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Morning 9: Wet weather at Augusta | Day resurgent? | Brooks confirms LIV group plan

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, if you hadn’t heard, the Masters begins in two days.

1. Bamberger: On ANWA participants and playing ANGC the way it was intended

Michael Bamberger amid his rollback missive for FirePit Collective/Golf Digest…”For the ANWA contestants, who had the stage on Saturday, the four par 5s were reachable in two—if you smash two shots. The downhill second was 500 yards. The uphill eighth was 470. The two iconic back-nine par 5s, 13 and 15, with greens protected by moats, were 450 yards and 470 yards. And when the women didn’t reach, they played shots that required exquisite finesse. Golf at its best is fiddly.”

  • “The women were playing a course that has four par 5s, four par 3s and 10 par 4s. Yes, a true par-72 course. For the 125 years that American golf has had great championships, courses have had one-shot holes, two-shot holes and three-shot holes.”
  • “Call me old-fashioned, but that is golf.”
  • “Even at 7,545 yards, Augusta National’s new length, the course will play as a par-69 in the Masters, at least for Scheffler and his ilk. The only true par 5 is the eighth, and even then some of the players will get home in two. The 13th, now all of 545 yards with an extra 35 yards tacked on to it this year, will be a driver and a mid-iron for Scheffler. That is a par 4.”
Full piece.

2. Wet week ahead at Augusta

Miguel Legoad for the Augusta Chronicle…”This year’s Masters guests may have to swim to the Augusta National.”

  • “As of Sunday, the Weather Channel forecast is calling for bad weather throughout the tournament. The Augusta area on Thursday can expect cloudy skies with a possible stray thunderstorm during the day. Scattered storms are being forecasted Thursday night through Friday followed by rain the rest of the weekend.”
  • “The chances of rain are scheduled as follows:
  • Thursday: 24% in the day, 40% in the night.
  • Friday: 70% in the day, 80% in the night.
  • Saturday: 80% in the day, 60% in the night.
  • Sunday: 50% in the day, 40% in the night.
Full piece.

3. LIV players won’t wear logos at ANGC

James Corrigan for the Telegraph…”The LIV rebel players have agreed not to wear the logo of the Saudi-funded circuit at this week’s Masters.”

  • “Telegraph Sport has learnt that there was a meeting between the 18 LIV golfers in this field who are contracted to Greg Norman’s league where they decided to ditch the branding on their bags, shorts and caps “out of respect to the tournament”.”
Full piece.

4. Jason Day resurgent?

Cameron Morfit for PGATour.com…”Now he rolls into the Masters Tournament after a one-year absence that ended a streak of 11 consecutive appearances at Augusta National. While golf comebacks are common, at Augusta National they can take on an almost mythical quality – Jack in ’86; Crenshaw in ’95; Tiger in 2019.”

  • “Is Jason Day next?”
  • “To see him claw his way back—I mean, that stretch of golf he played in 2015, 2016 was some of the best golf we’ve seen in the past couple of decades,” said Rory McIlroy. “I think we’ve always known he has the talent; it’s now to the point where it looks like he’s got his health in order, which is great to see. The game of golf is better when he’s playing well.”
  • “It has been five years since Day, who once won seven times in 17 starts, has won on the PGA TOUR…”
  • “Don’t look now, but recent indicators already point to semi-insanity. As Day prepped for Augusta last week, he was 13th in Strokes Gained: Putting and second in Scrambling.”
Full piece.

5. Koepka confirms group celebration plans

Paul Higham for Golf Monthly…”And Koepka agrees that it would be a huge statement for LIV Golf as an entity if one of their players were to win the Masters, and also confirmed that the rest of the players would be there to greet him at the final green.”

  • “Yeah, I think if one of the LIV players does win, I think it’ll be definitely a huge statement for LIV, and I know that all 18 of us want to win,” he added.
  • “I think when you look at it, if one of the guys does, I would be shocked if all of us aren’t there.”
Full piece.

6. Sargent’s special invite

Sean Martin for PGATour.com…”The calendar had just changed to 2023 when he received the phone call that changed everything.”

  • “I didn’t recognize the number but it said ‘Augusta National’ under the phone number, so I was like, ‘I have to answer this,’” said Sargent, 19. The rest of the conversation was a blur as he tried to determine if he was the victim of a vicious prank.”
  • “The news was made official a few days later when Augusta National announced that Sargent, the reigning NCAA champion, would be the first amateur in more than two decades to receive a special exemption to the Masters.”
  • “Augusta National Golf Club isn’t known for making exceptions to its rules. The Masters field, the smallest of any of the major championships, is determined by detailed criteria. The tournament reserves the right to make special invitations, but there’s rarely more than one doled out per year and they go almost exclusively to international pros whose inclusion increases the global footprint of the tournament. The player invited alongside Sargent was Japanese pro Kazuki Higa. The last amateur to receive a special exemption, Aaron Baddeley in 2000, hailed from Australia and was invited to the Masters after winning his national open over a field that included multiple top-50 players in the world.”
Full piece.

7. Nicklaus suit seeking communication with Norman

Tom D’Angelo for the Palm Beach Post…”Norman was issued a subpoena by Nicklaus Companies on March 20 regarding his comments about Jack Nicklaus that appeared in a June 5, 2022, article in the Washington Post titled “The Shark Is on The Attack Again.”

  • “In that article, Norman said Nicklaus sent him an e-mail that read: “The new tour had his blessing.” The e-mail was sent after Nicklaus attended a LIV presentation, according to Norman. The subpoena is for all documents regarding claims made in the article.”
  • “Additionally, the Nicklaus Companies, which is suing Jack Nicklaus, is seeking all records of communications between Jack Nicklaus, the Nicklaus family, or their representatives and LIV Golf, but not direct testimony.”
Full piece.

8.”Golf but shorter”

Our Matt Vincenzi…”During Sunday’s LIV Golf broadcast, David Feherty did a short segment on the proposed rule change that would result in the bifurcation of the golf ball.”

  • “In typical Feherty fashion, the commentary was a bit witty and sarcastic, but he hinted that if the rule change does indeed go through, that LIV would not adopt it.”
  • “We’re golf but louder, so golf but shorter doesn’t really fit.”
Full piece.

9. Angel planning return to golf

Our Jason Daniels…”2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera has spoken of resuming his golf career when he returns from a prison sentence.”

  • “‘El Pato’ was convicted on two accounts of assault on former partners, spending time in prison in Brazil and Argentina, but is now looking to return to the game he loves, a career that started with the help and sponsorship of fellow Argentinian golf legend Eduardo Romero.”
  • “It’s been a rough go,” Epps said. “He was in prison in Brazil and then Argentina. He’s weathered the storm, and it’s taught him a couple of very important lessons. He’s admitted that.
  • “He’ll probably get out some time in the summer and he’s already at a halfway house. He wants to continue his golf career, the good Lord willing. I always welcome him. We’re just waiting for him to come home.”
Full piece.

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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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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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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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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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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