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Morning 9: Wolff beats the pack | Application denied, Daly to walk at Portrush | Men & women played for the same trophy in France

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6 years ago

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

July 8, 2019

Good Monday morning, golf fans. Bit o’ trivia via the Wikipedia on the “dog days of summer:” “They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, which Greek and Roman astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck.”
1. Wolff!
Golfweek’s Bill Speros…”Wolff, 20, shot a 6-under 65 in the final round to edge out fellow Tour newcomer Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke at 21-under overall.”
  • “…DeChambeau, playing one group ahead of Morikawa and Wolff, made eagle on the par-5 18th hole and took a 1-shot lead. Wolff’s approach landed on the edge of the green, but he powered a 26-foot putt off the pin and into the hole to take lead with an eagle of his own.”
  • “Morikawa pushed his potential tying putt to the left and victory belonged to Wolff.”
If you didn’t see Wolff’s improbable eagle putt, watch it here.
2. …and (beyond his unique swing) who is Matthew Wolff?
Golfweek’s Adam Woodard compiles a few bullet points on a man not old enough to legally buy an alcoholic beverage to celebrate his win.
  • “Attended Oklahoma State, where he hit the clinching putt for the Cowboys’ 11th national title as a freshman and won the individual title this year at the 2019 NCAA Championship in May. With his win on Sunday, Wolff joined Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods as the only players to win the NCAA individual title and a PGA Tour event in the same year.”
  • “Set a school record with six wins as a sophomore this season.”
  • “Made PGA Tour debut at the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open thanks to a sponsor exemption. Wolff finished T-50 at 3-under for the week.”

Full piece.

3. A sizzling Spaniard in Ireland
Jon Rahm is twice an Irish Open winner after a scorching Sunday 62.
EuropeanTour.com report...”The Spaniard entered the final day at Lahinch Golf Club five shots off the lead but made eight birdies and an eagle to get to 16 under and win this event for the second time.”
  • “Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and England’s Andy Sullivan finished two off the lead, a shot clear of two more Englishmen in Eddie Pepperell and Robert Rock, and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello.
  • Wiesberger and Rock earned places in the field at The Open Championship with their top ten performances, as did England’s Paul Waring, who finished at 12 under along with another Spaniard in Jorge Campillo.”

Full piece.

4. Final-hole birdie = victory for Feng
AP report…”Shanshan Feng hit a 7-iron to 3 feet for a birdie on the final hole Sunday to close with a 9-under 63 and a one-shot victory over Ariya Jutanugarn in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.”
“Jutanugarn had a three-shot lead on the back nine until a bogey on the par-5 15th and a strong finish from Feng, who had three birdies in a four-hole stretch. Jutanugarn hit her approach to 2 feet for birdie on the 18th for a 64 to catch Feng, until the 29-year-old from China delivered the winning shot.”
5. Men and women play for same trophy and…
BBC report…”Belgium’s Manon de Roey said she was happy with her performance in finishing third in a field of men and women at the first Saint-Malo Golf Mixed Open.”
  • “France’s Frederic Lacroix took the title, finishing two strokes clear of Italian Enrico di Nitto.”
  • “It was the first professional event to see male and female golfers from two Tours play for the same trophy.”
  • “…The 72-hole tournament featured players from the Ladies European Tour Access Series and the men’s Alps Tour.”
6. ICYMI: Daly to walk
Derek Lawrenson of the Daily Mail…
  • “How interesting that, after the Royal and Ancient refused John Daly’s request for a buggy and told him to take a walk if he wants to play in the Open, the American has now decided that he is fit enough, after all, to give it a go next week.”
  • “‘We believe that walking the course is an integral part of the championship and is central to the traditions of links golf,’ said the R&A, in a statement with which few right-thinking golfers would disagree.”
  • “Daly, 53, has osteoarthritis in his knee and was granted permission to use a buggy at the US PGA Championship in May, to the consternation of virtually everyone else in the field. ‘Fingers crossed, I can make it through the pain at Portrush,’ pronounced Daly, in a tweet that cried out for a couple of emoji violins.”

Full piece.

7. Faltering Phil
Steve Dimeglio for Golfweek on Lefy’s rough week in Minnesota…
  • “Probably a lot,” he said when asked what he needs to work on. “I mean, there’s a lot of little … all the little things, all the little nuances. Not hitting my short irons close enough, not putting very well, driving it a little bit erratic.
  • “So, there’s a lot of areas I can improve on.”
  • “But while his current act is getting old, hold off on drawing the curtain to a close, for we have seen this show play out before. He has battled droughts many times, and while his advancing age allows one to question whether or not Mickelson can come of his latest malaise, his track record suggests otherwise.”

Full piece. 

8. The man everyone wants to talk to
Digest’s Dave Shedloski on the suddenly very popular Ricky Elliott...”If anyone has a question, needs a place to stay or is looking for a little insight on Royal Portrush, they go looking for Elliott, 42, who grew up playing the famed links course.”
  • “Yeah, it’s been kind of an interesting time,” Elliott said at TPC Twin Cities, where Koepka is competing in the inaugural 3M Open. “Almost nobody has been there, so there are a lot of questions, a lot of guys looking for houses and such, where to eat. Non-stop really.”
  • “He doesn’t mind the added attention. But being the current rock star, if you will, of the caddie fraternity makes things hectic. Case in point, he was talking to one of his caddie peers for a few minutes after Koepka shot an opening four-under 67. He turned around and there was a reporter seeking a few comments. Then Charley Hoffman tapped him on the shoulder. Hoffman is planning to arrive in Portrush next Saturday, so he asked Elliott to set him up with a local caddie for a few days until his regular caddie arrived. Elliott dutifully took Hoffman’s number. He’ll take care of it.”
9. Kaymer’s major streak snapped? 
Golf Channel’s Will Gray...”Martin Kaymer came up one shot short of qualifying for The Open Sunday at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, leaving his decade-plus streak of major appearances in serious jeopardy.”
  • “The former world No. 1 closed with a birdie on No. 18 to finish a 5-under 65 that left him at 11 under for the week, five shots behind eventual winner Jon Rahm. With three spots to Royal Portrush available to top finishers, Kaymer appeared in position to snag a late entry until Paul Waring birdied the 72nd hole to get to 12 under and knock Kaymer out.”

 

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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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WITB

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