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Morning 9: Tour champions: Rahm, Kim | Euro Tour’s “money problem” | Mickelson the host

Published

6 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt
Email me at ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com and find me at @benalberstadt on Instagram and golfwrxEIC on Twitter.

November 25, 2019

Good Monday morning, golf fans. If a balloon in the likeness of a professional golfer, living or dead, were added to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, who should it be? 
 
**Just a reminder we’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership.** 
1. Rahmian double
BBC Report…”Jon Rahm birdied the final hole to win the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on 19 under par and clinch the European Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title.”
  • “Rahm holed a three-foot putt to finish one ahead of England’s Tommy Fleetwood and win the event for the second time.”
  • “The win also meant the 25-year-old Spaniard also pipped Fleetwood, 28, to be the number one in Europe for 2019.”

Full piece.

2. “Overlooked no more”
Golf Digest’s Keely Levins on Sei Young Kim’s statement victory...”Sei Young Kim might have just become the least-talked about wire-to-wire LPGA winner ever. The 26-year-old from South Korea quietly opened the CME Group Tour Championship with a 65 to take a lead she held or shared until her winning 25-foot birdie putt on the last hole worth $1.5 million on Sunday.”
  • “On a hot, humid Florida afternoon, most of the attention seemed to be directed elsewhere. Nelly Korda, the highest-ranked American at No. 3, was just a shot behind Kim at the start of the final round, and had attracted more attention from stretches of brilliant golf: four-under for her final three holes on Thursday, the 31 she shot on the front nine on Friday, the 31 she shot on the back nine on Saturday.”
  • “Even throughout the final round, as Korda fought through a difficult ball-striking day, Danielle Kang’s seven-under 65 to finish at 16 under generated more buzz around the golf course.”
  • “But to overlook Kim yet again was a mistake.”

Full piece.

3. Duncan downs Simpson
AP report…”Tyler Duncan made a 12-foot putt on the second hole of a playoff with Webb Simpson on Sunday in the RSM Classic for his first PGA Tour title.”
  • “Playing two groups ahead of Simpson in windy conditions on Sea Island’s Seaside Course, Duncan birdied three of the last four holes in regulation for a 5-under 65. He two-putted the par-5 15th for a birdie, made a 6-footer on the par-3 17th and a 25-footer on the par-4 18th.”

Full piece.

4. …a backstory that wasn’t
Nice work by Sean Martin of PGATour.com, penning a piece on the friendship between Webb Simpson and Brendon Todd, which, had Todd played better on Sunday, could have been an interesting backstory if they had dueled down the stretch…
  • “They first met when Todd moved to North Carolina in middle school and immediately started challenging Simpson’s dominance in the state.”
  • “I was kind of winning golf tournaments and then he moves to Cary, North Carolina, and he starts beating me like a drum,” Simpson said. “He was really good and I think we kind of inspired each other growing up. I’m only a couple months younger, but a grade behind him, so he definitely pushed me and hopefully I pushed him.”
  • “They also supported each other during the tough times, talking on the phone when they were struggling with their games. Simpson endured a winless streak of nearly five years after he was forced to switch putters. Todd’s slump was much deeper. He got the full-swing yips and had a tough time just breaking par.”
5. Phil Mickelson: host of the Hope
Larry Bohannon at The Desert Sun with the story from Phil’s flip-flop-clad presser…
“Phil Mickelson is convinced this is the right time for him to expand his role with the American Express golf tournament and the Coachella Valley.”
  • “It’s always been an important part of my life. I would come out here and play junior tournaments here,” Mickelson said. “I’ve always been passionate about here, and I love the tournament itself. But more than that, this tournament has meant historically a lot to this area, and I want to bring back the vision of Bob Hope.”
  • “The announcement that Mickelson will officially become the host of the tournament he won in 2002 and 2004 and where he finished second by a single shot last year was just part of activities Saturday at Madison Club in La Quinta, where Mickelson has a home. Much of the discussion Saturday centered around the addition of global financial company American Express as tournament sponsor and what the company can bring to the desert event”

Full piece.

