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Tour Rundown: Korda scorches in Hotlanta for first major, English wins a playoff epic

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4 years ago

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Golf is cruel, in the way that April is the cruelest month in “the Wasteland.” Bubba Watson stood on the 14th tee with the lead, at minus-13, this day. He finished bogey-bogey-bogey-double and dropped to a tie for 7th. Nelly Korda was riding the wave of two birdies and two eagles on the day when she stepped to the 15th tee and made a double of her own. Fortunately for her, the cruelty ended there.

It was a weekend of sadness and satisfaction; then again, which weekends on the professional golf circuits are not? Ride this wave with us as we bring the final Tour Rundown of June 2021 your way.

LPGA: Women’s PGA Championship sees a dominant performance from Nels

The aforementioned Korda had a one-shot advantage over Lizette Salas when both reached the 12th tee at the Highlands course of the Atlanta Athletic Club. Gunning for a second consecutive victory, Korda twice fired straight and true, and rolled in an eagle putt to move from 18 under to 20 under. Salas stumbled, making bogey to drop to 16 under. In essence, the tournament ended there. Salas had made consecutive birdies at the fifth and sixth holes, but that emptied the arrows from her quiver. Averaging over five birdies per round on the week, Salas’ vessel had been emptied.

Korda came to Hotlanta on a roll, having cracked the treasure chest last week in Michigan. After opening this week with 70, she posted 29 on Friday’s front nine, buoyed by six consecutive birdies. She followed that 63 with a pair of 68s, to earn her first professional major championship title. Korda lost the 2020 ANA Inspiration in a playoff and was not about to let this major opportunity slip away. Other than the 15th-hole hiccup on Sunday, Korda held the rudder steady.

PGA Tour: Traveler’s Championship goes waaaaaaaaaaaay over time

Speaking of cruelty, what could be crueler than to play eight extra holes in a playoff after completing 18 holes in regulation earlier in the day? After an unplanned marathon like the one at TPC-River Highlands, both Kramer Hickok and Harris English deserved a trophy, or at least a hug and an ice cream.

Both combatants proved themselves to be clutch performers in regulation. English made birdie at the 16th to assume the solo lead, gave it back at 17 with a bogey, then reclaimed it at 18 with another birdie. Hickok came to the last hole a stroke in arrears, fitted his approach within eight feet of the hole and drained the putt to tie English. Return to the 18th they did, then again, then 17, then 18, then 17, then 18 three more times. By that point, 2021 Travelers had tied five other events for second-longest playoff in PGA Tour history. As you can imagine, there were many saves along the way, including an eighteen-foot bomb by Hickok to extend the playoff.

On that sixth extra visit to the finishing hole, something funny happened: Harris English made birdie. After 15 pars, the Georgia native’s putt for three dropped, and the marathon reached the tape. In 2013, English won twice. Eight years later, in January of 2021, he won for a third time. Now, the tall Valdosta son has a fourth trophy on his PGA Tour shelf. As for Hickok, the sting will last until he replicates the victories that he earned on the Mackenzie and Korn Ferry tours. It shouldn’t be long.

European Tour: Hovland has a healed eye on the BMW International Open

Two things stood out over the closing holes at the BMW International Open championship this week in Munich: it felt like 2010, and the 17th hole must have been a bear. Both Martin Kaymer and Victor Dubuisson finished in the top four, although neither emerged victorious. Kaymer placed second, after jumping nine places on Sunday with a closing 64. Dubuisson made eagle at the last for 67 and solo 4th position. Between them was Spain’s Jorge Campillo, who closed with a 71 for -15, one ahead of the Frenchman and two behind the German. Ahead of them all was a lad who withdrew from last week’s US Open championship in San Diego.

Viktor Hovland suffered one of the more bizarre derailments last weekend at Torrey Pines. Sand blew into his eye while preparing for round three; he soldiered on for nine holes, but ultimately withdrew. One week later, the Norwegian Nightmare valkyried his way through the field at 19-under par. Despite a 71st hole bogey, Hovland was able to preserve his two-shot margin over Kaymer. Both Kaymer and Campillo joined Hovland on the 17th hole bogey train, effectively ending their long-shot challenges. The win was Hovland’s first on the European Tour, and the first ever by a Norwegian on the junior circuit.

PGA Tour Champions: Senior Players Championship is Stricker’s third senior major

There are many ways to win a major title. Some open strong and hold on for dear life, while others close fast and snatch victory from defeat’s mandibles. Steve Sticker and Jerry Kelly did the Wisconsin two-step yet again in a senior major event, and the 2021 Ryder Cup captain got the best of his in-state friend by six strokes. Kelly walked off the 13th green just two behind Stricker, but the worst was yet to come. He closed with four bogeys over the next five holes and dropped to just 1 under par. Kelly barely held onto second place, finishing one ahead of Fred Couples and David Toms.

After opening with a 7-under 63, Stricker essentially dared anyone to come get him. He went 68-72 in the middle rounds, allowing an opportunity to corral him. On Sunday, Stricker went out in 2-under 33, forcing the hand of every golfer in the chase pack. He made a pair of bogeys on the inward half but still claimed victory by six strokes. The Senior Players is his third unique major title after 2019 wins at the Tradition and the U.S. Open.

Korn Ferry Tour: Maine Open goes to Ramey in the nick of time

Chad Ramey might be from away, but come Sunday evening, he was happier than a clam at high tide. Ramey found a way to play error-free golf on day four as his partners faltered. He held off the chargers like Joshua Creel (64), Steve Lawton (65) and Seth Reeves (66) and won his first-ever Korn Ferry Tour event at the Live and Work in Maine Open. The tournament was played at the eponymous country club of Falmouth,  just north of Portland.

With all respect to the winner, the most interesting man outside the county this week was Creel. The lad posted 62 and 64 but also had 71 and 72. On Sunday, he tallied nine birdies, including five consecutive. He also had a pair of bogeys, else he might have eclipsed Ramey’s steady play and snuck away with the title. Also closing fast was the most interesting man of the season, Cameron Young. Young didn’t win a third title of the season, but he did tie for fifth position, further ensuring his soon-to-be PGA Tour status.

Back to Ramey. The Mississippi native was too consistent for anyone to catch, although they did their level best. Sunday was his smallest crop of birdies on the week, but it was also his only card that did not feature a bogey. Sometimes it’s not the dramatic performances that win the day, but the consistent ones.

Other Tours

Atthaya Thitikul over Nuria Iturrioz by one on the Ladies European Tour.

Trevor Werbylo over Samuel Saunders in a playoff on the Forme Tour.

Connor Godsey over Drew Nesbitt in a playoff on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Bri

    Jun 28, 2021 at 5:16 am

    European Tour is a “Junior circuit”?! I guess Indycar and MLS are too then…

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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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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