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Tour Rundown: CJ Cup rides off with Rory again | Ko sizzles

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3 years ago

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The golden season for leaves in the American middle and north countries arrived this week, with fireworks of gold, red, and orange dressing all sorts of trees in fall glory. The golf world reminded us of the extension of seasons around the world, well into November. Four events took place over these seven days, in Korea and Carolina, as well as Spain and Virginia. As the leaves drop, so does the number of remaining tournaments. If we’re fortunate, the competitors will continue to give us memorable moments, until the snow flakes arrive. Let’s dive into this week’s Tour Rundown with a bit of Autumn enthusiasm.

PGA Tour: CJ Cup rides off with Rory again

There’s a pretty good chance that Rory and the McIlroys are now officially scouting a piece of land in South Carolina’s low country. It’s not just the seafood boils that prove attractive; it’s the employment opportunities. For the second consecutive year, the pride of Holywood Golf Club secured a win at Congaree, although the new/old world number one decided to make it just a bit dramatic.

Jon Rahm and Kurt Kitayama held a joint, 36-hole lead at 11-under par, with McIlroy one shot back. On Saturday, the 2021 PGA Championship at nearby Kiawah Island made a move with a second-consecutive 66. With nothing assured, Roars played nearly-flawless golf through sixteen holes on Sunday. Seven birdies agains one bogey gave him a three-shot advantage with two to play. On the penultimate hole, his drive found a waste bunker, and his second bogey of the day was the result. At the last hole, a less-than-stellar approach left him 50 feet for birdie. With no desire to risk a week’s hard work, McIlroy eased into the hole in three putts, giving him a one-shot win over Kitayama. K.H. Lee of South Korea came third, at 15-under par.

LPGA: BMW Ladies Championship to Ko in sizzling fashion

Atthaya Thitikul began the week in  wondrous fashion. Her nine-under 63 staked her to a one-shot advantage over amateur Minsol Kim. The amateur would ultimately tie for tenth position, earning the respect of her fellow competitors. Thitikul would hold the lead until Sunday, when her game left her and she closed with 74. Thitikul’s departure opened the door for a host of challengers, and a familiar name was the one to close the door.

After earning 14 tour victories over a four-year span last decade, Lydia Ko passed through a few lean years. Over the past two seasons, she has earned three victories, with the latest coming this week in Korea. Ko and Andrea Lee began round four a shot behind Thitikul. Ko reminded us of the closer that she once was. Her final-nine 31 featured five birdies, and allowed her to pull away from Lee and claim her 18th LPGA title. Lee’s final-round 69 might have won the event on a different day, but with Ko in fabulous form, a solo second was Lee’s destiny.

DP World Tour: Mallorca is milestone for Paul

How does one top a three-birdie, three-eagle Saturday? One that totals 62, and gives you the 54-hole lead? Nothing spectacular, just good-enough golf to claim your first DP World Tour title by a single stroke. Yannick Paul of Germany had earned top-ten finishes in recent starts at Madrid and Paris, so he might have had an inkling that a shot at a title wasn’t far off. Mallorca, in the Mediterranean off Spain’s eastern coast, gave him that opportunity and he seized it.

Winning isn’t easy, nor is it ever comprehensible. After rounds of 64 and 62, Paul found himself with a lead and a weight on his shoulders. Sunday began as it often does for the non-winner: the game that brought him to 71 on Thursday, and threatened to eviscerate his title hopes. Bogeys at one and seven turned him the wrong way, but birdies at eight and 11 stabilized the flight pattern. With a chance to separate from Paul Waring and Nicolai Von Dellinghausen, the golfers who would ultimately tie for second at 14-under par, Paul made another pair of bogeys at 14 and 15, in an effort to release his hold on the title.

With everything on the line, Yannick Paul found a way to coax his approach at the 18th to the right fringe. The rest, for him at least, is glorious history. Have a watch below.

PGA Tour Champions: Dominion Energy Classic is Alker’s fourth of 2022

Is it a mild slump when, after three wins (including a major) in April and May, you don’t win again until October? Not really, although some pundits and aficionados might be misled into thinking just that. Toruing professionals are well aware that greatness flies away without warning, and success might be one adjustment away. Steven Alker spent a lifetime in the grind on the regular tours, winning just enough to keep the dream alive. His second chance at glory, on PGA Tour Champions, is one that he plans to hold close, for as long as possible.

In Richmond, Virginia, Alker had a high finish in his sight scope, although Jerry Kelly seemed determined to snatch it away. Kelly began the week with 65-67, and posted birdie on Sunday’s opening hole. An unforeseen double at the par-three fourth stalled the engine. A pair more of birdies against a bogey followed, but when a guy like Alker reels off four birdies on the inward half, including three consecutive, it’s not your day. Kelly ultimately finished in a tie for third with Doug Barron and Padraig Harrington, one behind K.J. Choi and two back of Alker, who secured win number four of the year.

After the signing of the cards, Alker let his guard down a bit. When you win, however, moments like these are easy to manage!

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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.

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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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