News

Tour Rundown: Jones conquers Honda, Harding wins in Kenya

Published

4 years ago

Mar 22, 2021

There are two perspectives on swing on tour. Not the human ones, but the organization of events in a geographic region. One perspective says, finish your swing with your pre-eminent tournament. That happens on the West Coast swing, where Riviera hosts the Genesis and caps the four weeks of Arizona-California golf. In Hawaii, the season kinda-sorta has to open with the Tournament of Champions, so that one is handcuffed. The most interesting swing is the Florida one, where the big-ticket item, The Players, is the penultimate event, and the Valspar doesn’t even make the swing. This matters, because as we look at the event that is The Honda Classic, we can’t help but empathize with its plight.

The Honda comes the week after the fifth major, so many top-ranked golfers see it as a good week to break from the stress of competition. It comes the week before a WGC event, the Dell Match Play, where golfers hope to impress their respective Ryder and Presidents Cup captains with their head-to-head ability (and make a few bucks, let’s be honest.)

Finally, the Honda takes place on a PGA National golf course that was made punitive for no good reason. It’s not the place you want to find (or preserve) your swing, if you hope to peek heading into The Masters. The Champions course is better suited to precede a US Open or PGA Championship, with its emphasis on accuracy and wind management. With WGC and Majors dotting the canvas, events like the Honda will always fill the spaces between.

PGA Tour: Matt Jones claims second career win at The Honda

The first (and last time until Sunday) Matt Jones won on the PGA Tour; he had to work overtime in figurative and literal fashions. In 2014, Jones drained a 46-feet birdie putt at the 72nd hole to tie Matt Kuchar, then chipped in from over 100 feet on the playoff hole to win. This week, Jones did the heavy lifting on Thursday, then held steady the next three days. On day one, the Australian had runs of four and three birdies, on his way to nine birdies and an opening 61. Despite elevating nine shots on day two, Jones would fare no worse than that 70 and follow it with 69 and 68 for a five-shot win over Brandon Hagy. The runner-up played the same sort of spectacular as Jones, with rounds of 69-62-66 on his card. His third-round lapse, to 76, was his undoing. The 66 in round four forced Hagy 16 spots up the leaderboard to a career-best, second-place finish.

On a course with more water than grass at times, Jones made no worse than bogey. On the day that he seemed poised to drive the train off the rails, Jones made eagle at the last to return to even par. The victory qualified Jones into the Masters for the second time in his career.

European Tour: Harding in for second tour win at MKO

There is no great creativity in the naming of golf tournaments on professional tours. It’s either a major, or it has a sponsor’s tag attached to the title. This makes events like the Magical Kenya Open a rarity. Sure, the government or its chambers of commerce sponsor the tournament, but still, Magical Kenya! For lovers of language and golf, the disruption of the parade of corporate dances is a respite. Justin Harding certainly found the Karen Country Club to be magical this week for different reasons.

The South African golfer etched his name into a winner’s plaque in 2019 in Qatar. There, he won by two shots over nine golfers. That’s a feat in itself and made his two-shot win over just the USA’s Kurt Kitayama seem quite mundane. Harding was solid all day Sunday, with three birdies and his second deuce of the week at the par-four ninth hole doing the damage. Kitayama posted two eagles on day four, along with the same number of birdies. His attempt to unseat Harding was interrupted by an unfortunate six at the par-five eleventh hole. Even though Harding failed to make birdie there, he still picked up a stroke on his nearest chaser.

Like Brendon Hagy over at The Honda, Scotland’s Connor Syme played the best Kenya golf over three rounds. He had 65-67-64 but was undone by a 71 on day three. The Tour remains in Kenya this week, in fact, at the same course. It does remain to be seen, among other storylines, whether Harding can go back to back on a course that favors his game.

Korn Ferry Tour: Diaz wins first event at Louisiana

Just when it seemed that Roberto Bobby Diaz was ready to claim his first big USA event, he made bogey at the 13th hole. Just when it seemed that Peter Uihlein was ready to claim his first big USA event, he made bogey at the 17th hole. Just when it seemed that Tom Whitney was ready to claim his first big USA event, he ran out of holes. So, who won? If you read the headline, you already know.

Whitney played the most impressive golf on Sunday. He opened with eagle, added six birdies, and reached 16-under par for solo third place. Uihlein, the 2010 US Amateur champion, had two eagles on Sunday (at the first and the twelfth holes) and looked to be capable of winning a first big event since the 2017 Nationwide, on the Web.Com (now Korn Ferry) tour. Alas, Uihlein made bogey at the 17th and settled for second spot, at 17-under par.

It was Diaz who emerged victorious and, until Sunday, was known as a player who had won by not winning. In 2017, Diaz lost a PGA Tour Latinoamerica playoff but moved so far up the world ranking that he qualified for the WGC-Mexico Championship as the leading Mexican golfer. This week, Diaz was able to steady his nerves after the 13th-hole bogey and run the table with pars. That was good enough to hold off Uihlein and secure much-needed status, stature, and confidence heading into the meat of the Korn Ferry season.

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

Aug 4, 2025

Ronald Montesano

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

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 29, 2025

GolfWRX Staff

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.

News

BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 28, 2025

Brian Knudson

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)