News

Morning 9: Conners wins in Texas | Zhang victorious at ANWA | Brooks makes LIV history

Published

2 years ago

Apr 3, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Monday morning, golf fans, and welcome to Masters week. Azaleas, green jackets, and egg salad sandwiches, oh my!

It’s hard to believe that at last year’s Masters Tournament, LIV Golf was looking like a ship sunk by Phil Mickelson’s “scary m—fers” missiles. The USGA, via a March announcement, had signaled a ball rollback was in its sights, but skepticism abounded regarding whether the governing body would indeed “do something” about the 30-year trend of distance creep at the professional level. And, perhaps most importantly, the Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich was still on the Masters concessions menu.

As a refresher on the tournament itself, Scottie Scheffler (of vest-wrestling fame) who led the tournament by a record-tying five strokes following the second round never relinquished the lead en route to a three-stroke victory over Rory McIlroy. Cameron Smith, now a member of Ripper GC, as you well know, had narrowed Scheffler’s lead to a stroke after the second hole. But when Scheffler birdied the third via a majestic pitch-in and Smith bogeyed, the march to victory was on for the native of Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Storylines

Can Scottie Scheffler become the fourth back-to-back winner in Masters history?
Rory McIlroy’s neverending pursuit of the career grand slam (and first major W since 2014)
Tiger Woods (necessary inclusion)
What will Phil do?
LIV – PGA Tour golfer tension in general, at the Champions Dinner, specifically, where six LIV Golfers will be in attendance….and so will Fred Couples.
Lengthened 13th: Par-5 13th, Azalea, will play 35 yards longer.
Chairman Ridley’s Wednesday press conference, for reasons LIV and rollback-ish

We asked ChatGPT why the Masters pimento cheese sandwiches are so popular. Here’s the reply from the generative language model.

The Masters pimento cheese sandwiches are popular for a few reasons. First, they are a staple of the Masters golf tournament, which is one of the most prestigious and widely watched golf tournaments in the world. This creates a sense of exclusivity and tradition around the sandwiches.

Second, the sandwiches themselves are delicious and have a unique flavor. They are made with a mixture of sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos, and served on white bread. The combination of flavors and textures is both satisfying and comforting.

Finally, the low price of the sandwiches adds to their popularity. At the Masters tournament, the sandwiches are famously inexpensive, which makes them accessible to everyone and adds to the sense of community and shared experience among golf fans.

1 “I definitely love Texas”

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Corey Conners rocked the traditional winner’s boots again, this time after stomping the field on Sunday at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, Texas.”

“Conners notched his second PGA Tour victory – both at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course – by shooting a bogey-free 4-under 68, one stroke better than Texas native Sam Stevens.”

“…The 31-year-old Conners, who trailed by one stroke entering the final day after rounds of 64-72-69, carded three birdies on the front nine, including an 18-footer from the fringe at nine to build a four-stroke advantage at the turn.”

Full piece.

2. ANWA: Zhang fights back to win

Via Golf Channel Digital…”Staked to a five-shot lead, she was 4 over par through seven holes when the final round at the home of the Masters was delayed 3 1/2 hours by storms. She made a bad decision on the par-5 15th to go for the green and went in the water. And she had to watch Jenny Bae stand over a 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole with a chance to win.”

“Zhang overcame it all. The only easy shot Saturday was her final stroke, tapping in for par from inches away on the second extra hole to beat Bae in a playoff no one saw coming.”

Full piece.

3. Ruoning Yin wins LA Open

Todd Kelly for Golfweek…”Ruoning Yin of China parlayed her first 36- and 54-hole leads into her first LPGA victory.”

“Yin, 20, shot 68-63-67-71 for a 1-shot victory at 15 under Sunday at the Dio Implant LA Open at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, California, fending off England’s Georgia Hall.”

“Yin turned pro at age 17 on the China LPGA and promptly won her first three events there. Now she’s a winner on the LPGA. She is the second golfer from China to win, joining Shanshan Fang.”

Full piece.

4. Brooks first LIV golfer to 2 wins

AP report…”Brooks Koepka became the first multiple winner in LIV Golf when he closed with a 3-under 68, making a 4-foot par putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over Sebastian Munoz.”

“LIV Golf-Orlando came one week before Koepka and 17 other players in the Saudi-funded league go to Augusta National for the Masters.”

“Going into next week, that’s what you want to see,” Koepka said, who finished at 15-under 198 at Orange County National.

Full piece.

5. Tiger arrives in Augusta

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”If there were any lingering questions about Tiger Woods competing in the 87th Masters this week, he answered them by showing up to practice at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday…Woods, 47, has competed in just one official PGA Tour event in more than seven months, tying for 45th in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles in February…Woods, a five-time Masters champion, arrived at the practice range Sunday around 3 p.m. ET and hit balls for about 30 minutes. It will be his 25th start in the Masters.”

Full piece.

6. Norman: LIV golfers’ celebration plan

Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”Norman told NewsCorp on Saturday that if one of the 18 LIV players invited to the Masters happens to win late Sunday, the other 17 will meet the victor for a celebration near Augusta National’s 18th green.”

“If one of the guys, no matter who it is, they are all going to be there on the 18th green, they are all going to be there, and that just gives me goosebumps to think about,” Norman said. “When you walk up 18, your caddie hugs you then you see your wife or your mum and dad. Now, to have those 17 other guys there, that’s the spirit we want.”

Full piece.

7. Woosnam hits out at ‘rubbish’ rollback plan

Michael McEwan for Bunkered…”Ian Woosnam has criticised the R&A and USGA over their golf ball rollback proposals, insisting that they don’t go far enough.”

The 1991 Masters champion believes that plans to introduce a Model Local Rule, designed to knock up to 15 yards off tee shots for the biggest hitters at the top-end of the game, will make little material difference.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 65-year-old said: “They’re trying to roll this ball out. Take five per cent off [the shot length]. Is that going to make any difference? It’s rubbish really.

“There should be clubs and golf balls for professionals and keep the game as it is for amateurs. There is a scope for doing that.

“If you wanted to turn professional, this is the equipment you use. Take 25 per cent off the golf ball or the club.”

Full piece.

8. Rodgers on winless frustration

Shane Ryan for Golf Digest…”As Rodgers began his surge to the top of the leaderboard on Friday, it was an occasion to remember the amateur career that seemed to augur big things on the professional level: the way he tied Tiger Woods’ wins record at Stanford, winning the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top college golfer and spending 16 weeks as the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world. Now, he has held four 54-hole leads in a PGA Tour career that is creeping up on 10 years, but hasn’t converted any of them.

“Yeah, disappointing day, but great experience, great to be in that environment,” he said after his round. “Honestly, hats off to Corey … he was clearly quite a bit better than I was today, but definitely something I’ll learn from and bounce back stronger.”

Full piece.

9. Conners’s Winning WITB

Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees)

Shaft: UST LIN-Q M40X 6F5

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black Prototype 75 6.5

Hybrid: Ping G425 (19 degrees @20.5)

Shaft: UST VTS Red Hybrid 85 X

Irons: Ping iBlade (4-PW)

Shafts: Project X 120 6.0

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50-S12, 56-S12), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (60-08M)

Shafts: Project X 120 6.0

Putter: Putter: PLD Prime Tyne H

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

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)