Culpepper on Tony Romo’s latest U.S. Open qualifying bid…
  • “Beginning May 13, Tony Romo will make a run for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach as he competes in 2019 U.S. Open local qualifying at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.”
  • “While he competed in local qualifying the past two years but failed to claim a spot in the U.S. Open, Romo did advance to sectional qualifying in 2010 while he still played in the NFL.”
  • “Romo will tee off in this year’s local qualifying at 12:50 p.m. CT on May 13 alongside Matt Miller and Aaron Guanlao. One hundred thirty-two players will compete for the eight spots from McKinney that advance to sectional qualifying. Local qualifying is 18 holes and sectional qualifying is 36 holes. Sectional qualifying begins May 20 and ends June 3.”
9. I’ll see your snub and raise you a clown nose
Geoff Shackelford on the latest in the Brooks Koepka/Brandel Chamblee “manspat”…
  • “In the latest installment of Chamblee’s views of Koepka, he tells Jaime Diaz on their podcast that there are “likely two” players who can “hang” with the revitalized Tiger Woods.  From Dylan Dethier’s Golf.com account”
  • “In the aggregate, you’d have Dustin and Rory who are the likely two who could hang with him,” he said. “Jon Rahm’s still got a lot to learn. His iron play’s not as sharp as it needs to be to be the best player in the world, and it forces him to have to pitch the ball…his pitching, generally speaking, is not as good as it needs to be. And Spieth’s game has fallen off. So it’s really only two players who could challenge him.
  • “…Koepka has won three majors over the previous two seasons and was in contention at the Masters again this year, finishing T2, one back of Woods.”
  • “In reply, Koepka posted this image of Chamblee with a retweet:”

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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. Bobtrumpet

    May 6, 2019 at 11:37 am

    “Manspat?” Really? Geeze ….
    Dropped a couple reaction levels there.

    Reply Report comment

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News

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

on

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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News

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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