News

Morning 9: Rahm battling swing thoughts | DP World Tour winner to play LIV | PGA Tour university changes?

Published

3 years ago

Oct 25, 2022

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com.

October 25, 2022

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as attention turns to the Bermuda Championship.

1. Closing in on No. 2

Via the Golf Channel Digital team…”Rory McIlroy earned his 23rd PGA Tour victory, reclaimed world No. 1 and pocketed nearly $2 million in winning the CJ Cup in South Carolina.”

“McIlroy crossed the $68 million mark in official career PGA Tour earnings, getting him closer to No. 2 on the all-time list. McIlroy is currently fourth, with Vijay Singh ($71,236,216) third and Jim Furyk ($71,507,269) second.”

“Tiger Woods is No. 1 with $120,895,206.”

Full piece.

2. Rahm “battling swing thoughts”

Golf Channel’s Max Schreiber with this item following Jon Rahm’s T4 finish at the CJ Cup…”Why wasn’t he confident with his swing this week?”

“I was battling swing thoughts,” Rahm said. “I don’t like to have too many swing thoughts on my approach and definitely thinking more than I would like on some of those shots out there today. I was able to still execute and play good golf, it’s just not an easy golf course out there. If I can shoot under par uncomfortably, manage a couple mistakes, I’d still have a chance to win.”

“How did Rahm manage his swing thoughts and almost pull out the victory?”

“It’s not really battling, I’m just uncomfortable,” he said. “I don’t want to start thinking about my swing mid-round because I can’t hit 10 balls to fix it, right? So I just try to play and hit the shots and execute. I did a really good job with some of them, it’s just not an easy golf course. Any other golf course that isn’t as slippery as this one I could have had a good chance, but here you have to be very precise.”

Full piece.

3. JYK on injury struggle

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“Jin Young Ko used four words and two emojis on Monday to caption a photograph on Instagram. Anyone looking for insight into the World No. 1’s frame of mind after last week’s withdrawal got the message loud and clear.”

“Accept, think, move on,” Ko wrote, followed by a twister emoji.

“The BMW Ladies Championship surely felt something like a raging storm for the World No. 1. Ko teed it up close to home in her first event in two months after taking time off to heal a nagging wrist injury.”

“The player who often wins tournaments after long breaks, instead posted the highest round of her LPGA career, an opening 80. Ko made a 10 on the closing par 5, whiffing a shot left-handed and mostly making a mess of the hole. She shot 79 on Friday and then withdrew.”

“Ko’s manager told Golfweek on Monday that she hasn’t yet fully recovered from the left wrist injury and is currently receiving treatment. She will do her best to be able to compete in better condition next month in Florida.”

Full piece.

4. DP World Tour winner making LIV return

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…“Less than two weeks after Adrian Otaegui claimed a historic victory in the DP World Tour’s Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, the Spaniard has been named in the field for the season-closing LIV Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral in Florida.”

“The 29-year-old last competed in LIV Golf’s inaugural season in Boston in early September, where he finished a disappointing 45th in the individual competition. It would have been easy to assume that would mark his final appearance after three outings, but that was before he showed the form of his life with a six-shot win in his homeland.”

Full piece.

5. #longevity

6. An overgrown Ross and a lawsuit in Asheville

Sarah Honosky, Asheville Citizen Times…”The city has filed a lawsuit against historic Municipal Golf Course’s former operator Pope Golf, alleging deteriorating course conditions, destruction of property and $340,830 in outstanding lease payments to the city.”

“The complaint was filed with Buncombe County Superior Court on Oct. 4, over three months after the city attorney’s office sent a letter to Keith Pope, CEO of Pope Golf, based in Sarasota, Florida, advising that the city intended to initiate litigation over the past due lease payments, some of which have been accumulating since 2016.”

Full piece.

7. Carnage!

8. Tour Report from Congaree

Among the many morsels Tursky served up from Congaree is this note on bomber Cam Young’s wild week of equipment changes…”Cam Young had quite a roller coaster of a week in equipment.”

“Prior to the event, Young switched into a new Titleist TSR2+ 14.5-degree 3-wood, and a TSR2 5-wood, each of which are equipped with incredibly stiff shafts. He also switched into a SuperStroke Traxion Flatso 2.0 putter grip on his custom Scotty Cameron putter. I asked him about all the changes on Wednesday, to which he replied:”

“Yeah, just some tinkering,” Young said in his press conference. “The 3-wood and 5-wood I just feel like I haven’t — I don’t hit the 3-wood very often. I had a 4-wood and I just didn’t hit it that often, so we were just looking to change the setup a little bit to give me some more options. I didn’t play great last week, but those changes we made in those clubs I think worked out really nicely. I kind of like the way that they worked for me in the tournament. And the putter grip is just, I’m always tinkering with something, just trying something new.”

“If all the changes weren’t enough, there was more gear news from Young during The CJ Cup.”

“As the story goes, Young felt like something was off with his driver head on Friday, so he borrowed a driver from Webb Simpson for Saturday’s round. It was a Titleist TSi3 9.5-degree head, and Young switched out the shaft for his gamer Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70 TX shaft.”

Full Piece.

9. PGA Tour university changes on the way?

Golf Channel report…”More changes could be coming to PGA Tour University, the program created to provide top college graduates with a pathway to the PGA Tour by giving them status on developmental tours under the Tour’s umbrella.”

“If greenlighted, the updates would be the program’s most significant yet and for the first time offer direct access to the PGA Tour.”

“Tour members were notified Monday via their monthly green sheet that two proposals have been sent to the Tour’s policy board for approval.”

“One proposition would see the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour U’s Velocity Global Ranking at the conclusion of the NCAA Championship receive a PGA Tour card. Another would offer Tour status, post-nationals, to underclassmen who meet certain elite benchmarks at the amateur and college levels.”

“The policy board is set to review the two proposals in early November. If approved, the first change would go into effect immediately, meaning that the No. 1 player in the final ranking following the 2023 NCAA Championship will have PGA Tour status from June 2023 through the end of the 2022-23 season.”

Full Piece.

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)

GolfWRX

Morning 9: Rahm battling swing thoughts | DP World Tour winner to play LIV | PGA Tour university changes?

News