News

Jon Rahm is Spain’s fourth Masters champion

Published

2 years ago

Apr 10, 2023

I started with “first Basque” and then moved to “fourth Iberian,” before finally settling on the flag that most associate with Jon Rahm, supremely accurate or not. Now that geo-political elements are out of the way, it’s time to talk about the winner of the 2023 Masters tournament. You remember him: the guy who began Thursday with a double-bogey six, the way all champions like to begin a tournament.

Thursday was a normal round of golf, beyond everyone’s expectations. Rahm overcame the aforementioned, four-putt first green immediately, with birdies at the second and third holes. It reminded long-time followers of the manner in which Tiger Woods redeemed a first-nine holes of 40 with a second-nine of 30 in 1997, on the way to his first title. Rahm continued to play marvelous golf to the final hole, adding five birdies, and an eagle at the eighth. His 65 was tied with two other golfers for the top spot on the board. Even with him was the fellow who would spend an extraordinary amount of time at his side for the weekend, Brooks Koepka.

Friday saw the arrival of the rains, and the extraordinary fortune gifted to the PM/AM wave of golfers. Those who played early on day two, were able to complete the majority, if not all, of their round of golf. The AM/PM half of the field was extended to noon on Saturday, when the cut was established at three-over par. Koepka was one of the fortunate ones, and his second-round 67 brought him to twelve under par, and what appeared to be a massive lead. Masters winners will admit that if a halfway leader can add rounds of 70-70 to his total, he will earn a championship.

Rahm completed his second round on Saturday morning, and was able to overcome two bogies with five birdies. His 69 kept him within sight of Koepka, who was physically healthy for the first time in five years, and prepared to challenge for a fifth major title. Gone for the weekend were familiar names like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, and former champions Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia, and Mike Weir. Tiger Woods made the cut on the number, but the hills, rain, and cool temperatures proved to be too much for the five-time champion, and he withdrew during the third round.

Saturday will forever be remembered for the toppling of three trees adjacent to the 17th tee at Augusta National. By grace, no one was injured, but the competition was again postponed. Golfers near the top of the leader board would play 25 holes on Sunday, and their endurance and mental fortitude would be examined to the greatest degree. Play was in threesomes for a third consecutive round, to guarantee that the leaders would be able to begin play a bit after two pm.

JON RAHM: I thought it was good. It’s not easy. Cold and windy, wet. Not the easiest. Obviously I started really good making those putts on 7, 8, 9 and the par putt on 10, and after that just couldn’t quite get it going. I wasn’t making bad swings, just a couple of bad wind gusts at the wrong time and ended up seeing myself in tough positions. But feeling good, playing good, swinging well, so hopefully can keep it going.

… with the wind we’re going to have today, the main thing is staying committed to whatever shot you pick. Have a clear picture and commit to it. It’s always going to be better to maybe have the lower percentage shot but commit to it than the higher percentage not and not committed. Should be a fun afternoon.

Koepka and Rahm each signed for a one-over round of 73, ensuring that they would again be paired in the final twosome. Birdies were at a premium during the third 18, with only three scores below 70 turned in among the 53 golfers who completed play. Viktor Hovland, the third golfer to shoot 65 on Thursday, remained in the chase until the final round, when a first-nine score of 39 pushed him away from the leaders. As Sunday drew to a close, a familiar name shot up the board, at the age of 52.

Phil Mickelson thrilled the golf world in 2021, when he defeated Koepka down the stretch to claim a second PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. Two years later, the lefthander turned in a round for the ages and the ageless, as he close with 65 at the Masters. Mickelson posted three birdies against one bogey on the first nine, but the three-time Masters winner turned electric on the second nine. Five birdies coming home brought him a 31 and moved him to eight-under par on the week. When he finished, Rahm and Koepka had just entered Amen Corner, where dreams may delight or dash in one swing. Phil Mickelson had to like his chances, knowing Augusta’s history.

JON RAHM: I thought 8 was a key birdie. I didn’t expect that bogey on 9. That was a couple of good swings I didn’t expect.

I had to get through Amen Corner even par. That’s what I was looking at. Obviously Phil and Jordan were making birdies and finishing strong, and they were finishing their round as we were finishing 10. Making sure I didn’t put myself in a difficult spot on 10, 11, 12 was the key, and then 13 with that right-to-left wind is when I could turn a little bit and get in the attack, and that’s what I did.

The gap between the leaders had evaporated, as Koepka played his first nine holes in plus-three figures. Rahm turned to the second nine in minus one, and for all the world, it looked like a two-man competition until Mickelson entered the picture. Brooks Koepka played through Amen Corner in even par figures, posting par at eleven, bogey at twelve, birdie at the newly-elongated thirteenth hole. He would not make another par until the 18th hole, recalling precisely what makes him an exciting golfer to follow.

It was Rahm who gave notice that he had what a Masters champion possesses. His two-putt par from forty feet distant at twelve advanced him three in front of Koepka, and his birdie at thirteen kept him there. At fourteen, the hole known as Chinese Fir, Rahm won the tournament. His drive was played up the right side, into the first cut. With a tree limb forcing a low play, Rahm hit a punch-cut to the perfect point on the putting surface, The ball turned right and eased its way within four feet of the hole. As close as his approach was, Rahm’s putt for birdie tried to say out. It moved right to left with enthusiasm, but caught enough open air to allow gravity to complete its work. The birdie moved Rahm to 12-under par. Koepka’s second bogey in three holes dropped him to third place, at seven-under par.

Jon Rahm extends his lead with a masterful birdie at No. 14. #themasters pic.twitter.com/bQmN74Wnna

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 9, 2023

Brooks Koepka would not go quietly into the evening, however. He notched birdies at 15 and 16, regaining two lost shots and moving to within three strokes of Rahm, with two holes to play. At the 17th tee, Koepka’s patented fade did not materialize, and he found himself amid trees. He not only failed pick up a needed birdie, but lost another stroke to par, dropping back to minus eight. Rahm would start the 18th hole with a four-shot advantage and, for a moment, it seemed that he would need each of the quadrilateral. His tee shot went hard left, but was thrown rightward by the trees, leaving him a long way home, with a clear path.

Rahm punched a long iron up the fairway, leaving a pitch to the green. With the touch of a surgeon, he lofted a wedge over sand, to within five feet of the hole. His putt for par fell four inches down, and the 2021 US Open champion was now halfway to a career grand slam. As the green jacket was draped over his shoulders by 2022 champion Scottie Scheffler, Rahm’s thoughts were not on the menu for the 2024 Champions’ Dinner. Instead, he summoned an event that transpired in 1983, forty years back, before Rahm was born. He recalled the triumph of the first Spanish Masters champion, Seve Ballesteros, and waved to the heavens, thanking his predecessor for guiding him home, to victory.

A win for Spain. A win for Seve. #themasters pic.twitter.com/iU2L7nlVcV

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 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)