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Morning 9: Rory’s epic drive | Rollback survey | Match Play photos

Published

2 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com
March 24, 2023

Good Friday morning, golf fans, and a big thank you to our friends at Golf Guru for sponsoring today’s Morning 9.

1. McIlroy’s epic drive to clinch win

AP Report…”Rory McIlroy had every reason to love the long ball Thursday.”

  • “Taken to the 18th hole in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, McIlroy unleashed the shot of the tournament. He smashed a drive on the 375-yard closing hole so magnificently that it pitched on the green and rolled out to just inside 4 feet.”
  • “That all but clinched his 2-up victory over Denny McCarthy as McIlroy led a parade of top seeds into the final round of group play at Austin Country Club.”
  • “It was good,” McIlroy said with a smile, which was like saying Michelangelo did a good job on the Sistine Chapel.”
Full piece.

2. Survey: “Serious” golfers oppose ball rollback

E. Michael Johnson for Golf Digest…”Golf Datatech a research firm based in Kissimmee, Fla., fits that description and has released the results of its first survey related to the proposed ball rollback.”

  • …”The survey was conducted of 1,250 “serious golfers” (an opt-in group identified by company). The group was asked a series of multiple choice and open-ended questions regarding the MLR. While the opinions are predictably varied, those opposed outnumber those in favor by more than two to one.”
Full piece.

3. More Rory on rollback

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”One player, however, had a different take on the proposed model local rule — Rory McIlroy.”

  • “The Northern Irishman, who has limited his availability to the media this week at Austin Country Club, outlined his thoughts on the proposed rule in a lengthy interview with No Laying Up.”
  • “I think my opinion differs from my peers, and probably the PGA Tour as a whole,” McIlroy said in the interview. “This is just my opinion and I’m only one voice. But honestly, if I’m taking my PGA Tour hat off here, the major championships are already such a big deal in the game of golf, and if the major championships somehow adopt this ball change, and the PGA Tour doesn’t, I think it widens that gap between PGA Tour golf and major championship golf. Which, if anything, the PGA Tour is trying to make up some sort of market share, or trying to get a little closer to the major championships in terms of the interest that we create within our tournaments.”
Full piece.

4. Changes for Augusta

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Of course, he wants to play well this week at Austin Country Club and his opening 3-and-1 victory over Scott Stallings was an encouraging start. McIlroy would also like to put his missed cut at The Players Championship out of his mind and dial in a driver that hasn’t felt right since he traded in his previous gamer last month in Los Angeles.”

  • “It’s hard because you look at strokes gained: off the tee and you would think that I’m driving the ball well or I have been driving the ball well. Then you look at my driving accuracy and it’s down around 50 percent, which is quite low for me,” he explained. “I’m hitting the ball a long way, so strokes gained maybe overvalues length sometimes, depending on the course.”
  • “…In addition to his change off the tee, he also made one on the greens, switching to a Scotty Cameron Newport-style putter, similar to the one he used to win the 2011 U.S. Open.”
  • “I just think what I’m trying to do with lining the ball up, the line on the top instead of on the flange matches up a little bit better for me,” he said.
Full piece.

5. LIV lawsuit latest: LIV claims Tour squashed media deal

Joel Beall for Golf Digest…”Attorneys for LIV Golf claim the Saudi-backed circuit had a signed contract with a broadcast network only for the network to back out once the PGA Tour intervened, according to the latest court filings in the antitrust lawsuit between the two leagues.”

  • “Documents submitted late Wednesday night in U.S. District Court that were made available Thursday morning concern the deposition of PGA Tour executive Thierry Pascal, who is the managing director for the tour’s international media division. “Based on tour documents and other sources, LIV believes Mr. Pascal used illegal means to dissuade numerous broadcasters in international markets from signing broadcast contracts with LIV and even from reporting about LIV events in their news content,” LIV’s lawyers say in the filing.”
  • “…LIV Golf claims that because of the interference it had to sign “with a secondary network, with LIV being its first sporting event.” The network being referred to is the CW Network, LIV’s only U.S. media partner.”
Full piece.

6. Why Justin Suh has been using the same putter model since eighth grade

Our Andrew Tursky writing for PGATour.com…”Justin Suh is not one of those players. He’s been using the same model of Nike putter since his freshman year in high school.”

  • “The reigning Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year has been a Nike Method Core Mod-4w putter since grabbing the $50 club off the rack before a junior tournament.”
  • “I rolled in every putt. I was like, ‘Dad, I need this,’” Suh told golfchannel.com in 2019. Suh shot 64 the next day.
  • “Now that old Nike putter will be in use at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play after Suh snuck in as the 63rd seed. A strong stretch of recent play, including a T5 at The Honda Classic and T6 at THE PLAYERS earned Suh a spot at Austin Country Club.”
  • “Suh retired the original after Nike sent him the same model with slight modifications. With Nike no longer making equipment, he also bought a third Method putter on eBay a few years ago.”
Full piece.

7. Average driving distance for golfers (via Arccos)

8. LPGA Taiwan event canceled

Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek…”The LPGA and Swinging Skirts Golf Foundation announced late Thursday they mutually agreed to cancel the 2023 Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, scheduled for Oct. 26-29, due to operational factors.”

  • “The tournament hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Full piece.

9. Photos from the WGC Match Play

  • Check out all of our galleries here!
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.

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News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

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Aug 4, 2025

By

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

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

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

By

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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