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Morning 9: Breakthrough wins: Ortiz, Bobby-Mac | Masters just what Rory needs? | Awful-news | Rosaforte has early onset Alzheimer’s

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5 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt
November 9, 2020
Good Monday morning, golf fans, and happy Masters week to you all.
1. Ortiz breaks through; first Mexican winner in 42 years
AP report…”Ortiz holed two long birdie putts from off the green to take the lead, then was rock solid down the stretch and delivered the winning shots for a 5-under 65 and a two-shot victory in the Houston Open.”
  • “Ortiz, a three-time winner on what was then the Web.com Tour in 2014, became the first Mexican to win on the PGA Tour since Victor Regalado in 1978 at the Quad Cities Open.”
  • “Ortiz played the final round alongside a former No. 1 player in Jason Day. He spent the back nine locked in a battle with the current No. 1, Dustin Johnson.”
2. Bobby Mac!
EuropeanTour.com report…”Robert MacIntyre produced a birdie-birdie finish to win his first European Tour title at the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown.”
  • “The Scot had been a picture of consistency all week at Aphrodite Hills Resort, comfortably finishing in the pack as the field was cut to 32 and then 19 players after rounds two and three, with the scores reset to par for the final two days as part of the innovative format.”
  • “He finished in a tie for third over this layout last week at the Cyprus Open after a closing 65, and he went one shot better seven days later to finish at seven under, a stroke clear of Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura.”
3. Brutal stuff for Niemann…
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”I have tested positive for coronavirus and unfortunately I will not play in the Masters next week as a result,” Niemann wrote. “This event means a lot to me, and I have had incredible memories playing as the LAAC champion … I am disappointed but will do everything possible to recover quickly while keeping my family and team safe.”
  • “The Masters Tournament also confirmed the news, tweeting: “”Joaquin Niemann has informed Augusta National Golf Club that he will not participate in the 2020 Masters Tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test result.”
4. Just what Rory needs?
ESPN’s Bob Harig…”This year is a different, and in an odd way, welcome for McIlroy, who arrived at Augusta National on Saturday to prepare for the first fall Masters without much of the fanfare that typically hovers over him there.”
  • “I’ve got enough distractions going on in my life at the minute in terms of a new baby; it’s almost a nice thing to not have the Masters on your mind 24/7,” McIlroy said during a phone interview. “Erica and Poppy [their daughter born in August] are going to be there, it’ll be her first golf tournament. And after getting home each day, it’s such a nice thing to be able to get your mind off of golf.
  • “I’ve always been better that way. If I let something consume me too much then I start overthinking it. It’s just not a good thing. It has been a good distraction that way. I’m looking forward to getting myself ready to play some good golf. It’s going to be a different tournament, a different Augusta.”
5. Past champs on Tiger
Via Golfweek’s Todd Kelly…
Fred Couples…“I talk to him every day. We’re playing Monday. I’ve got to get there and get tested, somehow get my test back fast so I can join he and JT.”
  • “Couples then chuckled when he said: “He’s wound up. He’s sent a couple pictures, he’s a funny guy. I think he’ll be just fine.”
  • “He loves the place. He can play there at any given time, it just depends on really how he feels and I can relate to that, but whereas when I don’t feel well, I can still slap it around, but when you’re the greatest player to ever play, it kind of wears on you a little bit. But he’ll get used to it and if he’s feeling healthy, he’ll be one of the 10 or 15 guys to beat.”
  • “Bernhard Langer…1985, 1993 Masters champion…“He can’t be happy with his season, I wouldn’t think, especially after winning Augusta last year. We all thought ‘Well, he’s back,’ roaring again, but it hasn’t quite been that way…But I don’t count him out. He loves the golf course, knows it. His short game is always phenomenal. If he’s got his long game together he could still defend his title.”
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6. Rosaforte, who retired in December, has early-onset Alzheimer’s
Craig Dolch, syndicated in Golfweek…”For Tim Rosaforte, this week’s Masters will be like no other. The longtime golf journalist won’t be covering this revered tournament for the first time since 1983.”
  • “His absence has nothing to do with the coronavirus pandemic that delayed the Masters to the Fall. If only it was that simple. Last month, Rosaforte was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. He has been having memory issues for about two years. Rosaforte turned 65 on Oct. 25.”
  • “Instead of keeping Golf Channel’s viewers informed throughout the week, Rosaforte will watch this Masters from his Jupiter, Florida, home. Rosaforte retired from Golf Channel last December because of the cognitive problems.”
7. Bryson’s approach clubs… 
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…According to Carl Paulson, co-host of “Inside the Ropes” on SiriusXm PGA Tour Radio, DeChambeau teed it up last week with Sandy Lyle, the 1988 Masters champion, and the reports from Lyle were “jaw-dropping.”
“Here’s a recap, per Paulson via Lyle, of what DeChambeau hit into some of the holes”
No. 1 (Par 4, 445 yards): Sand wedge
No. 2 (Par 5, 575 yards): 8-iron
No. 3 (Par 4, 350 yards): Flew the green with 3-wood off the tee
No. 8 (Par 5, 570 yards): 7-iron
No. 9 (Par 4, 460 yards): Sand wedge
No. 10 (Par 4, 495 yards): Pitching wedge
No. 11 (Par 4, 505 yards): 9-iron
No. 13 (Par 5, 510 yards): 7-iron (hit 3-wood off tee)
No. 15 (Par 5, 530 yards): 9-iron
No. 17 (Par 4, 440 yards): Sand wedge
8. World’s longest par-3
SportsBible.com’s Jack Kenmare…”Located at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in the Entabeni Safari Conservatory in South Africa, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Johannesburg, the incredible hole is 400 metres high, 395 yards long and has a green shaped to resemble the continent of Africa…The tee is only accessible by helicopter and it takes the ball over 20 seconds to land…Despite its notoriously difficult tee position, 14 golfers have managed to get a birdie, including former Cricket player Franklyn Stephenson.”
9. Epic Masters hype video

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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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