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Lee Elder: Honored, honorary starter at ANGC this year | Garcia out with COVID-19 | Who can win the Masters (and why Tiger can’t)

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5 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt
November 10, 2020
Good Tuesday morning, golf fans.
1. ANGC to recognize Lee Elder, name the trailblazer on honorary starter
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced that the club will be establishing scholarships in Elder’s name at nearby Paine College, a Historically Black College, and also invited him to be an honorary starter for the 2021 Masters.”
  • “At age 40, playing in the 39th Masters, Lee delivered a simple but strong message that resonated throughout the world. That message was unequivocal: ‘I belong,’” Ridley said. “The courage and commitment of Lee Elder and other trailblazers like him inspired men and women of color to pursue their rightful opportunity to compete and follow their dreams. But in reality, that opportunity is still elusive for many. We have a long way to go, and we can and we must do more.”
2. Masters rule changes
Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Starting this year, the 36-hole cut will include the top 50 players and ties but not players within 10 strokes of the lead. The 10-shot rule was introduced in 1962 and endured in 2013 when the cut went from the top 44 players and ties to the top 50 along with anyone within 10 strokes of the lead.”
  • “Because of the move to November and daylight considerations, officials are starting players off the first and 10th tees for Rounds 1 and 2.”
  • “Whether the removal of the 10-shot rule is because of those fall daylight limitations is unclear.”
3. Bryson battle ready
Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”In Monday’s practice round at Augusta National Golf Club, Bryson DeChambeau consistently hit his tee shots 20 yards past Justin Thomas, 40 yards by five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and, well, even farther past 1992 champ Fred Couples.”
  • “The scary part? DeChambeau said he can hit it even farther on the world’s most famous golf course with a couple of adjustments before Thursday’s opening round.”
  • “On the 16th tee box, DeChambeau complained to his swing coach, Chris Como, that he was losing 30 to 40 yards on his drives because his spin rate was too high.”
  • “After the nine-hole practice round, DeChambeau said if he reduces his spin rate from about 3,000 rpm to 2,000 rpm on his tee shots, he’ll be able to do “pretty cool” things at the Masters this week.”
4. Portentous forecast 
Tod Leonard for Golf Digest…”According to the National Weather Service, the forecast for Augusta calls for showers, especially on Wednesday and again during Thursday’s opening round, with some thunderstorms possibly producing heavy rain at times.”
  • “On Wednesday, temperatures will soar near 80 degrees—about 15 degrees higher than normal for this time of year—with a 70 percent chance of rain. Rainfall amounts during the day could be between a quarter and half of an inch with the same being true Wednesday night.”
  • “On Thursday, the forecast is calling for partly sunny skies and again a high near 80 but also with a 70-percent chance of rain and possibly heavy rain on Thursday night.”
5. Sergio out of Masters, positive for COVID-19…
Ben Morse and Wayne Sterling for CNN…”2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia has announced that he has withdrawn from the 2020 edition after testing positive for Covid-19.”
  • “It will be Garcia’s first missed major since the 1999 US Open.
  • “After 21 years of not missing a Major Championship, I will sadly miss The Masters this week,” the Spaniard wrote on Twitter on Monday.”
  • “The important thing is that my family and I are feeling good. We’ll come back stronger and give the green jacket a go next April.”
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6. How TW plays ANGC
In Golf Digest, a fascinating look at how the five-time Masters champion takes on the course.
No. 16: “Redbud,” par 3, 170 yards…”They have a bunch of different hole locations here, and it makes the hole play completely different—like the one on the front right, which we always play to when the tee is up. That’s one of the tougher little 9-irons you’ll ever have to hit because it’s so domed, and if you miss right, that’s trouble. Obviously I’ve had some awesome memories on this hole throughout the years. With the Sunday pin, it’s a pretty straightforward shot—you gotta land something just left of the ridge in the middle and have it funnel down there. But if you bail out right, that’s an insanely fast putt down the slope. And if you pull it long and left like I did in 2005, that’s no picnic either. It’s classic Augusta in that way—if you hit the right shot, you’re going to have a good look at birdie. But if you miss, you’re playing defense.”
No. 17: “Nandina,” par 4, 440 yards…”Back before they lost the Eisenhower Tree, this hole used to feel like a dogleg left because you had to stay right of it. I didn’t realize how straight the hole really is. Without that tree there, you can take your tee shot a little bit more left than you used to, and that’s a bit of a speed slot. It’s usually a 9-iron or so into the green, and if the pin is back left, I’ll get really aggressive because it’s one of the more straightforward approaches on the property—anything over the bunker will funnel to the hole. When it’s back right, then it’s a different story. I hardly ever go after that one. I’ll play short and give myself a putt up the hill, because long there is a total no-go. Just a brutal up-and-down that you don’t see guys convert very often.”
7. Golf and Jeopardy
In honor of Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, who died yesterday, Golfweek’s Adam Woodard explored the history of golf on jeopardy…
  • “The history between golf and Jeopardy! goes all the way back to the popular television trivia show’s first episode. Jeopardy! featured a golf clue in its pilot episode on Sept. 18, 1983, and according to Golf.com, more than 800 clues have been golf-related over the years. In fact, Phil Mickelson was recently the answer to “Final Jeopardy!” (but nobody got it right).”
8. Sutherland wins Charles Schwab Cup Championship on 9th playoff hole
AP report…“Sutherland and Broadhurst were forced to return to Phoenix Country Club to finish the final PGA TOUR Champions event of the year after playing to a stalemate over six playoff holes in near darkness on Sunday. They continued to match each other through two playoff holes on a chilly morning in the desert, the second with dueling birdies. Sutherland finally broke through on the ninth playoff hole, hitting his 163-yard approach shot from the fairway to 4 feet. He made the putt to win his fourth PGA TOUR Champions title after Broadhurst got up-and-down for par from short of the green.”
9. The 21 players who can win the Masters
GolfWRX’s resident statistician, Rich Hunt, uses his patented filter to determine the short list of players who actually have a chance to win at Augusta National this year.
See why he doesn’t think Tiger can win via the button below.

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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

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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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

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