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Tour Rundown: Clark “wyns” initial tour title, Thailand races to convincing win, Meronk Ryder Cup ready

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2 years ago

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A mighty new event on the LPGA circuit, combining team and match play, debuted in San Francisco. For those mourning the end of the PGA Tour’s match-play tournament, take heart. This one combined singles and partner play and kept dozens of golfers active through the end of play on Saturday. The top four teams (16 golfers in total) advanced to play on Sunday. We’ll tell you more about it, further along. The PGA Tour gathered in Charlotte, while the DP World Tour got down to business in Italy’s capital, Rome. The Tour Champions settled matters in suburban Atlanta, while PGA Tour Latinoamérica had a go at the center of the Earth. Should be a Tour Flydown, with all the distance between venues, but we’ll continue to call it Tour Rundown, and catch you up on what went down.

LPGA @ Hanwha International Crown: Thailand races to convincing win

The LPGA is certainly onto something here. Eight four-person teams representing their countries met over four days of competition. Three days of round-robin play sent four teams through to the Sunday morning semifinals. Lower seeds Australia (7) and Thailand (6) dispatched their heralded rivals Sweden (4) and USA (1) and met in the finals. In the end, it was more of the same.

On Thursday, Thailand lost zero matches in partner play. On Friday, the partnerships remained steady, and Thailand won them all again. On Saturday, for a third consecutive day, Thailand’s pairings of Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul, alongside the Jutanugarn sisters swept the table. At this juncture, the golf world took serious notice.

Sunday morning welcomed a change in matches (two singles and one doubles) format. Thitikul dispatched the USA’s Lexi Thompson, while Tavatanakit lost a spirited battle with Lilia Vu. The match hinged on the sisters once more, and Ariya and Moriya came through with a one-up win over Nelly Korda and Danielle Kang. On the other side of the bracket, Australia seized the leader’s role with three wins before the 17th tee.

Sunday afternoon watched a battle of titans. The tables were turned as Thailand romped to a three-zero victory, with none of its wins reaching the penultimate tee. TPC Harding Park proved to be an ideal setting for team match play, and Thailand’s foursome will long remember its win in the inaugural playing of the International Crown.

PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo Championship: Clark “wyns” initial tour title

I’ll put this out there: if Matt Fitzpatrick wins next week, I will debut my #WrongRon (love to Ron Balicki) service. I picked Wyndham Clark to win last week but was a wee bit early with my prescience. This week, I had Fitzy, so … you know the rest.

Wyndham Clark and Christian McCaffrey graduated the same year from Valor Christian in Denver. Both went on to play D1 sports and, while McCaffrey caught the NFL spotlight early, Clark took a bit longer to ascend to PGA Tour royalty. Now, he’s here. Clark opened with rounds of 67-67, then jumped to the top of the board with 63 on Saturday. That number included eight birdies and zero bogies. On the week, Clark amassed four bogies, including one on his opening hole on Sunday.

Fortunately for the Colorado native, no one made a move on day four. No one, that is, until Clark on the inward half. Five birdies from holes eight through fifteen staked him to a clear advantage over pursuer Xander Schauffele. When X posted a bogey at 17, the podium was Clark’s.

DP World Tour @ DSA Italian Open: Meronk signals readiness with Rome conquest

They don’t come much taller than Adrian Meronk. The guaranteed selection for Europe’s Ryder Cup team in Italy claimed a third DP World Tour title, over the host course for the September biennial event. Meronk began the day one back of France’s Julien Guerrier. Guerrier came unglued with bogey at his opening two holes and, while he made a pair of offsetting birdies, two more bogies cascaded him to 73 and third place on his own.

Romain Langasque made a valiant attempt to secure the title for France, but three bogies midway through the back nine lowered his ship to 12 under par, two clear of Guerrier. Meronk also had his struggles on the inward side, but balanced birdies, bogeys and pars at three each, and capped his effort with a birdie at the last, to ease past Langasque to victory. When we meet Marco Simone golf club again, the stakes will be different. For Meronk, he’d love to be a difference-maker once again.

PGA Tour Champions @ ME Classic: Ames claims second in Atlanta

In 2017, Stephen Ames won his first veteran’s circuit event at the Mitstubishi. He held off one of the senior rodeo’s all-time greatest by four shots. That gentleman was Bernhard Langer. In 2023, Ames sealed another four-shot win, over another all-timer in Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Not a bad pair of wins to remember, when the playing days are eventually over.

Over the entirety of the weekend, the winner was able to stay a shot or two ahead of his competition. When they went low, he went lower. Rounds of 65 and 64 kept Ames in the lead through Sunday. On day three, his card was clean, if a little higher. Three birdies over the final round were enough to maintain a comfortable distance. Ken Tanigawa was three back of Ames, heading into the final day. He was unable to mount a charge and fell to solo third position. While there was a 66 farther back in the field, only Jiménez was able to match Ames’ 68, and he eased past Tanigawa into second spot.

With his son as caddie, Ames capped the week in style, with the put that you may see below. The victory was Ames’ fourth on PGA Tour Champions, and moved him from 8th to 4th in the season-long, Schwab Cup challenge.

PGA Tour Latinoamérica @ KIA Classic: Hakula charges to comeback win

If you read the social headlines on Saturday, misplaced headlines like seizes control and takes charge were applied to the leader, Garret Reband. The American had played stellar golf over three days, but no competitor was prepared to hand him the winner’s check. When Reband struggled early on Sunday, then signed for a 75, the clubhouse gate was wide open.

First came Rafael Becker, who posted nine birdies and an eagle in his 63. Unbelievably, Becker also had a double and single bogey on his card. He reached 14 under par and tied Brent Ito for third position. Next was Julián Etulain, who offered a clean card of five birdies and another eagle. His efforts brought him to 15-under par. Were they enough? No. Toni Hakula, a UTexas alumnus, found a way to ease past Etulain for a one-shot win. Despite a bogey at the par-five 17th hole, Hakula found his way to par at the last for his second career win on PGA Tour LA.

Gustavo Silva finished in a tie for 29th, but will always remember the swing that gave him an ace and a first-round 65.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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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

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Jul 29, 2025

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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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News

BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

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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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