News

Morning 9: Tour announced new fall schedule | Cowherd: LIV won Masters | Tiger 1997 Masters ball at auction

Published

2 years ago

Apr 13, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, and as day one of the RBC Heritage gets underway.

1. PGA Tour announces new fall schedule

The PGA TOUR today announced its schedule for the 2023 FedExCup Fall, consisting of seven official PGA TOUR events that will provide greater drama and more immediate consequence than ever before.

The significant benefits to winning during the FedExCup Fall remain – including a two-year PGA TOUR exemption, 500 FedExCup points, entry to the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions and the PLAYERS Championship as well as eligibility into those Major Championships that have invited PGA TOUR winners in the past. Added drama comes as players utilize the seven fall events to lock up or improve their positions in the priority ranking and secure additional playing opportunities for the 2024 FedExCup Season, which returns to a calendar-year schedule (January-August).

Those players who finish 70th or better in the FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List through the 2023 TOUR Championship are exempt for 2024. But – new this year – players ranked No. 51 and beyond will carry their FedExCup Points from the Regular Season and first Playoffs event into the FedExCup Fall and continue to accumulate FedExCup Points to finalize eligibility for the 2024 season.

Full piece.

2. Put another way…

Sept 11-17: Fortinet Championship, Silverado Resort, Napa,California

Oct 2-8: Sanderson Farms Championship, C.C. of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi

Oct 9-15: Shriners Children’s Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct 16-22: Zozo Championship, Accordia Golf Narashino, Chiba, Japan

Oct 30-Nov 5: World Wide Technology Championship, El Cardonal, Los Cabos, Mexico

Nov 6-12: Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda

Nov 13-19: RSM Classic, Sea Island Golf Club, St. Simons Island, Georgia

3. Hoggard: Schedule must evolve

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…”Spieth’s eight starts before Augusta National is historically the norm for the 2015 Masters champion. What’s different this year is the competitive intensity the designated events added to that normal run-up.”

“Five of the eight events leading up to the Masters were designated, including the WGC-Match Play two weeks ago, which, depending on how far a player advances, can be grueling so close to the Masters. Add in starts at The Players, Bay Hill and Los Angeles, which are all designated, and it should be no surprise that Rory McIlroy withdrew from this week’s RBC Heritage, which is also an elevated event.”

“Players were allowed to miss one designated event this year, but this week’s stop on Hilton Head Island, S.C., is McIlroy’s second after he skipped the Sentry Tournament of Champions, and it’ll cost him a portion of his PIP earnings from last year. Whatever that financial penalty, it’s clearly not enough to change McIlroy’s mind and the Tour is likely anticipating more selective scheduling as the season wears on.”

“It’s why the Tour will have fewer designated events next year – which includes the four majors, The Players, three playoff events, the Tournament of Champions and the three player-hosted invitationals (Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial) along with four other tournaments that haven’t been announced – and no minimum mandate.”

Full piece.

4. Tiger’s 1997 Masters ball fetches big money

Our Jason Daniels…”After a bogey on the fifth hole – his first in over 36 holes – Tiger handed his Titleist #1 to then 9-year-old Julian Nexsen, who subsequently had the ball and associated items auctioned earlier this month. The lot, auctioned by Golden Age Auctions, saw the hammer come down at $64,124.40.”

“The auction site declared that Lot#5 of its Masters Week Auction came with “impeccable provenance,” claiming that, “unless Tiger himself or his caddie Fluff intentionally saved a ball from this historic final round (which we doubt), this may be the only confirmed golf ball from the final round of Tiger Woods’ first Major Championship victory.”

Full piece.

5. Cowherd: Phil, LIV were the big Masters winners

Our Matt Vincenzi…”On Fox Sports 1, host of “The Herd”, Colin Cowherd sounded off on his adoration for Phil Mickelson and the rest of the LIV Golfers who played well at the 2023 Masters.”

“On Phil Mickelson: “He didn’t want to have to be in the grind and deal with all the Pro-Am stuff. He wanted to make money, play less and be treated like the rockstar he is. And guess what? That’s the best he’s ever looked. He was thin, his skin was good, his body looked great, his golf was amazing he was hitting his putts.””

“Cowherd also declared that LIV Golfers proved their point by playing well at the Masters.”

“I was rooting for Brooks and I was rooting for Phil Mickelson. I know a lot of you think they’re immoral and you don’t like them, but you know what? They proved their point.”

Full piece.

6. On Rahm’s irons

Our Andrew Tursky…”Aside from his swing style, another important factor in Rahm’s consistency is that he doesn’t mess around much with his iron set. Although Rahm spent time tweaking his Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver ahead of the Masters, he hasn’t changed his irons since joining the Callaway staff at the beginning of 2021.”

“Rahm’s Masters-winning Callaway Apex TCB (tour cavity back) irons are bent a half-degree weak compared to the standard Apex TCB specifications, according to Callaway PGA TOUR rep Kellen Watson, who works closely with Rahm on his equipment needs.”

“Rahm also uses what are called “soft-stepped” Project X 6.5 iron shafts. “Soft stepping” is a club builder trick to make the shafts play slightly softer than standard – the builder will put a 5-iron shaft in a 6-iron, a 6-iron shaft in a 7-iron and so on throughout the set to help achieve slightly more launch and spin. The combination of weaker lofts and softer shafts helps Rahm to hit the spin, launch and carry numbers that he wants while still allowing him to hit down on the ball and deloft the club at impact.”

“When he came over [to Callaway], we found out quickly that we needed to have soft-stepped 6.5s in his irons,” Watson told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the 2023 RBC Heritage. “Usually what we do with all our guys is do a performance combine. We do about 60 shots using clubs throughout the bag and never two of the same shots in a row. So, it could go 4-iron to 9-iron, 9-iron to 5-iron, 5-iron to 6-iron, 6-iron to wedge. We capture all that data and it’ll give us pretty much everything we need to know. During that process, when he first came over, we did that, compiled the data, we ate lunch, then we went back after bending all the irons loft and lie wise, and we got to the numbers that are his current loft and lie. They might appear like they’re a half-degree weak from standard, but there is no standard on the PGA TOUR.

Full piece.

7. First Asian Tour event in Scotland

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…”The Asian Tour will visit Scotland for the first time as part of its UK summer swing.”

“The Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews has been revealed as the second of this year’s UK-based International Series events, following last month’s announcement that Newcastle’s Close House would also host a tournament. The tournament will take place between 24 and 27 August with the St Andrews Bay Championship, the sixth International Series event of the Asian Tour season.”

Full piece.

8. Monty trolls Cantlay, Langer

9. Photos from the RBC Heritage

Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!

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)