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Morning 9: PGA TV ratings | Queen Rose | Block on Full Swing?

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2 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we head to Colonial for the Charles Schwab Challenge.

1. Garcia qualifies for U.S. Open

Golfweek’s Todd Kelly…”Sergio Garcia, who didn’t qualify for last week’s PGA Championship, assured himself of a spot in the next major on the 2023 calendar after advancing through a final qualifying stage Monday in Dallas.”

  • “There were 120 golfers vying for eight spots at Northwood Club and Bent Tree Country Club. Garcia finished the 36-hole qualifier at 9 under, tie for fourth, capping his day with a birdie on his final hole.”
  • “Garcia was among close to 20 LIV golfers entered in qualifiers aiming to make the 156-man field at Los Angeles Country Club.”

CURRENT 84-player field
Full piece.

2. Queen Rose

AP report…”With a flawless performance at the NCAA Championships, the Stanford sophomore now has done something no one else has, not even Lorena Ochoa: win back-to-back national titles.”

  • “Zhang shot a bogey-free, 4-under 68 on Monday to become the first woman to win multiple national titles and tie the NCAA record for wins in a season.”
Full piece.

3. As expected, no Tiger at U.S. Open

ESPN Report…”Woods had April surgery to address post-traumatic arthritis in his right ankle that was caused by injuries suffered in a February 2021 car wreck.”

  • He played in the Masters before the surgery, making the cut before withdrawing due to injury, but missed the PGA Championship this past week. He remains without a timetable to return.
  • The USGA said Monday that 33 additional golfers have earned full exemptions into the season’s third major, set to be played June 15-18. Among those now exempt based on being in the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of Monday are Jason Day (No. 22), Patrick Reed (No. 44) and Tyrrell Hatton (No. 18).
Full piece.

4. Block on Full Swing?

Matt Cradock for Golf Monthly…”It was a truly memorable and inspiring tournament, with it being reported by Daniel Rapaport that Netflix cameras were, indeed, on site for the tournament, with a large part of the coverage focused on Block’s incredible round.”

  • “Prior to his tee time, Block was seen on the broadcast being mic’d up by one individual, with Rapaport, who featured heavily in the first series of Netflix’s docuseries, ‘Full Swing’, tweeting: “Netflix was all over the Michael Block story. I’m sure that Full Swing episode might elicit a tear or two.”
Full piece.

5. Block gets big offer for hole-in-one 7-iron

Our Andrew Tursky…”I caught up with Block on Tuesday in Texas following his dream PGA Championship week to find out more about his equipment setup, and he revealed he currently has a $50,000 offer for the 7-iron that he hit the hole-in-one with. He has many money offers, actually, but $50,000 is the highest so far. He also said the PGA of America wants the iron to display, but he said he’s not yet sure what he’ll do with it.”

  • “For now, it’s still in the bag at this week’s 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge, and it has a dimed-out face from 10 years of use.”
  • “Here’s what else he had to say on Tuesday when speaking with GolfWRX”
  • “I know what they’re gonna do. Period. It’s not because they go further. It has nothing to do with anything. I’ve played a whole bunch of other TaylorMade irons. The new MC’s. They feel great and everything else, but these, as you can see with most of my irons and my wedges – my putter’s over 20 years old – once I have something that I know what it’s gonna do, especially under these circumstances under pressure. When there’s pressure, you need to know exactly what’s gonna happen, and every time I’ve ever tried to put new things in under pressure, it’s failed.”
  • “I did (put the lead tape on my irons myself). It was about maybe 4 or 5 years ago. They were just starting to feel a little light, and maybe all the grooves were worn off, I don’t know. But they started to feel light in my hands. And I do it so randomly. If you look at my putter, if you look inside my putter, I mean it is random how I put lead tape on my clubs. But I’m a feel guy. You can see my swing. I’m super feel. They’ve been good. (I’ve had them in the bag) since about 2013. No (I haven’t changed irons since).”
Full piece.

6. Koepka’s coach sounds off on Brandel

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Harmon saved some of his spiciest takes for the media — of which he also is a member having worked over the years for Sky Sports and as well as hosting his own podcast, “Son of a Butch,” including this on Brandel Chamblee and Golfweek’s own Eamon Lynch.”

  • “Brandel is a paid actor by NBC and Golf Channel. All he’s trying to do is get his lines and shows for the Golf Channel. He’s just trying to get lines for Brandel … And I mean, I love him, I think Eamon is a fantastic writer, but for  Eamon Lynch and Brandel Chamblee, who worked for NBC Golf Channel to utter the words ‘sports washing’ when the company they work for televised the last two Winter Olympics in Russia and China with the same leaders that they’ve had. It’s not like they were good leaders back then. It’s not like Putin was a good guy, right?”
Full piece.

7. Ogilvy-Nantz design?

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Jim Nantz and his former college teammate have united to make their dreams come true.”

  • “Mark Haugejorde is the chairman of Tepetonka, a 228-acre, private golf destination two hours west of the Twin Cities, which is set to break ground this year. Having signed the design firm of OCM Golf – consisting of PGA Tour pro Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking and Ashley Meade – to its first original U.S. design, Haugejorde announced Tuesday that esteemed CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz will serve as a design consultant on the creation of The Prox, the club’s short course.”
  • “I’ve always had this dream if I wasn’t a broadcaster, I think the most fun thing to be a part of is to shape the Earth and be in golf course architecture,” Nantz said during “The Five Clubs” podcast with host Gary Williams, course architect Gil Hanse and ESPN college basketball analyst and avid golfer Jay Bilas on March 1.”
Full piece.

8. PGA ratings hit 15-year low

Christopher Powers for Golf Digest…”Television ratings for the final round of the 2023 PGA Championship probably don’t rank very high among the things that Brooks Koepka cares about. That’s different for the network that broadcasted that round, CBS, and the viewership numbers being reported from Sunday’s action at Oak Hill Country Club.”

  • “According to Sports Business Journal and Sports Media Watch, CBS drew an average of 4.517 million viewers for Koepka’s win on Sunday, the lowest number for a final round of a PGA Championship on CBS since 2008, when Padraig Harrington outlasted Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis at Oakland Hills for his third major title.”
Full piece.

9. Photos from Colonial

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

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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

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

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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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WITB

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