Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as attention now turns towards the 3M Open.
1. Open takeaways
Joseph LaMagna for the Fried Egg…”Though this major championship will not be lauded as a classic, I am going to remember at least two things from the tournament. The first is to appreciate the scenario in which a non-star leads the field by a healthy margin, and we get the opportunity to speculate on his chances of hoisting a trophy on Sunday. Texting with friends about a player’s chances of sleeping on and holding a lead never gets old. In part, those are conversations about course fit, conditions, and players’ skill sets. But they are also conversations about the mettle of a human being. Predicting and observing which players can withstand the height of pressure taps into the essence and beauty of elite competition. The cycle of having those conversations and bearing witness to the result shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
“The second thing I will remember from this tournament is that Brian Harman got the job done. He figured out a way to quiet his mind, got some sleep, and woke up on Saturday and Sunday ready to execute golf shots. He succeeded in a situation in which we have seen countless golfers crumble. He won the tournament by six. Witnessing dominance shouldn’t be taken for granted either.”
The Telegraph’s James Corrigan…”Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the £500 billion Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and key associate Amanda Staveley met with R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers at Hoylake during Sunday’s final round of the 151st Open.”
The pair were swept in unnoticed by one of the primary sponsors of the R&A, highlighting the game’s radically changed relationship with the LIV Golf movement. The R&A confirmed the meeting but would not give details of the discussion.
In a groundbreaking moment and as the drama was unfolding, Slumbers attended a private box to have talks with Al-Rumayyan and Staveley. This marked the first time in the LIV saga that Al-Rumayyan had been welcomed into the inner sanctum of the majors.
Our Matt Vincenzi…”After Rory McIlroy failed to convert yet another major championship in weekend contention into a victory, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee opined that Rory may be approaching the other side of his prime, depsite his physique.”
“I know you think he’s ripped & he is ripped but you reach your physical prime at 26/27, you look at when players are dismissed from teams, it’s far earlier than you would think because they have statistics that show you’ve reached your statistical prime.
“I’m talking about mental, I’m talking about optical acuity, all these little things touch nerves, speed.”
“I realize he’s ripping it & he looks like a Greek god, but I’m talking about, at 34 he doesn’t have as much runway in front of him as he did when he won his last major.”
Luke Kerr-Dineen for Golf Digest…”Harman ranks 142nd on tour in driving distance, but he gets around this perceived disadvantage with a pretty simple strategy: He hits driver all the time, as much as he can, at every opportunity.”
While Harman’s peers are dropping back to hit 3-wood and 2-irons, either for more control or to pursue safety, Harman pushes himself to hit the driver at every opportunity.
It’s an intentional strategy that shows up in his stats. Look at the driving distance statistic, which only measures a certain holes—longer, wider holes, where most golfers are hitting drivers. It’s the best way to do it when you’re trying to showcase who actually hits it the longest. And that’s where Harman ranks 142nd in that category.
But now look at all drives—the average distance of literally every tee shot hit on par 4s and par 5s. You’ll see that Harman ranks 98th, within 0.3 yards of tour average.
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”After dominating at Royal Liverpool to the tune of a six-shot victory, Harman took his claret jug out to dinner. However, he didn’t seek any local fare but rather a BBQ joint called Hickory’s Smokehouse in West Kirby, just south of Hoylake. The Google review of the restaurant describes it like this: “Buzzing American BBQ joint serving hickory-smoked and grilled meat, kids’ menu, shakes and U.S. beers.” Not exactly fish and chips and a pint of Carling.”
“According to an Instagram post shared by Aaron Flener, the caddie for J.T. Poston, one of Harman’s best friends on Tour, it was a modest celebration – far from a hammered Shane Lowry belting “Fields of Athenry” a few years ago – that also included Harman’s caddie, Scott Tway.”
Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”By winning the opposite-field event, Bhatia shed his status as a special temporary member and is now eligible for this season’s FedExCup Playoffs as a full-time member, which he will be through the 2024 season. He also picked up spots in next year’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, The Players, PGA Championship and Charles Schwab Challenge, the latter likely the only invitational event that won’t be designated next season.”
“However, Bhatia did not receive the 300 FedExCup points available to the Barracuda’s winner due to the co-sanctioned tournament, which includes 50 DP World Tour members, having the same non-member regulations that the World Golf Championships had. The Barbasol Championship, which was played opposite the Scottish Open, featured the same regulations, so Bhatia didn’t get any points for his T-9 finish there, either.”
“So, Bhatia is now officially on the FedExCup points list and eligible for the playoffs, but he debuts at No. 92 with 434.856 points.”
Adam Schupak for Golfweek…”But after rolling to a six-stroke victory on Sunday to hoist the Claret Jug, Harman finally revealed the key to his improved putting. He has been using a training aid to help with his stroke.”
“It’s a silly looking mirror where it’s got like a little better release pattern,” said Harman, who couldn’t recall what tournament he picked it up but pulled it out of the barn of his farmhouse recently. “I was just kind of cutting my putts too much. I spent a lot of time just feeling the ball, almost hitting like a baby draw with my putter, and it’s been really, really good the last month or so.”
“Prior to using the device, which he didn’t name but it appears to be the Short Game Gains Putting Mirror, Harman said he had been considering benching his TaylorMade Spider putter, but said that it won’t be leaving the bag any time soon after his putting performance this week. He took just 23 putts Thursday and 26 on Friday and his 106 total putts were the fewest by the winner of the British Open in the last 20 years.”
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.
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.
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.
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