6. The European Tour’s money problem
An interesting take from Alistair Tait…“There’s a contradiction here. The Rolex Series was set up precisely to try to get Europe’s top stars to play more on their home tour…The problem? The top players earn so much money they can afford to turn their noses up at tournaments worth $7 million and more.”
  • “The three final Rolex Series events came on the back of the $10.25 million WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. There was a time when the tops stars would have built their schedules around a quartet of events worth a combined $32.75 million. Not now. These guys are so rich they don’t have to play four in a row. Even players who are not box office names can afford to skip Rolex Series tournaments, a fact Pelley acknowledged.”
  • “I had an interesting discussion with Victor Perez, who is ninth in the Race to Dubai. Last year he was a Challenge Tour player but he got into the WGC-HSBC Champions but he doesn’t want to play four in a row, so he made a decision not to play in Turkey or South Africa.”
  • “If a relative unknown like Perez can afford to skip two tournaments worth a combined $14.5 million, it sends a pretty strong signal. It’s why Pelley is looking at ending the 2021 schedule with just two Rolex Series events instead of the current three.”

Full piece.

7. From golf shop employee to managing a pro golfer
Getting you up to speed: Our protagonist, Jennifer Kim, met Inbee Park’s husband while she was working at Golf Center, which eventually led to her talking with someone who worked at a Korean talent agency, who asked for her resume, which she didn’t think would lead to anything…
  • Via Golf Digest’s Keely Levins…“But in November, the team at Bravo and New actually did call her, asking if she was serious about working for them. The answer, of course, was yes.”
  • “Just six months out of college, with no experience working with professional athletes, she flew to Korea and met Jeongeun Lee6, who had just won LPGA Q-Series and was poised to start her rookie year on the LPGA Tour in January. In a meeting with Lee6’s parents and members of Bravo and New, the decision was made that Kim would be Lee6’s personal manager for 2019. Lee6 had wanted a female manager, and the thought was that it would be fun for Lee6 to travel with a peer. Importantly, Kim is bilingual. She was born in Chicago, but lived in South Korea from second through sixth grade, because of her father’s business. She’s fluent in Korean and English. Lee6 is still working on mastering the English language, so having a bilingual manager was imperative.”

Full piece.

8. Congaree
Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch on a singular golf club…
“Located behind a wooden gate along a two-lane road in the woods, Congaree isn’t a golf club in the conventional sense. There is a course – actually, one of the best that Tom Fazio ever signed his name to – but that is almost incidental. At Congaree, golf is the route, not the destination.”
  • “It opened in 2017 and has only two official members – its billionaire founders Dan Friedkin and the late Robert McNair, who owned the Houston Texans. What it has instead are invited ambassadors, people prominent in their industries who aren’t so much expected to pay cash as donate their time and mentorship. Their number includes titans of industry and golf Hall of Famers like Masters winner Mark O’Meara.”
  • “Each year, the Global Golf Initiative at Congaree identifies dozens of high school students from around the world who have the talent to play college golf, but who lack the financial, parental or social advantages that kids from places like Sea Island might enjoy. The intense four-week program is a mix of educational, vocational and golf instruction, including college preparation, life lessons, counseling, fitness training and even club fitting. When they leave, Congaree’s advisors and counselors shadow them through the end of high school and into college.”

Full piece.

9. Nelly Korda has only scratched the surface
That’s the bold claim from Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols, who writes…”For those who follow this tour closely, she’s the answer to the ever-popular question: Who’s the next big star?”
  • “That’s not wishful thinking, though Nelly certainly presents the complete package. Extraordinary genes, model-like looks, an enviable golf swing, firepower, intensity and an easy laugh. Despite all that she even seems relatable.”
  • …”Beyond all the physical attributes, the intangibles are what make Nelly a most intriguing prospect as No. 1. And she’s not afraid to say that being No. 1 is her No. 1 goal.”
  • “Players have been known to shy away from that kind of declaration past a certain age.”
  • “Nelly seems to have more here to me,” said Judy Rankin, patting her heart.

Related Topics:

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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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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WITB

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