News

Five Things We Learned: Thursday at the Masters

Published

2 years ago

Apr 6, 2023

Masters Thursday began for most in its usual way. The honorary starters played their way off the first tee. Few remember that they used to play a few holes, back in the day. For me, it began with a conundrum: which under-the-radar nourishment on the Augusta National menu is the true lurker? Is it the Masters Blend Coffee, or the Southern Cheese Straws? I’ve not yet had the chance to sample either, but I have to imagine that the coffee must be some sort of cosmic soulmate born of Costa Rica and Colombia. The cheese straws must have that southern something that makes all others ask why we don’t live in the south.

The golf began in its usual way, as well. Mike Weir teed off first, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his playoff win in 2003. For a time, the seasoned citizen was under par, and he did well to post an even-par round of 72. By the end of the morning wave, it was apparent that 72 was not what folks thought it would be. It was a full seven shots shy of the lead, shared by three golfers. The afternoon wave was still to come, and we wondered exactly how well this field could play the Augusta National course. By the end of the day, we had learned five things about the 2023 Masters, and we are happy to share them with you now.

Lunch is served. #themasters pic.twitter.com/O3QcA34d9k

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

1. Hovland did not look back on the way to 65

The number 65 was, for a time, immortalized on a Dunlop golf ball. Sir Henry Cotton, not yet a knight, posted that figure in the 1934 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. Cotton’s 65 came in the second round, and staked him to a lead that he would not relinquish.

Viktor Hovland may not have known this bit of golf history, but he did not take one step backward on Thursday at the Masters, on his way to the same figure. Hovland began his under-par run with eagle at the second, and followed it with birdies at six, eight, and nine, to turn in 31. Two more birdies at 11 and 13 brought him to minus-seven on the day, and he rode the buggy home to a career-low round at Augusta National of 65.

Q. Short game looks really sharp. What have you done there?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I mean, don’t need to get fully nerdy about it, but basically the biggest part is that I’m not tilting back as much, and the biggest problem was that I’ve gotten too shallow with my chips, and that’s just kind of have to yank the hands forward and you get no loft.

The first part was getting more on top of the ball, get some more angle of attack down, and now I can actually percent the loft in the way that I want. If I want to hit it high, if I want to hit it low, I can do that with my wrist now.

Viktor Hovland moves to six under par with a birdie on hole No. 11. #themasters pic.twitter.com/ZO6JaBjHZD

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

2. Koepka transitions well from public course to private reserve

Soon after, Brooks Koepka joined Hovland at the 65 figure. Koepka, who won a tournament last week on a public course in Orlando, demonstrated a scary ability to transition to the world’s most demanding tournament course. Birdies at two and three, followed seven and eight, brought the two-time US Open and two-time PGA champion to 32 on the first nine. His second nine saw birdie at 12, followed by a somewhat-shocking bogey at 13. Nonplussed, Koepka added birdies at 15, 17, and 18 to join Hovland ahead of the field of competitors.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Honestly, I think it was just the start. Got off to a good start. Anytime you’re 2-under through 3, it’s a good start. So felt good. Kind of just piggybacked off that momentum and very happy the way I played. Drove the ball really nicely. Left it in some good spots. Even missed quite a few putts. I think I missed a short one on 6, 8, 9, 10, so they were all kind of inside ten feet. But could have been really low but I’ll take it, 7’s pretty good.

Three tied for the lead. Brooks Koepka birdies No. 18 to match the leaders with a 65. #themasters pic.twitter.com/7Z4XWIsRFR

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

3. Rahm recovers well from double-bogey start

To say that Jon Rahm’s opening salvo was inauspicious, would be polite. Unlike others who struggled with Tea Olive (the name of hole number one,) Rahm was able to collect himself and restart his engine. The 2021 US Open champion posted birdies at holes two and three, and found himself where he began, no 45 minutes prior. After a run of four pars, Rahm went back to work.

The great Basque champion fueled his motor with a birdie-eagle sequence at seven and eight, and remained at three-under par through a three at Golden Bell, Augusta National’s twelfth hole. Birdies followed at 13, 15, 16, and 18, and in two blinks of an eye, Rahm was atop the day-one chart.

JON RAHM: You know, a couple different things. If you’re going to make a double or four-putt or anything, it might as well be the first hole, 71 holes to make it up. After that, it was more, I was focused on the fact that all the strokes were good. The reads were good. The roll was good. Obviously the speed was off on the first two putts, so once I kind of accepted that there was nothing really to look into, I just got to work and I had 17 holes to make up.

I’ve always said and I’ve always told Adam and I tell people who ask me about the Masters, if you can somehow make it through the first 6 1/2 holes, and what I mean is putting the ball in the fairway on 7 and you’re around even par, I think it’s a pretty good start. It’s easy to make bogeys. It’s not easy to make birdies. So if you can get through that, you have a short iron into 7, 8, 9 to maybe make some birdies and maybe get the round going. I was able to do that and took advantage of it the rest of the day.

Jon Rahm closes out Amen Corner with a birdie on No. 13 #themasters pic.twitter.com/TSlvQMROL2

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

4. Alive at Five are Day and Young

Cameron Young, for a guy who has yet to win on tour, has a lot of support as likely tournament winner. He began Thursday with three consecutive birdies, kind of like Jason Day used to do. The resurgent Day also has a lot of support for a green jacket fitting on Sunday evening. Like Hovland, Day had no bogies on his day, and found a basket of five, evenly-spaced birdies at Berckmans’ Nursery.

After his opening salvo, Young leveled out for a time. He had a bogey at six, then a trio of pars, before a marvelous three at the downhill 10th hole, Camellia. Bogey at Golden Bell (the 12th) slowed the train a bit, but birdies coming to the house at 15 and 16 saw the day’s finest debut round in quite some time.

Jason Day nibbled away throughout the morning. Two birdies on the first nine brought him to the halfway juncture at 34. A triumvirate of second-nine stroke-savers at 13, 16, and 17 brought him even with Young, and within two shots of the leaders.

JASON DAY: No. Actually, to be honest, I was kind of flying under the radar, which was nice. It was nice to — like, I mean, I played with Gordon Sargent and Zach Johnson today, so we were in a group that were kind of flying under the radar totally. So it wasn’t one of those big marquee groups that we have in the afternoon or early morning. So it was nice to be able to have a group that was very relaxed out there.

Three for three. Cameron Young opens with three consecutive birdies to take the solo lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/nEJtxmxVEt

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

5. More at Four

Seven more, to be precise. Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, and Gary Woodland found their way, in the morning wave, to 68 on the first day at Augusta. Major champions all (I’m counting Xander’s Olympic gold medal.) Joining them in the afternoon were defending champion Scottie Scheffler, US Amateur champion Sam Bennett, and recent Tour winner Sam Burns.

Bennett began his day birdie-eagle, and posted the only, sub-par round by a non-professional in the field. The next best was 75 from Harrison Crowe. Scheffler demonstrated the comfort that won him a green jacket in 2022. He found an eagle and three birdies along his stroll, and stumbled but once, at the daunting White Dogwood, at the entrance to Amen Corner. Burns reached five-under par twice, at the 9th and 15th holes. Unable to preserve that lofty perch, the Louisianan still had to be satisfied with an opening 68.

Scottie Scheffler moves to three under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/jsUGvKw20p

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

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)