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Morning 9: Bradbury’s big moment I Cam Smith’s home delight I Rory gave Tiger Covid?

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3 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com. On Twitter: @benalberstadt
November 28, 2022

Good Monday morning, golf fans, in a week where Tiger Woods returns to action!

1. Fairytale win for Bradbury at Joburg Open

DP World Tour report…“Dan Bradbury secured a life-changing wire-to-wire victory at the Joburg Open to claim his maiden DP World Tour title in just his third start, and with it a place at The 151st Open Championship.”

  • “The 23-year-old Englishman, who only turned professional in the summer, came into the week with no status on any tour but made the most of a sponsor’s invite at Houghton Golf Club, clinching a magnificent three-shot win as the 2023 season got off to a memorable start.”
  • “Having gone into the final round with a narrow one-stroke lead, Bradbury produced a brilliant display of frontrunning on Sunday, stretching his lead throughout the day before signing for a closing 67 to finish the tournament on 21 under par.”
Full piece.

2. Linn Grant takes Open de Espana

BBC report…”Linn Grant has won the Ladies European Tour title for the first time after finishing third at the season-ending Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana.”

  • “The Swede fired an eight-under 65 in the final round of an event won by compatriot Caroline Hedwall.”
  • “Hedwall beat Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux in a play-off to secure her first event victory in four years.”
  • “Ireland’s Leona Maguire was fourth, while Alice Hewson of England ended in a tie for fifth.”
Full piece.

3. Cam Smith wins Australian PGA

AAP report…”An exhausted Cameron Smith has fought back tears as he credited his grandmother for fuelling the final push to a third Australian PGA Championship and cap a magnificent homecoming.”

  • “The Brisbane favourite captured a fifth title for 2022 in fading light on Sunday at Royal Queensland, rallying after twice being forced off the course due to lightning strikes to win by three shots.”
  • “Playing in Australia for the first time in three years, the world No.3 had thousands of adoring fans follow his every move over four days.”
Full piece.

4. Lynch: Woods’ $15 million PIP bonus a bargain

Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch…”Woods’ value to the PGA Tour is diminished only in that he can no longer compete with the consistency and frequency he used to. But a few weeks shy of his 47th birthday, he still draws more eyeballs than any of them. The next three weeks will illustrate that, when he plays at the Hero World Challenge, in a made-for-TV match with McIlroy against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, and at the PNC Championship, alongside his son, Charlie. Who else can make irrelevant golf relevant in December? That PIP bonus is a bargain for what he brings, and would remain so even if it were doubled.”

  • “Not everything Woods contributed to the PGA Tour this year is quantifiable, even with opaque metrics. What was it worth when he flew to the player meeting in Delaware to stand with McIlroy and rally support? Or when he incinerated LIV’s competitive integrity at a press conference in St. Andrews, during which he reminded players not only that he has set the bar, but where and how he did so? Woods brought to bear the weight of his record and reputation when it mattered most, and in doing so proved that these days a professional golfer’s value and his values are intrinsically linked as never before.”
  • “Fifteen million doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
Full piece.

5. Tiger, Rory had Covid ahead of Open

Ryan Herrington for Golf Digest…“Speaking in an interview with the Irish Independent, the first part published on Sunday, McIlroy told Paul Kimmage the story of when he and Tiger went to play a round of golf at Ballybunion two days after the pair competed at the J.P. McManus Pro-Am at Ireland’s Adair Manor. It was July 7, the Thursday before the opening round of The Open at the Old Course, and McIlroy says he and Woods flew via helicopter to Ballybunion to play a casual round that morning. Accompanying them was McIlroy’s manager, Sean O’Flaherty and Tiger’s longtime confidant, Rob McNamara.

  • McIlroy says in the interview that he woke up that morning feeling “a bit achy” but didn’t think twice about traveling. But upon returning to Adair Manor, McIlroy said he felt stiff and tired.
  • “I said to [wife] Erica, ‘I’m feeling a bit weird. I’m just going upstairs to lie down for a bit.’ I slept for maybe two hours and the sweat was just pouring off me, then Erica took my temperature and it was sky high. I rang Tiger: ‘I’m not feeling so good here.’ And he goes, ‘Oh, I feel OK.’ But he texted me at 10 o’clock that night, chills, fever, and I’m like, F*****g hell, I’ve just given Tiger COVID! This is horrendous! So we both had COVID going into the Open.”
Full piece.

6. ICYMI: A Thanksgiving retraction

7. Mickelson no longer to feature in The Match going forward

Cieran Faulder for Golf Monthly…“Six-time Major winner, Phil Mickelson, will no longer be involved with The Match after leaving the PGA Tour earlier this year to join the breakaway LIV Golf Series(opens in new tab). That’s according to the tournament producer, Bryan Zuriff.”

  • “Zuriff expressed his admiration of Mickelson and thanked him for his efforts during his time on the event, but stated that the demise of Mickelson’s affiliation with the event was solely down to the American leaving the PGA Tour, which is involved with The Match.”
  • “Unfortunately, he left the Tour, and that’s unfortunate for doing something like this,” Zuriff said. “I love Phil and he’s been an incredible part of this. But he knows, you know,” Zuriff told GOLF. “He went where he went, and we’re connected with the PGA Tour. So, I mean, this is a PGA Tour event.”
Full piece.

8. Hero Cup sides announced

Jamie Hall for Bunkered.co.uk…”Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has revealed the players who will take part in a much-anticipated warm-up event for next year’s showdown in Rome.”

  • “The Hero Cup will take place in Abu Dhabi in January and will be contested by teams from Great Britain and Ireland and their continental European counterparts.”
  • “Great Britain and Ireland team: Tommy Fleetwood (captain), Ewen Ferguson, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Seamus Power, Callum Shinkwin, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, player TBC.”
  • “Continental Europe team: Francesco Molinari (captain), Thomas Detry, Rasmus Hojgaard, Adrian Meronk, Guido Migliozzi, Alex Noren, Victor Perez, Thomas Pieters, Sepp Straka, player TBC.”
Full piece.

9. Garcia’s historic fall
Ryan Herrington for GolfDigest… “On Monday, for the first time since that maiden Euro Tour win, Garcia will fall out of the top 100, ending an amazing streak that has lasted 23 years and 21 weeks (1,221 weeks overall). It was a milestone first noted by Twitter’s resident OWGR guru, @nosferatu.”

  • “The fall was in part self-afflicted. When Garcia choose to jump to the LIV Golf circuit this summer, bolting the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, where he won 11 times, the former Masters champion was cutting off the potential for playing in OWGR ranked events. When Garcia, now 42, played in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational in June he was still ranked 55th. But since then, while playing in eight LIV events, he’s competed in only four tournaments that offer OWGR points, his best finish at T-48 at the BMW International.”
Full Piece.
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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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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

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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

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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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