News

Morning 9: Allen starstruck by Tiger | New LIV signings | Swafford surgery

Published

3 years ago

Feb 21, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

February 21, 2023

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we head over to the Honda Classic.

1. West Coast swing takeaway No. 1: Rahm-paging

PGATour.com staff rounds up what’s worth remembering from the West Coast swing. No surprise on point No. 1…”Rahm won his first two starts of 2023, then added a third victory Sunday at The Genesis Invitational, where he outlasted Max Homa. That’s three wins for Rahm in his past five starts on TOUR. He’d never won three titles in a single PGA TOUR season before.”

“Rahm, who hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in six starts this season, has opened a 426-point lead on Homa in the FedExCup (Keegan Bradley, who’s 994 points off the pace, is the only other player within 1,000 points of Rahm). Rahm has earned $9.4 million on the PGA TOUR in this calendar year; Max Homa is next on the list with less than half of Rahm’s earnings ($4.67 million).”

“So what’s different than the first nine months of last year, when Rahm’s lone win came at the Mexico Open presented by Vidanta? Not much, says Rahm, further proof about how small the margins are at golf’s highest level.”

Full piece.

2. Josh Allen was starstruck

Victoria Hernandez for USA Today…“The Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen was among the Woods’ admirers at Riviera Country Club on Sunday cheering on the golf legend in the Genesis Invitational, which is run by Woods’ TGR Foundation. Allen got to meet Woods at the tournament and Sports Illustrated captured the moment where they shook hands and exchanged some words of encouragement.”

“You put on a good tournament,” Allen said grinning.

“Good luck with everything, alright,” Woods said.

“After the encounter, Allen was beaming after meeting one of his sports heroes.”

“Little star-struck, obviously,” he said. “He’s one of the only athletes ever, him and Kobe (Bryant) are the two guys that I actually felt my heart beat faster when he’s standing over a putt for a tournament. I legit felt the pressure with him. That was pretty cool, never forget it. I’m kinda speechless.”

Full piece.

3. Steele joins LIV

Bailee Hill for Fox News…”It was just weeks ago that golfer Brendan Steele said he wasn’t interested in joining LIV Golf. Now, reports say he will be joining the Saudi Arabia-backed tour. “

“Prior to The American Express PGA Tour event, Steele spoke on a conference call, where he said joining LIV Golf wasn’t “something that I’m interested in.”

…”But, 10 weeks later, Steele is now headed to LIV Golf before the start of their new season.”

Full piece.

4. …Lee, too

Stuff.co.nz report…”Danny Lee’s shift to the rebel Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Tour has been confirmed with the Kiwi golfer to join the Iron Heads GC team.”

“His first appearance for the Kevin Na-captained team, will be in Mexico next week at the El Camaleón Golf Course.”

“LIV announced on Monday…that the Kiwi will join Na, Scott Vincent and Sihwan Kim in the Iron Heads lineup for the season.”

Full Piece.

5. Surgery for Swafford

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…“With the 2023 LIV Golf season just days away, it has been announced that one of its players will miss the majority of the 14-tournament League. Hudson Swafford will undergo hip surgery which will see him miss between four and six months of the schedule that runs between February and November.”

“A statement released by the 35-year-old revealed he had made the decision after seeing a specialist for the ongoing problem. He said: “I have been struggling with a hip injury which has caused a decline in my on course performance. After consulting with a specialist, I was unfortunately advised my best option for an optimal recovery was to undergo surgery which will require 4-6 months of rehab.“

Full piece.

6. Taste of the Masters returns

Our Jason Daniels…”Originally intended for patrons that could not access the grounds in 2020 because of Covid, Augusta brought back the offer for the general golf fan for the 2021 edition.”

“Missing in 2022, fans took to social media to plead with the organizers:”

“They have listened, and for 2023, fans in the U.S can buy their ‘Taste of the Masters Hosting Kit’ from the Masters site itself.”

“At just $25 more than in 2021, all orders will be delivered by Friday April 7th, giving plenty of time to organize your complete Masters party or, if planned right, the ultimate in Masters weddings!”

“Much improved from the efforts of five years ago, which golf fan doesn’t want to watch Jon Rahm, Sungjae Im or Max Homa on the tee at number 12 whilst tucking into a pack of Masters BBQ chips, eaten beside a pimento cheese salad from Masters wax paper?”

Full piece.

7. Honda Classic photos

Check out all of our galleries from PGA National this week!

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)