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Morning 9: Ridley on rollback | Phil goes mute at dinner | Augusta weather

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2 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, and welcome to day one at the Masters.

1. Ridley on lengthening 13

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…“The subject of the 13th hole has been a topic of discussion for several years,” Ridley said. “We believe this modification will put a driver in play more often and restore the element of risk and reward that was intended in the original design of the hole.”

  • “Specifically, Ridley was asked his thoughts on whether the additional yardage at No. 13 will prompt more players to lay up and if that was the club’s plan.”
  • “On paper, the new tee at Augusta National’s 13th hole is 35 yards longer for this year’s Masters, but it may as well stretch all the way to Macon.”
  • “I think a lot of that really depends on the weather,” he said. “I think you may be right that the data will show that more players will lay up. I think for a still large number who will go for the green in two, I think it’s going to be a much more challenging and a much more exciting shot.
  • “I certainly look forward on Sunday to having someone in competition with a 3- or 4-iron in their hand or even a hybrid hitting their shot into the 13th hole rather than an 8-iron. I think on balance it’s going to prove to be the right decision.”
Full piece.

2. Ridley on rollback

Golfweek’s David Dusek…” it came as no surprise on Wednesday morning that Ridley hinted at support for the USGA and R&A’s proposal for the creation of a new Model Local Rule that could require elite male golfers to start using a distance-reducing golf ball in 2026.”

  • “As the comment period remains open, we will be respectful of the process as the USGA and the R&A consider this important issue,” Ridley said in his opening comments. “We have been consistent in our support of the governing bodies and we re-state our desire to see distance addressed.”
  • Moments later, when asked by a reporter for more detail and his personal thoughts on distance and the potential use of distance-reducing golf balls, Ridley added, “I think, in a general sense, we do support the proposal, but because it’s in the middle of a comment period, it could change. The whole purpose of the comment period is to take the input from the industry. So we will look at the final product and make a decision. But generally, we have always been supportive of the governing bodies. I’ve stated that we believe distance needs to be addressed. I think the natural conclusion is, yes, we will be supportive.”
Full piece.

3. Phil at dinner

Jim Slater for the AFP…”Crow and humble pie were not on the menu for the Champions dinner at the 87th Masters, but LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson’s silence at the esteemed gathering spoke volumes.”

  • …”The 52-year-old American left-hander made his return this year but reportedly turned down the chance for a news conference and spoke informally to reporters.”
  • …”Mickelson was among six LIV Golf players at Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner for past Masters winners and reportedly sat away from most fellow champions and stayed silent.”
Full piece.

4. Champions dinner “temperature”

5. Weather report

Via Golf Channel…

Thursday

High: 85 degrees

Low: 67 degrees

Winds: S 7-14 mph

Rainfall: 30% chance of thunderstorms after 3 p.m.; 0.10-0.25 inches

Friday

High: 73 degrees

Low: 62 degrees

Winds: ESE 4-8; shifting NE 12-18 (gusts 25 mph)

Rainfall: 50% chance of morning showers with rain increasing to 70% in the afternoon with a few embedded thunderstorms possible; 0.50 inches

Saturday

High: 52 degrees

Low: 49 degrees

Winds: NE 12-18 mph (gusts 25 mph)

Rainfall: 90% chance of rain and could be heavy at times; 0.75-1.50 inches

Sunday

High: 62 degrees

Low: 47 degrees

Winds: NE 12-18 mph (gusts 25 mph)

Rainfall: 50% chance of morning showers; cloudy becoming partly sunny
Full piece.

6. Tiger’s days at Augusta coming to an end?

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports…”It seems sacrilegious to say Tiger Woods isn’t a legitimate contender to win the Masters. He is, after all, Tiger Woods. That was the general impression however that came Tuesday from no less of an authority on the subject than Tiger Woods himself.

  • No, he didn’t flat out say he couldn’t win a sixth green jacket, but he repeatedly mentioned his injured leg (from a 2021 car crash), his injured back (from general wear and tear) and his limited strength and endurance (“I just have to be cognizant of how much I can push it”).
  • He was expansive on his stop-and-smell-the-roses mindset — “just appreciate the memories” — talked wistfully of the seniors tour (where players get to ride in a cart) and expressed gratitude that he still had both of his legs.
  • He even brought up the idea that his Masters playing days may be numbered.
  • “I don’t know how many more I have in me,” Tiger said Tuesday at Augusta National.
  • This was a far cry from the uber-confident competitor who changed this tournament and this sport in unimaginable ways. That Tiger wouldn’t have tolerated even the hint that he was just here to play, not win.
Full piece.

7. Varner III calls out fellow LIV pros

Kayla Douglas for the Score…”Harold Varner takes issue with fellow LIV golfers claiming they joined the Saudi-backed circuit in an effort to improve the game.

  • “They’re full of shit; they’re growing their pockets,” Varner said in a recent interview with The Washington Post’s Kent Babb. “I tell them all the time, all of them: You didn’t come here to f—–g grow the f—–g game.”
  • He added, “The Tour has made it where they say it’s not about the money. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s about the damn money.”
Full piece.

8. Tiger to Champions Tour?

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Last month, Jack Nicklaus hinted that Tiger Woods might be interested in playing on the Champions Tour when his time comes. While that came as a bit of a surprise to some at the time, Tiger confirmed that he intends to do just that.”

  • “At his Masters pre-tournament press conference, Woods alluded to his future on the senior circuit.”
  • “I just have to be cognizant of how much I can push it. I can hit a lot of shots but the difficulty for me is going to be the walking going forward. It is what it is. I wish it could be easier.”
  • “I’ve got three more years, where I get the little buggy and be out there with Fred (Couples). But until then no buggy.”
Full piece.

9. Varner on media: ‘They used to write nice stuff, but now it’s just chaos’

Our Jason Daniels…”The 32-year-old was also very vocal about the way the media has treated all the players that have joined the Greg Norman-led tour, but admits it might spur him on to an ever better finish this time.”

  • “Yeah, I want to play well. Everyone thinks we suck now, so I want to play great.”
  • “Addressing those he was speaking to, he added: “You all write it and I just read it. I don’t pay attention. I don’t know who wrote it. They have Twitter and social media. They just write. I want to play well. It’s not like Space Jam where they took our talents away, so I’m super excited. I want to play well. That’s why you play.”
  • “It’s always on my Twitter. They used to write nice stuff, but now it’s just chaos. But I work well in chaos, so I’ll be good.”
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. geohogan

    Apr 7, 2023 at 11:35 am

    Phil was “dumb…founded” that his golf buddy and fellow narcissist had been arraigned in NYC.

    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

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

on

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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