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Tour Rundown: Tournament of Champions

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4 years ago

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As the rime traces its stencil across my window, I imagine that the warmth and trade winds of the Hawaiian islands must feel nice this time of year. Knowing that the island of Maui is poised to welcome the previous campaign’s title holders, is enough for me to reduce any falling snow to a mild case of dandruff. 38 golfers began play at Kapalua, known to be both brilliantly routed and scorable. With an interesting par of 73, due to a supply-chain shortage on par-3 holes, Kapalua offers excitement from tee one to green the last. Welcome to the PGA Tour 2022, and welcome back to Tour Rundown on GolfWRX.

*One last thing. I saw Hamilton for the first time during the holidays, so forgive my constant references to appropriate verses from the show.

Thursday: History has its eyes on you

Yes, you, Patrick Cantlay. And you, Jon Rahm. And you, Brooks Koepka. And especially you, Mullet Man. Everyone’s favorite lettuce shot to the top of the leader board on day one, with an eight-under par effort of 65. Australia’s Cameron Smith took our attention away from his home country’s immigration saga with Novax Djokovic for all of Thursday. His work on the outward half was strong, despite standing at +1 after two holes. A birdie 3 at the third chewed the carbon off the spark plug, and an eagle 3 at the fifth fully ignited the valves. One more birdie at the par-5 ninth turned the Aussie in minus three.

On the inward half, Smith was blah-brilliant-blah. Pars at 10 through 12 and 17-18 would have you estimate his back-nine tally at two or three under. Try five deep on for size. Birdies at 13, 14, and 16 were joined by his second eagle of the day, also at a par five. Quixotically, Smith made par on arguably the easiest long hole of them all, the 18th. Alas, nine-under was not to be, but the effort gave him a one-shot advantage headed toward Friday.

Chasing Smith are the aforementioned Cantlay, Rahm, and Daniel Berger. Each posted 66 on the day. One shot farther distant is the under-heralded trio of Erik van Rooyen, Kevin Na, and Sungjae Im. Day two promises baskets of birdies, and at least 10 eagles (my prediction.) Let’s go!

Friday: Wait for it

When he was young, our son Anthony played fullback in soccer. He would purposely allow the attacker to get past him, just for the thrill of chasing the poor guy down with superior speed. I had a sense of deja vu on Friday when Cameron Smith, he of the one-shot lead through 18, began with bogey-bogey in round two. From that point on, the Aussie chased down those who had eclipsed him, regaining the lead at nightfall. Smith played 11-under golf through the final 16 holes of his round, posting one eagle (hole #5 for the second consecutive day) and nine birdies, including the last four holes. His round of 64 was a shot improvement over day one, and secured a three-shot advantage, heading into the weekend.

Imagine how Daniel Berger felt. He posted 7 under while paired with Smith and lost two shots worth of ground. Imagine how Jon Rahm felt. He outdueled his partner, Patrick Cantlay, by one shot, and signed a scorecard for a second consecutive 66 and also lost ground. Smith was too good for a second consecutive day. On Saturday, Rahm will dance with Smith, while Cantlay will partner Berger. Nothing suggests that any of the four will go away, so it might take a 63 from someone to establish control headed into Sunday’s final round.

Saturday: Not throwing away my shot

For the first time in 48 hours, Cameron Smith does not hold the solo lead at Kapalua. In an event where shooting five-under par loses you six positions, one expects a mid-60s round from the leader. Smith did not disappoint, posting a second-consecutive round of 64, to reach 26-under par through 54 holes. The only trouble for Smith came from things out of his control. Blame Matt Jones, who got things started with a 10-under 62, jumping him up to a tie for 4th position. Blame Justin Thomas, who bested Jones by one and set a course record with his 61. Thomas won’t win (74 on Thursday took care of that ) but he won’t go away.

Most importantly, blame Jon Rahm. The only US Open champion from Spain matched Thomas’ course record with a 61 of his own. He made up three shots on Smith on day three, and joined the Aussie on the top rung of the ladder (it’s a wide ladder.) The Iberian actually made a bogey in his record-setting round, on the 4th hole. His four-birdie, one-eagle finish over the closing five holes made up for that stumble, and cast him as the favorite heading into Sunday.

As for Smith, he’ll have to climb to another echelon to dispatch the great Basque on day four. Smith has the game, but he’ll need that intangible, inexplicable something that elevates only a select few to the rank of closer. Smith didn’t throw away his shot, nor did Rahm, and that’s why this is now a two-man tournament.

Sunday: One last time

65-64-64-65. Simply symmetrical. As symmetrical as the mullet and the 70s ‘stache are unkempt. You know where I’m going with this line of thinking. so hats off to Cameron Smith, the first qualifier for the 2023 Tournament of Champions. Smith and Jon Rahm went head to head and toe to toe for one last time this week. Rahm didn’t need a reprise of his Saturday 61; a 64 would have won the tournament for the burly Basque. There was a 61 lurking at Kapalua on Sunday, and it almost stole the show. I’m getting ahead of myself, so whoa, Nelly (not Korda.)

Cameron Smith birdied four holes on each side of the Coore and Crenshaw 18 at Kapalua. For the second consecutive day, he made zero bogeys. That’s hard to beat, but it can be done. Matt Jones nearly did it on Sunday, but he ran out of holes. Jones had 62 on Saturday AND IMPROVED on Sunday to 61. He had two eagles in the space of three holes on the inward half, tied the course record, and moved all the way from 4th to … 3rd. OK, that last bit doesn’t sound so impressive, but when you consider that he made up four shots on the leader and came from the B flight to challenge for the club championship, it does.

Rahm? Hard to follow up a course record with another low round. The defending US Open champion had his chances, but a meh outward nine of minus-two put him in a must-challenge situation. Rahm had five birdies on the back nine, but needed six or seven to have a chance. Still, last pairing for both weekend rounds and a just-miss is a solid opener for Rahm. And Smith? Well, he did what he hadn’t previously done: hold a lead for a long, long time, and hold off a major champion. Don’t be surprised if you see the Mullet King hoist a few more trophies this season.

  • Featured image via PGATour.com on Twitter. 

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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.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. chris

    Jan 10, 2022 at 10:16 am

    „The Mullet King“
    That is premium :-))

    Reply Report comment

  2. Don

    Jan 9, 2022 at 10:14 pm

    Good for you, Cam. Now keep your mouth shut about the USA.

    Reply Report comment

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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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News

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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