News

Morning 9: McCarthy’s near 59 | Pace leads Women’s PGA | All eyes on Rose

Published

2 years ago

Jun 23, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Friday morning, golf fans, as day two of the Travelers Championship gets underway.

1. McCarthy’s near 59

AP Report…” Denny McCarthy came inches from shooting a 59, settling for a 10-under 60 on Thursday for the lowest round of his PGA Tour career, and Rory McIlroy made his first ace on tour on a day of low numbers at the Travelers Championship.”

“Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott also made runs at golf’s magic number — on a course where Jim Furyk set the PGA Tour record with a 58 in 2016 — but faltered late. Each shot 62.”

“Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, finished with a 7-under 63.”

Full piece.

2. Pace leads Women’s PGA

AP Report…”Lee-Anne Pace isn’t playing a lot of competitive golf these days at 42-years-old and her practice habits have tailed off. She enjoys the game, and every once in a while, the South African really enjoys it.”

“The first round of the Women’s PGA Championship at historic Baltusrol on Thursday was one of them.”

“Pace made a two-putt birdie on the final hole in fading daylight to cap a bogey-free 5-under 66 and grab a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the second major of the year in women’s golf.”

“Honestly, I just came over because I like to come over every now and then for one or two events,” Pace said. “I honestly did not expect to be leading the tournament after day one. It’s a very, very difficult golf course. To be in my position, I’m just really happy that I had a good score.”

Full piece.

3. All eyes on Rose

Charlotte Gibson at ESPN…”And this week, she tees it up in her first major as a professional at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. Zhang will be among the 156 women golfers competing for the major title and monumental purse (to be announced on Friday, June 23).”

“As the 20-year-old prepares for the only major she hasn’t competed in as an amateur, she faces pressure and expectations to make history again at a storied venue.”

…”Zhang understands the expectations put on her name. She feels responsible for growing the game and inspiring the next generation. She also knows questions like “Will the rise of Zhang determine the rise of women’s golf?” linger around her. But ultimately, she wants to focus on her game and stay patient.”

“This is how people work. If you’re playing well, and you’ve developed a platform, people expect much more out of you, and I recognize that,” adds Zhang. “I think that’s the first thing for me, just to be able to handle it the way I am. And the people around me, like my family and friends, [to] keep me really grounded.”

Full piece.

4. Mav out with injury

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Maverick McNealy announced Wednesday afternoon that he is taking a break from competition for a few months to treat a left shoulder injury. He tore the anterior sterno-clavicular ligament in his left shoulder last February, and after a missed cut two weeks ago at the RBC Canadian Open, the 27-year-old Stanford product decided he needed to properly address what had become more than a nagging ailment.”

“After a brief period of improvement, it worsened in Canada to the point that I did not think it was a good idea to continue playing,” McNealy said.

“McNealy said the injury won’t require surgery, though the rehab will still be extensive.”

Full piece.

5. Ex-Disney exec to help navigate PIF-PGA Tour

Daniel Libit for Sportico…”Geoff Morrell, who recently served a short-lived stint as Disney’s top spokesperson, has been retained by the Saudi Public Investment Fund to help with media relations for the PIF’s partnership with the PGA Tour.”

“In a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing this week, Morrell disclosed he would be providing “the foreign principal with communications and stakeholder consulting services.”

“Morrell’s time at Disney lasted less then four months, which were dominated by the company’s ongoing contention with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.”

Full piece.

6. “Wouldn’t be too hard to reheat the soup”

Paul Higham for Golf Monthly (quoting Xander Schauffele, initially)…“The sad part is I probably don’t even have a question they can answer,” said Schauffele. “There just isn’t a whole lot of information out just yet. Some sort of the agreement still needs to be written up or agreed on, I should say.

“Everyone wants transparency and I’m sure in their eyes they are being as transparent as they possible can be, and all of us players would like to think they are taking care of us, but if they’re not able to give us any answers, that means there aren’t any.”

…”He had a novel way of saying that temperatures could well flare up again though if the right answers weren’t found.”

“Probably wouldn’t be too hard to re-heat the soup,” said Schauffele. “But, yeah, guys, Tour pros typically are pretty good at compartmentalizing and blocking out stuff and getting ready for game day.

Full Piece.

7. Phil’s Twitter tips return

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Regardless of how one feels about Phil Mickelson, there’s no denying that he has one of the best short games of all time.”

“Yesterday, Phil posted a video to his Twitter account giving chipping advice.”

Check out the video below.

Full Piece.

8. Wyndham’s equipment adjustments

Our Andrew Tursky talked with Titleist’s J.J. Van Wezenbeeck about Wyndham Clark’s lie angle tweaks

“Andrew Tursky: I heard that Wyndham may have made a big lie angle change with the irons about a year ago? What impact have Clark’s lie angles played on his iron game?”

“J.J. Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist: Yeah. He and his caddie John spent a lot of time on their swing, and we decided to move lie angles – we actually moved them twice over the last year, moving things a little flatter from where they had them. [Wyndham and John] are really good at letting ball flight dictate lie angles, so they work a lot on start lines and hitting different golf shots.”

“When his swing gets too fade-biased, they hit hooks on the range. When it gets too neutral, they hit big cuts on the range, and they’ll use ball flight to help with lie angle.”

“Do you remember what the lie angle changes were, like, one degree upright to three degrees flat, or something like that?”

“J.J.: I don’t think it’s even that basic…it’s been a scenario where it’s a little here, and then a lot there. Every club wasn’t the same. It’s a one-by-one situation.”

“It’s not, ‘I’m a one flat guy.’”

“Each club has its own unique lie angle to promote the flight that they want.”

Full Piece.

9. Travelers Photos

Make sure to 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)