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Tour Rundown: A Canadian triumphs in California, a win for Min Woo, playoff VICtory
The PGA Tour played storied Pebble Beach, easily a month earlier than most of us would like to see. Windy and cold are not ideal conditions for northern California, but the California Swing has only so many open dates. The women of the LPGA and men of the European tours were together in Australia, for the concurrent Vic Opens. Such an advanced notion: to have women and men compete for identical prize money, on the same golf course, at the same time. Finally, the Korn Ferry Tour found itself immersed in its Latin America trajectory, high in the Andes in Bogota.
Pro golf is back, blending its young surprises with its old certainties, as it always does. Tour Rundown, for the 2nd time in February, gives us the inside scoop on all the happenings across the golfing globe.
Vic Open-Women: Playoff decides VICtor at 13th Beach
This one was gut-wrenching. No other way to describe the sight of a leader’s vertical tumble from the top spot to a tie for 16th in 10 holes. Rather than highlight that descent, let’s consider the remarkable 4-hole playoff that was ultimately claimed by Hee Young Park. Once a winning score of single-digits-under-par became a possibility, the scramble began. Leona Maguire and Linnea Strom missed the playoff by one; 3 more were 2 shots back at -6. Back to the Korean trio of Park, So Yeon Ryu, and Hye-Jin Choi. Only Ryu failed to birdie the 18th in regulation; 4 there would have won the event outright. She was the first to depart from extra time, with par at the second go-round in overtime. Park and Choi each birdied the closing hole 4 times on day four, compelling them to a fifth tip (4th in extra holes.) Showing the strain, Park was only able to summon a par at the closer; it was enough, as Choi made bogey and gave up the ghost.
Back to the unfortunate collapse of fellow Korean Ayean Cho. Her first 7 holes were bumpy, with 2 birds, 2 boges, and 3 pars. No more difficult than the remainder in the field, but what happened next was unfathomable. Over the final 11 holes, she made 0 birdies, 4 pars, 5 bogies and 2 doubles. Playing that stretch in 9 over par, she tumbled from 12-under par to 3-below. Links golf, combined with wind and strategic bunkering, makes disaster proximate. The hope is that the bruises will be quick to heal, yet impart the necessary lessons of how to take each shot for itself, and never allow one shot to take us too high or too low.
Vic Open-Men: It’s about MINWOO time at 13th Beach
For once, the commentators were on the money. They spoke during the telecast of the awareness and control that the wunderkind from Australia exhibited all week. Since he was 16, since he won the USGA Junior, everything and too much was predicted for Min Woo Lee. This week, he got it done. As when Greg Lemond finally conquered the shadow of Bernard Hinault, with no help from Hinault himself, Lee had to withstand a 4th-day surge from Popeye himself, Ryan Fox. Fox was flawless on the final day, pairing four birdies with two spectacular eagles. His 3 at the par-five last sounded a warning, and when Lee made bogey at 17, his first since the penultimate hole the day before, his lead had shrunk to one slim putt … or wedge … or anything! As champions do, he gathered himself and finished in style. Birdie at the last brought him his first important win as a professional. Let’s hope it serves as a springboard toward multiple wins, and not the soul-searching agony of Why am I so good and not winning? that Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, Paula Creamer and many others have felt, in recent years. As for Fox, let’s hope that 2020 is a year to remember, for the right reasons, for the affable and powerful Kiwi.
AT&T Pro-Am: Maple leaf flies over Monterey peninsula
Nick Taylor won his first PGA Tour event at the age of 22, in 2014. 6 years later, he took a one-stroke lead into the final round of the AT&T at Pebble. On his heels was a fellow who knows a thing about winning in Monterey, and happened to be the defending champion. Holding off Phil Mickelson would be a bit different from winning the Sanderson Farms when the fall circuit didn’t have the same cache it does today. Through 9 holes, Taylor appeared to be the master, with Mickelson as his apprentice. Taylor rode 3 birdies and 1 eagle to an outward 32, to preserve his lead. As he turned back toward the clubhouse at 11, things began to unravel. Consecutive bogeys at 11 and 12, followed 2 holes later by a wretched double bogey at 14, should have been the end of his lead. Fortunately for Taylor, Mickelson never found his groove on Sunday. Lefty tossed a 3-under start in the trash bin, with double at 8 and bogey at 9. As Taylor was unraveling, Phil made bogeys at 12, 14, and 16. His last birdie came at 10, and he was fortunate to tie for 2nd with Kevin Streelman. Taylor made birdies at 15 and 17, and clinched his 2nd tour title by 4 shots. Streelman could bask in the glow of winning the Pro-Am title for the 2nd time in 3 years, both times with the NFL’s Larry Fitzgerald.
Country Club de Bogota Championship: Myth becomes reality as Mito conquers Bogota
Mito Pereira is not a household name, not in Santiago (his home city in Chile) nor at Texas Tech University, his alma mater. He is a Korn Ferry Tour winner, however, after his dramatic, 72nd-hole eagle concluded a Sunday 64 and broke him out of a tie at -18 with Ben Kohles of the USA. John Vanderlaen of Connecticut escorted a 1-shot lead into day four, but his closing 73 was so far off the quality of golf being played in the Andean capital, that he was fortunate to tumble just 5 places, into a tie for 6th. Local hero Camilo Villegas was in the hunt through 36, but closing rounds of 69-69 were average, and he tied for 4th. As for Pereira, he wasn’t alone in the rave that was Sunday at CCBogota. Patrick Fishburn jumped from 18th to 4th with a 64, while Kohles moved from 6th to almost-1st with a 65. The conclusion looked like extra holes for so long—until Pereira added his 2nd eagle of the day, accompanied by 4 birdies, to sneak past the runner-up, into first position.
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.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
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
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
