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Morning 9: Tiger’s ex-girlfriend files suit | Rory’s workload | HOF inductees

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2 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com
March 9, 2023

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of The Players gets underway from TPC Sawgrass.

1. Monahan on “designated event” model

Dave Shedloski for Golf Digest…”As for the designated events, the tour is moving forward after a statistical analysis revealed that the top 10-30 players in the world compete against one another some 95 percent of the time in major championships, but less than 40 percent of the time in PGA Tour events.”

  • “We’ve looked at all possible competitive models, and it was evident and perhaps obvious that whatever we do differently, we must showcase our top performers competing against one another more often,” Monahan said. “We know that designated events can resonate both with core and casual fans, evidenced by the metrics of the WM Phoenix Open and the Genesis Invitational last month. But designated events can’t stand on their own. You need strong, compelling full-field events to provide consistency and keep the PGA Tour top of mind week-in and week-out with storylines and breakout stars.”
Full piece.

2. Woods’ ex-girlfriend files suit

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Tiger Woods’ former girlfriend, Erica Herman, has requested a South Florida court rule on the enforceability of a non-disclosure agreement.”

  • “The complaint, filed Monday in Martin (Fla.) County court, claims that the NDA between the two is not enforceable by arbitration under the Sexual Harassment Act, a 2021 law that gives individuals who claim sexual assault or sexual harassment the chance to bring those claims to court and bypass NDA arbitration.”
  • “In the five-page request for a jury trial, Herman alleges that a trust controlled by Woods “has taken the position in litigation that the NDA is enforceable.”
Full piece.

3. More FEC points for designated events

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”There are still plenty of details to be flushed out before the PGA Tour unveils exactly what the 2024 schedule and its 16 designated events look like, but there’s one piece of the complicated – and contentious – puzzle that fell into place this week.”

  • “At a player-only meeting early Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass, Tour officials walked about 50 members through the new schedule, the adjusted qualification criteria and, perhaps most importantly, how FedExCup points will be adjusted for the new designated reality.”
  • “Starting next year, the Tour will showcase 16 designated events that include the four majors, The Players Championship, three playoff events and eight additional tournaments that will feature limited fields (70 to 80 players) and no cuts. The winners of those “other” designated events – which will include the Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial and five other tournaments that have not been announced – will receive 700 FedExCup points compared to 500 points for the winner of non-designated events.”
Full piece.

4. Monahan on Rory’s workload

Golfweek’s Tim Schmitt…”One of the extraordinary aspects of the World No.3’s workload over a tumultuous period in the game’s history is that he has excelled on the course, including as recently as last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, despite taking on a significant amount of responsibility off it. That’s something Monahan was quick to draw attention to.”

  • “He said: “When you look back over the last 12 to 18 months, Rory sat in a board meeting for seven hours last Tuesday night and finished one shot off the lead last week. I mean, it’s extraordinary. He was in the room this morning for an hour and a half, and he was here with you all today.””
  • “McIlroy was one of the leading figures in a player-only meeting held in Delaware before last year’s BMW Championship to determine a path forward for the PGA Tour amid the emergence of LIV Golf. Monahan explained that, since then, McIlroy has only grown stronger as a leader.”
  • “He said: “The thing that’s been so impressive about what he’s done and having seen where we were coming out of Delaware last year to where we are now, his leadership has manifested itself in a way where he has a very good grasp on and balance on the full picture and on the entire membership, and where we were last summer to where we are now is largely a reflection on the amount of time and energy he’s put into understanding that.”
Full piece.

5. Rahm: Thankful for LIV (to an extent)

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…”The Spaniard, who is preparing for this week’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, was asked the reason the PGA Tour was implementing the changes and his response was unequivocal. He said: “Oh, it’s LIV Golf. I mean, without a doubt. Without LIV Golf, this wouldn’t have happened. So to an extent, like I’ve said before, we should be thankful this threat has made the PGA Tour want to change things.”

  • “Rahm’s comments bear similarities with ones he made last November before the Hero World Challenge. Back then, on the subject of increased purses in the PGA Tour’s designated events, he said: “I mean, I think on this side of things we should be thankful that LIV happened. I don’t know if those changes would have happened if LIV wasn’t in the picture. So to an extent, yeah, we should be thankful.”
Full piece.

6. JT on LIV comparisons

Dave Shedloski for Golf Digest…”Of course, there are some very key differences both Norman and many of the LIV players failed to acknowledge when they were getting their takes off. One being that the reported 70-80-man fields are nearly double the size of of LIV events, and that said fields will be just a touch stronger on the PGA Tour. But don’t take our word for it, take the word of Justin Thomas, who was asked about Norman’s tweet, and the announced changes to the designated events, on Tuesday at the tour’s flagship event, the Players Championship.”

  • “Well, we have an astronomically higher amount of quality players than they do in their events,” said Thomas, laughing. “But, no, it’s very—I think all of us have not been shy to say it that, you know, this is stuff that we’ve been trying to do and have worked on. Obviously got sped up a crazy amount due to what was going on in the outside.”
Full piece.

7. Harrington into World Golf HOF

Todd Kelly for Golfweek: “Padraig Harrington, Tom Weiskopf, Sandra Palmer, Johnny Farrell and Beverly Hanson will join the remaining seven of the 13 LPGA Founders in the World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2024, it was announced on Wednesday.”

  • Harrington has 21 victories worldwide, including three majors. He was a part of six Ryder Cup teams and he was the captain of the 2020 European squad.
  • “This is very exciting, obviously a huge honor,” said Harrington. “It’s somewhat humbling. At this stage of my life, it gives me some validation to what I’ve done in golf. Brings back a flood of memories. This is a deep-down satisfaction, and I’m very proud to be included with the players before me. Seeing your name beside the names that I’ve looked up to as a boy and young golfer, it’s very nice. Everybody on the ballot deserves to be there. It’s unfortunate that everyone can’t be in, but it’s great to be included in the Class of 2024.”
Full piece.

8. Fitz not open to LIV rebels return

Lewis Fraser for Bunkered…”Matt Fitzpatrick has weighed in on the issue of whether players who play on the LIV Golf League should be allowed to make their way back to the PGA Tour.

  • Speaking to Sky Sports News’ Jamie Weir, Fitzpatrick explained why he believes LIV players shouldn’t be allowed back to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.
  • “My personal view is that you can’t have your cake and eat it,” the 28-year-old said.
  • “I would not let people come back if they’ve gone to LIV. I just wouldn’t. I think that’s just incredibly unfair for the PGA Tour to do that. I’d be staggered if they did allow them, I think if you spoke to Tiger Woods he would have the same stance.
  • “I don’t know the stance other guys would have, but you’ve left a tour you’ve been on here where you’ve done so well and now you’ve left for something better, but it’s not always greener.”
Full piece.

9. Photos from The Players

  • Check out all of our galleries from the PGA Tour’s Flagship event!
Full piece.

Related Topics:

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.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. T

    Mar 10, 2023 at 1:43 am

    She has no idea that he’s been cheating on her all this time. That’s why he had to kick her out before she officially found out

    Reply Report comment

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News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

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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News

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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WITB

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