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Morning 9: Na, Na, Na, Na | A gift for Kenny | Unexpected Senior PGA champ | Happiest tour pros?

Published

6 years ago

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

May 27, 2019

Good Memorial Day morning, golf fans.
1. Na, Na, Na, Na
AP report on K-Na’s triumph…“Kevin Na birdied four of the first eight holes and shot a 4-under 66 to cruise to a four-shot victory over Tony Finau at Colonial on Sunday.”
  • “The South Korean-born American opened with a two-shot lead and was in front by at least that many for the final 16 holes after putting his second shot inside 5 feet for birdie at the par-4 second. Na finished 13 under.”
  • “Na’s third career PGA TOUR victory, and second in 10 months, came after putting himself in contention with a second-round 62, one off the Colonial record. It was his third score at least that good in a span of six on the cozy course made famous by Ben Hogan.”
2. “Improbable run continues”
Golf Digest’s John Strege…“Ken Tanigawa only a short time ago seemed happily resigned to showcasing his golf game only in Arizona state amateur events, yet for the second time in eight months he improbably turned up hoisting a trophy on another of golf’s greatest stages.”
  • “On the treacherous East Course at the venerated Oak Hill Country Club outside Rochester, N.Y., Tanigawa nervously holed a 10-foot par-saving putt on the 18th hole to win the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship by one stroke over his old UCLA teammate Scott McCarron.”
  • “I don’t know if I can put it into words,” Tanigawa said. “To hold this trophy and win it at this venue is a dream come true. It’s unbelievable. It really is.”
3. Wiesberger’s fifth
AP report…”The Austrian came into the final round at the Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort with a one-shot lead over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, and he maintained his slim margin after shooting a 5-under 66 for 270 overall.”
  • “The Scot matched his playing partner through 15 holes of the final round before conceding a two-shot lead heading into the last. Wiesberger bogeyed the 18th but MacIntyre could only manage a birdie to finish 1 back.”
4. Law’s first
AP report again…”Bronte Law shot a 3-under 67 and held off a series of challengers Sunday to win the Pure Silk Championship by two shots for her first career victory on the LPGA Tour.”
  • “The 24-year-old Englishwoman, a former star at UCLA, held a share of the lead after all four rounds and finished with a 17-under 267 total on the River Course at the Kingsmill Resort.”
  • “Madelene Sagstrom, Brooke Henderson and third-round co-leader Nasa Hataoka tied for second. Sagstrom shot 66, Henderson 68 and Hataoka 69.”
5. A gift for Kenny
ESPN report…”Few were happier to see Kevin Na’s name added to the wall of champions at Colonial on Sunday than his caddie, Kenny Harms, who got to take home a blue 1973 Dodge Challenger.”
  • The caddie asked during a practice round if he could have the car if Na won, and Na said yes.
  • “He knows I was thinking about it,” Na said. “I mean, looks like a beautiful car, but little did I know how much that car was worth.”
  • On Sunday, after finishing his round with a birdie at 18, Na pointed at the Challenger and yelled at Harms: “That’s your car.”

Full piece.

6. Back-to-back for Mac
…second-place finishes, that is…
  • EuropeanTour.com report…”Robert MacIntyre was full of pride in his performance as he made it back to back second place finishes on the European Tour at the Made in Denmark presented by FREJA.”
  • “The Scot – one of four to graduate off the European Challenge Tour in 2018 – has enjoyed an excellent start to life on the European Tour, missing just two cuts in 15 events and finishing runner up at the Betfred British Masters.”

Full piece.

7. The happiest pros

The Undercover Tour Pro says don’t look to the top of the OWGR…

“That said, it ain’t anybody in the top 10 in the World Ranking, or probably even the top 20. Those guys live under a microscope. Seems like Rory McIlroy has to do media every time he shows up to the course. Rickie Fowler makes nice bank from all those sponsors, but it’s a rare day when he doesn’t have a photo shoot or some other type of obligation. And, of course, Tiger Woods can’t walk 50 feet to a port-a-john without getting hounded.

“Me? I’m the kind of player who only gets interviewed when I shoot 65, which suits me fine. It’s fun talking to the writers a handful of times a year. I’m sponsored by the same clothing company as one of the prominent young guns, but I have one-tenth the appointments. One time I saw him getting dragged off on a hot day to do who knows what. I just winked at him as I headed into the clubhouse to watch basketball with the boys.”

Full piece.

8. Rethinking the mainstream golf vocabulary
Geoff Shackelford writes…”Michael Bamberger files a fun consideration of certain golf terms in light of rule book changes along with the desire to shed golf of stuff terms.”
  • “Penalty area has been a colossal mistake that needs to be replaced by hazard.  Does anyone disagree?”
  • “But as a repeated user of one, two and three-shotter, I have to defend those. They’ve been around for a long time, were used by all of the great architects in their writings, and even highlight the silliness of chasing distance (since there are about six legit three-shotters left).”
9. A pretty cool giveaway for your wall
Sam Schultz Art and GolfWRX are really excited to bring you this giveaway! Every golfer has or wants a room in their home that is dedicated to the game we love. Sam Schultz creates original paintings and prints that show his passion for golf and fit the style of any room. One lucky member will win a framed Sam Schultz “camelback” print to hang in their home!

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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

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

Published

4 weeks ago

on

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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WITB

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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

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