News

5 things we learned Saturday at the US Open

Published

3 years ago

Jun 18, 2022

The Country Club does not suffer loose play. That notion was confirmed over and over on day three of the 2022 US Open in Brookline. I don’t suppose that we have instant access to their scorecards, but I wonder if Ted Ray or Harry Vardon had runs of bogeys like the leaders all seemed to experience today. Scottie Scheffler stood at minus-six when he reached the 11th tee. An airmailed green led to a double, which led to three consecutive bogeys, and a plus-four inward half. Rory McIlroy began the day at four-under par, but opened with three bogeys in his first six holes. The Northern Irishman steadied his game, and played even-par golf throughout the round’s remaining holes. Finally, consider poor Collin Morikawa, the co-leader through 36 holes. His lone, Saturday birdie (at the fifth) was sandwiched between two bogeys and a double. On the inward half, Morikawa endured a bogey-double-par-bogey stretch to post 77 on the day and drop six shots off the lead.

There was a lot of baggage left strewn about Willie Campbell’s course on day three of the 2022 American national championship. Ergo, we have no need to really unpack anything. Instead, let’s attempt to organize this yard sale and delineate the five most important things that we learned on Saturday at the 2022 US Open.

They love it. He loves it. ?@Minwoo27Lee starts his second side with a birdie. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/DkCAlJx0CD

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

1. Par, etc.

Seven rounds of sub-par golf were joined by three cards at even par. The Squirrel and the Clyde, with a spritz of Primrose, combined to frustrate and humble the 64 golfers fortunate enough to survive Friday’s cut. Eight holes were cut within 15 feet of an edge. What made the putting greens so challenging was the inconsistency of the hole locations. There was no rhythm to establish, as flagsticks flew left, then right, then fore, then aft. With green speeds in the 12 range all day, and a firmness to equal, there was little margin for error.

Good bogey or bad bogey? #USOpen pic.twitter.com/j9TxHNrqIU

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

2. The Amateur Game

The descendants of Ouimet were not immune from the diffulties of Brookline as the weekend arrived. Of the four who made the cut, Sam Bennett posted 74 for the best score. Austin Greaser and Travis Vick each signed for 76, while Stewart Hagestad posted 79. With 18 holes remaining in the tournament, Vick holds a two-shot advantage over Greaser for the vaunted title of low amateur, with Bennett one more shot back. Hagestad sits seven behind Vick, but will at least walk away with a medal for surviving the cut as a non-professional. Will the swallow stalk Vick’s ball again on Sunday? Anything is possible around The Country Club’s composite course.

#EFEfotos | Una golondrina común sobrevuela la bola del estadounidense Travis Vick. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/lUloY8yIdd

— EFE Deportes (@EFEdeportes) June 18, 2022

3. Who went away?

Let’s begin with Morikawa. He dropped from tied for first to tied for 17th. He’s just six shots back of the leaders, but will need something in the mid 60s on Sunday to make a run. How about two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka? Only the greatest of the greats truly learn how to control the tournament. Mickey Wright did, as did Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Brooks is proving to be the Retief Goosen of his generation: he had the answer, then he lost the answer. Five-over par on Saturday sent Koepka away to 40th, nine back of the lead. For Joel Dahmen, the other co-leader, things were neither as good nor as bad as they were for Morikawa. Dahmen had zero birdies on Saturday, but he had just four bogies, and all came on the front nine. For a first appearance in the a final major group on the weekend, Dahmen’s performance was hardly the worst ever. Can he rebound on Sunday to contend? What a story it would be.

That's what you call an ????????? bounceback.@collin_morikawa follows up his bogey with a birdie to get back to 5 under. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/rtoTmKrDti

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

4. Who jumped up?

Let’s begin with those we did not expect. Adam Hadwin, the first-round leader, posted 70 to find himself two back of the lead. Keegan Bradley went minus-one on Saturday, and joined Hadwin at two-under par. Scottie Schefler had the lead to himself on a few occasions on day three, but had a wretched stretch (think five over in four holes) to start the inward half, and landed at the same figure. Defending champion Jon Rahm also assumed ownership of the lead, but it didn’t last. Rahm reached the last at minus-five, drove into the rough, moved his second all of two yards, and closed with double bogey for three-under par. The most impressive moves came from Will Zalatoris (67 for -4) and Matt Fitzpatrick (68 for -4), who will tee off in the final group on Sunday.

He's won here before. ? @MattFitz94 moves to the top of the board. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Q2op16qEEn

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

5. What’s going to happen?

Honestly, no one has any idea. No single competitor has separated himself from the field, in any capacity. Rahm should win, because he did it last year. Except, he did it out west, on a PGA Tour course that doubles as US Open venue once a decade, so he won’t. Fitzpatrick did it here in 2013 at the US Amateur, except brother Alex isn’t on the bag this time, so he won’t. Scheffler appears to have figured out how to play four great rounds in a major (see Masters 2022) except Augusta National doesn’t metamorphose on a daily bases like US Open courses do, so he won’t.

Take a look at the stats leaders, and what you’ll see is total irrelevance. The top four in greens in regulation are T7, T11, T25, and T11. The top four in fairways hit are T7, T45, T11, and T4. The top four in putting are T40, T49, T17, and T4. You could say Dahmen or Scheffler or any number of other golfers, and you might be right or wrong. Soooooooo…

Here are our top three to win on Sunday, in no particular order, for no particular reason.

Sam Burns
Gary Woodland
Rory McIlroy

The last time @FitzAlex99 walked around The Country Club, he was 14 and caddying for his brother @MattFitz94 in the #USAmateur.

Now he's back cheering on his brother in a #USOpen! pic.twitter.com/Us0iRjYMIv

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2022

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)