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Morning 9: No 20 for Rory | No moral victory, but progress for Rickie | Lee Janzen!

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4 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt
For comments—or if you’re looking for a fourth—email me at ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com.
October 18, 2021
Good Monday morning, golf fans.
1. No 20 for Rory
AP report…”Rory McIlroy capped off a big weekend in Las Vegas on Sunday by surging past Rickie Fowler and holding off Collin Morikawa to win THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT for his 20th PGA TOUR title.”
  • “McIlroy seized control with a 35-foot eagle putt from just off the green on the par-5 14th and then playing mistake-free down the stretch for a 6-under 66 and a one-victory.”
  • “McIlroy is the 39th player to win at least 20 times on the PGA TOUR, and it’s his fifth straight PGA TOUR season with at least one win.”
  • “Fowler, who started the final round with a two-shot lead as he tried to end nearly three years without a victory, faded with a pair of three-putts and shot 71 to tie for third. The threat came from Morikawa, a member at The Summit Club, who shot 29 on the front to get in the mix and closed with an eagle for a 62.”
2. No moral victory
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Kanye West once sang that “moral victories are for minor league coaches.” Well, that may be true, but Rickie Fowler shouldn’t be hanging his head despite squandering a two-stroke 54-hole lead at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas.”
  • “It felt good to finally hit the golf ball properly, at least most of the time, for 72 holes,” he said. “A lot of quality shots, a lot of good swings this week.”
  • “Fowler came home in 1-under 71 on Sunday at the Summit Club to finished tied for third with Keith Mitchell, three strokes behind Rory McIlroy, who notched his 20th PGA Tour title, and two behind Collin Morikawa, who shot a scorching 62.”
  • “For Fowler, who hasn’t won since the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February 2019, it was a big step in the right direction. Fowler turns 33 on December 13 and has been open about his struggles, which have seen him fall from No. 8 in the world to No. 128 entering this week…”
3. European Tour: Fitzpatrick wins
AP report…”Patience paid off for Matt Fitzpatrick at the tough Valderrama course in Spain on Sunday.”
  • “The Englishman made 15 straight pars then rallied with two birdies on his last three holes to win the Andalucía Masters by three shots.”
  • “Amazing,” Fitzpatrick said. “Particularly the way I did it. I was very patient all day, didn’t try to press anything, stuck to our targets and managed to make all the putts in the end. I’m delighted with the win.”
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4. Aramco Team Series
Keith Jackson, Sky Sports…”Jessica Korda led her team to a thrilling victory as Charley Hull clinched the individual title at the Aramco Team Series – New York.”
  • “Korda’s par on the second playoff hole at the floodlit 17th was enough to deny former Women’s Open champion Sophia Popov and claim the team prize along with Ladies European Tour stars Karolin Lampert and Lina Boqvist, along with Golf Channel journalist Alexandra O’Laughlin.”
  • “The quartet combined for a closing round of 12 under which was matched by Team Popov, finishing the 54-hole event on 41 under and just one stroke ahead of Team Hull, who were 20 under par for their final round.”
5. KFT Q School 
Nick Parker for PGATour.com…”The first of five sites for the second stage of Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament kicked off this week at Southern Hills Plantation in Brooksville, Florida with 22 of 73 players earning 2022 Korn Ferry Tour membership by advancing to the final stage.”
  • “25-year-old Alex Weiss of Pickerington, Ohio secured the biggest win of his career Friday, winning the second stage at the Southern Hills site by three shots at 20-under 268. The Marshall University grad is yet to make a Korn Ferry Tour start but is off to final stage after blitzing the field with rounds of 69-67-66-66. Weiss has 19 career starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica with four top-10s including a runner-up in 2019.”
  • “Five-time PGA TOUR winner Jonathan Byrd finished just behind Weiss in solo second at 17-under-par 271 and is off to final stage. Byrd, owner of 434 career PGA TOUR starts, made 15 starts on TOUR in 2021 but narrowly missed a shot at a TOUR card at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals after finishing No. 206 in the FedExCup standings.”
  • “Michael Johnson, 28, finished solo third at 16-under and is off to final stage. Shortly after turning pro in 2016 after graduating from Auburn University, Johnson finished one shot out of a playoff in solo third at the 2016 Barbasol Championship. He lost Korn Ferry Tour membership in 2020 but is heading back to the Korn Ferry Tour after finishing solo third.”
6. Casey Martin has right leg amputated
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…“Oregon men’s golf coach Casey Martin is recovering at a Rochester, Minnesota, hospital after undergoing an amputation of his right leg.”
  • “Martin had the surgery, a three-and-a-half-hour procedure that amputated the leg just above the knee, on Friday afternoon at Mayo Clinic, according to Golf Digest. Martin’s older brother, Cameron Martin, told Digest that the operation was successful and that doctors feel they were able to save enough of Martin’s upper leg to give him a “good shot” at fitting into a prosthetic once his leg heals.”
  • “The 49-year-old Martin has had issues with the leg since birth, specifically dealing with a type of circulatory disorder called Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome, which makes walking difficult.”
7. Rahm: “I don’t want to see a golf club”
Geoff Shackelford…”World No. 1 Jon Rahm spoke of plans to shut it down after the best and also most dramatic stretch of his career when he captured the U.S. Open, contended regularly in majors, lost a probable title after testing positive for COVID-19 at the Memorial, and became a father.”
  • “His comments after a 78 and missed cut in Madrid, as reported by AP…”This is the first time in my life that I don’t want to see a golf club,” Rahm said. “And this comes from someone who loves this sport, and after a year in which some pretty good things have happened to me.”
  • “Rahm said he needs to take a break and may not play for one month until the World Tour Championship in Dubai.”
8. Were you expecting a Lee Janzen win this week? 
AP report…”Lee Janzen made a 20-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Miguel Angel Jimenez on Sunday to win the PGA Tour Champions’ SAS Championship.”
  • “The 57-year-old Janzen also birdied the par-4 18th in regulation in a closing 5-under 67 in the regular-season finale. The two-time U.S. Open champion won the 2015 ACE Group Classic for his only other senior title.”
9. Winning WITB: Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max (19 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black Prototype 105 6.5
Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (3-9)
Shafts: Project X Rifle 7.0
Wedges: TaylorMade MG3 (46-09SB @48), MG2 TW (56-12), MG2 (58-08LB @60)
Shaft: Project X Rifle 6.5
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast
Grip: SuperSroke Pistol GT Tour
Ball: 2021 TaylorMade TP5x (#22)
Grips: Golf Pride MCC

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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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News

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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News

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

Published

4 weeks ago

on

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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