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Tour Rundown: Lashley writes unbelievable story, Stricker wins first USGA event

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6 years ago

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Take your pick of astonishing results in the world of golf this week. The European and PGA Tours both saw first-time winners claim victory by large margins. One of the most appreciative golfers in the world won his first USGA title, and the golfer many expect to dominate the LPGA tour wrestled a 7th title from nearly the entire field in Arkansas. As June gives way to July, some of the most potent and inspirational golf came our way this week. Have a quick read of our last-week-of-June Tour Rundown.

Lashley and Redman offer unpredictable PGA Tour success at Rocket Mortgage Classic

As impressive as Doc Redman’s performance was this week (Monday qualifier, 2nd place finish, special temporary Tour membership and entry into The Open Championship) Nate Lashley topped him. Lashley didn’t make it through Monday qualifying, but a spot opened up and he was in the tournament. From there, Hollywood took over. Lashley opened with 63 and built on the lead each day. By Sunday’s end, he was 6 shots in front of the runner-up, at 25-under par at the Detroit Golf Club. Lashley made but 3 bogeys on the week, including a 30-hole stretch from Friday to Sunday, when he made not a one. On Sunday, he had a pair of oops as the front nine closed. Fortunately for him, no one close was on the move.

The 35-year old Arizona Wildcat epitomized the term journeyman until this week, when he played like the tour’s finest champion. In addition to the spot in Northern Ireland this month, Ashley now has an invitation to the Masters Tournament, along with a 2-year tour exemption. Interestingly, as Lashley teed off on Saturday with Cameron Champ, in the final pairing, smart money was on the young bomber. It was Champ who lost focus, not Lashley. Sometimes, the gods of golf bestow grace on the most unlikely of recipients.

Stricker runs away with Senior Open at Notre Dame

The story of Steve Stricker would take two or three volumes to complete. Decent success on tour during his first 15 years, followed by complete loss of game as he reached his late thirties. Inexplicably, his game came back and he won 9 times in his forties. Named captain of the Presidents and Ryder Cup sides for the USA, he was a phoenix that had risen from the ashes. Only one victory had escaped him, until 2019. At the Warren golf course on the University of Notre Dame campus, Stricker put on a Joe Montana-esque performance, vanquishing the field by 6 strokes.

On Thursday, the defending champion (David Toms) opened with 62. No matter, so did Stricker. The University of Illinois alum came back on Friday in 64 strokes, establishing the beginnings of a lead he would not surrender. His 66 on Saturday seemingly put the matter to rest, as he took a 6-stroke advantage into the final round. Jerry Kelly, last week’s winner, closed the gap to five at the 10th, but Stricker allowed him no closer. His birdie chip-in sealed the deal, allowing the final six holes to be as much a triumphant march as permitted. The only participant to register 4 rounds in the 60s, Stricker’s 2019 USGA coming-out party will go deep into the month of July.

Sung Hyun Park secures 7th LPGA title in Arkansas

As the eventual champion took bogey on the 9th hole, at least 10 golfers were within 3 shots of the lead. Names like Inbee Park, Carlota Ciganda, Danielle Kang and Hyo Joo Kim were in contention, making the anticipated outcome as predictable as a lottery draw. Something clicked at the turn, though, and Sung Hyun Park made 4 birdies on the inward half. Her 31 there, combined with 35 going out, gave her 66 on the day and -18 for the week. Kang, Inbee and Hyo Joo each had 65 on day three, and each came up one shot shy of a playoff. Brittany Altomare, playoff loser in last year’s Evian Championship, was one stroke farther back, alone in 5th place. We weren’t kidding; everyone had a chance! At -15 came four more golfers, allowing 10 players inside three strokes of 1st place. Back to Sung Hyun. There hasn’t been a dominant player on the LPGA tour since Lydia Ko, in the early 2010s. Ko is off, in search of her swing, and there may not be another like her for some time. With only 4 bogeys on the week, Park was as dominating as anyone. 2 of her 7 tour titles are major events. A few more of those, and she might be the one who holds the scepter.

Bezuidenhout irons first Euro Tour win in southern Spain

Any other week, Christiaan Bezuidenhout’s commanding win at Valderrama would be the talk of Tour Rundown. The young South African pulled a Lashley, holding 1st place from the 2nd round on, holding off golfers like Garcia, Rahm and Quiros. Trouble was, Lashley won his first event this week, too. And Stricker won by a boatload of strokes, as well. We suspect that Bezuidenhout doesn’t much care. He won on the premier shotmaker’s course in all of golf, a layout described by the twisting trunks and branches of cork trees. Tee balls and approaches are compelled to move laterally, in order to avoid the snares along the way. And here was Bezuidenhout, with a large lead, making birdie at the 2 opening holes on Sunday, as if to run away with things. 4 bogies in his next 5 holes brought the field much closer.

Doing little to challenge was the winner’s final-round partner, Jon Rahm. Having demonstrated little ability to succeed under pressure, the Spaniard played true to form at Valderrama. Although still in the mix entering the final nine holes, Rahm turned with bogey-par-double to cancel his chances for good. In the end, it was Alvaro Quiros, the forgotten Spanish bomber of the early 2010s, following a Saturday 76 with a 10-shot improvement on Sunday. He tied for 2nd with 4 other golfers (3 of them Spaniards!) at -4, six behind the winner. With the triumph, Bezuidenhout joins Lashley and Redman from the other side of the pond, at Royal Portrush this month. Happy June!

Playoff in Utah sees Ventura send off Creel on 3rd extra hole

In the first week of the era known as the Korn Ferry Tour (farewell, Web.Com), Kristoffer Ventura and Joshua Creel were the last men standing in a breakneck dash to the finish. 3rd-place finishers Ryan Brehm, Charlie Saxon and Kevin Dougherty all had chances to reach -14 and join the playoff, but each slid his effort past the hole’s edge. Daniel Summerhays could not buy a putt the last 36 holes, and finished an agonizing 2 strokes back. Ventura birdied 4 of his final 7 holes, reaching the house first at -14. Creel matched him moments later, nearly hole for hole, at -4 over the closing stretch, to sign for his own 14-under. The playoff began at the 18th, and both players made par. After striping drives on the 18th once more, neither player acquitted himself well with the approach. Two more pars sent the pair to the 10th hole. It was Creel who blinked, driving his ball under a tree. Unable to extricate himself with enough skill, he made bogey. Ventura tapped in from 24 inches, and the first Korn Ferry Tour title went to the young Cowboy from Oklahoma State. Coincidentally, it was the first victory of his young career as well, and moved him close to locking up a 2020 PGA Tour card.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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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

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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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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WITB

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