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Tour Rundown: Si Woo, Hero, FdO too

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3 years ago

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Tour Rundown returns to #GolfWRX in 2023, and what a week to end the vacay. After the PGA Tour opened last week Kapalua’s Tournament of Champions, the journey continued on a different island at the Sony Open. In Puerto Rico, the best male amateur’s from Latin America chased a Latin America Amateur Championship and the invitations to the Masters and the Open Championship that traditionally accompany it. Most intriguing of all was a new team event, taking place in the Middle East, but featuring teams of golfers from Europe. It’s safe to say that waiting a week was worth the watch. Thanks for joining us for another year of Tour Rundown. Let’s lace up the kicks and run it all down!

Latin America Amateur Championship: FdO gives Argentina another title

Anyone who knows the southern cone of South America, knows that Chile and Argentina enjoy the greatest of rivalries. From wine to skiing, from fiestas to fútbol, the countries go at it. It must have been nightmarish for the Platenses to see Chile claim three of the first four LACC titles, and the accompanying Masters invitation. In 2020, just before the Pandemic, Argentina earned a title and, in 2023, the Albiceleste tacked a second title on the board, in record fashion.

Mateo Fernández de Oliveira joined compatriot Abel Gallegos as winners from Argentina, and he did so at Puerto Rico’s Grand Reserve Golf Club. FdO outplayed the field, thanks to 135 through 36 holes, followed by a stunning round of 63 on Saturday. His four-shot advantage through 54 holes was not followed by the slightest let-down. don Mateo’s Sunday 67 was second-low round of the day, and secured the same margin of victory over Mexico’s Luís Carrera.

Round one saw a 66 lead the pack, while Carrera jumped to the top after two days, thanks to twin 66s. From that point on, it was all Mateo FdO. The Arkansas Razorback finished as runner-up to Cayman Islands’ Aaron Jarvis in 2022, and knew what it would take to climb the mountain. On a beautiful day, on beautiful island in the Caribbean sea, Argentina’s pride joined the year of Messi and gave the Blue and White another champion. Next Stop: Augusta.

Hero Cup: Continental Europe claims first playing of Islands v. Mainland team event

In yet another move to bolster the European side for the biennial Ryder Cup matches, the Hero Cup made its debut in the United Arab Emirates. Ten-player teams from Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe, including playing captains Shane Lowry and Francesco Molinari, did battle over three days and three formats, at the eponymous golf club in Abu Dhabi.

What made this event even more unique, was the requirement that all team members compete in every match. Friday four balls (better ball in USA) were followed by two rounds of Saturday foursomes (alternate shot in USA.) Sunday concluded with ten singles matches, for 25 total points. Friday set the week’s tone, as CE took a 3-2 advantage, on the strength of two wins and two ties. The lone GBI win was earned by the duo of Seamus Power and Robert MacIntyre.

On Saturday morning, each side claimed two wins and settled for one tie, keeping the overall tally close. The afternoon saw the Continent claim three matches outright, against two for the GBI squadron. A two-point advantage meant that GBI would need to win six matches and tie a seventh, in order to claim the cup.

The top half of the order did its job for the islanders. Three matches were won by the English trio of Fleetwood, Hatton, and Wallace. From that point on, it was all Terra Firma. Meronk, Perez, Straka, and Migliozzi bested their GBI counterparts, and the Continental Europe group emerged victorious, 14.5 to 10.5.

PGA Tour: Sentry and Sony in back-to-back weeks in the Hawaiian islands

It’s nigh impossible to do a Tour Rundown with one event that’s close to, but not exactly, a major championship. Far better to wait a week and see what else the winds sweep by. After two weeks of trade wins, let’s have a look back at

Last week, Collin Morikawa gave us a display of golf through 54 holes. On the PGA Tour, at least, tournaments run 72 holes, and the California kid faced 18 more holes to earn a year-opening title. What transpired over the final five hours gave new meaning to the phrase this is why we play the game. On paper, it was game over. On Maui’s volcanic fairways, it was anything but.

Over the course of 18 holes, the two-time major champion watched the tournament escape his grasp. Not in one body blow, but in a series of small wounds that throbbed greater and greater. While Morikawa was struggling to a one-under 72, Jon Rahm was reminding the world of his ability to close a suitcase. Rahm peeled off nine birdies and an eagle, after opening the round with a bogey. The ultimate margin of victory was two shots, decided on holes 14 through 16.

Morikawa was on the ropes after three consecutive bogeys, while Rahm made up six shots with birdie-eagle-par. Professional golfers are blessed with short memories, or they don’t last for very long. Morikawa will need a quick neuralyzer blast from Agent J after this one.

This week, the traveling band of itinerant golfers moved over to O’ahu, and took aim at the Seth Raynor-designed, Waialae Country Club course. A number of holdovers remained from week one, but the majority of featured talent consisted of golfers looking for a breakthrough. Names like Buckley, Lipsky, Taylor, and Eckroat sat atop the board after three rounds, with the occasional Kirk and Kim giving chase.

On Sunday, Si Woo Kim gave chase to Hayden Buckley, the third-round leader. Buckley had played the back nine on Saturday in the oddest fashion: hole out for eagle on 10, bogey on 11, and ridiculous approach to 18 for near tap-in eagle, his second of the nine. Kim was out on Sunday in 32, on the strength of five birdies against two bogies. Buckley made birdie at the first, then reeled off eight consecutive pars to lose ground to his pursuer.

The back nine was nearly a flip. Kim made three birdies, including a chip-in at 17 and a four at the last. Buckley had three birdies against two bogies through 16 holes. One shot behind Kim, Buckley needed birdie at 17 or 18 to force extra holes. He had a run at the saved stroke on both holes, but a missed spike mark on 18 caused his put for four to bounce left, and that was that. The win was Kim’s fourth in ten years on tour, and his first since The American Express two years ago.

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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

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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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WITB

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