News

Morning 9: Norman: Rahm move validates LIV | Åberg’s caddie on split | Cabrera’s first round back since jail

Published

2 years ago

Dec 14, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as we turn our attention to the PNC Championship.

1. Q-School in session

Golf Channel Staff…”For the first time since 2012, PGA Tour cards will be handed out this week via the final stage of Q-School.”

“The top five finishers and ties in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, will collect Tour cards for the 2024 season. The event will feature 168 players and will be contested over two courses, the Dye Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass (par 70, 6,850 yards on the scorecard) and the East-West course at Sawgrass Country Club (par 70, 7,054 yards).”

“There is no cut in the 72-hole tournament, and players will compete on each course over the first two days.”

Full piece.

2. Netflix details Full Swing’s strong performance

PGATour.com staff report…”On Tuesday, Netflix released widespread 2023 viewership data for the first time in the company’s history, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the success of its offerings.”

“The report showed “Full Swing” was watched for 53.1 million hours from the documentary series’ release through the end of June. The eight-episode series was the 267th most-watched title in the first six months of 2023, despite its release in mid-February. More than 18,000 titles were included in the report.”

“Full Swing” outperformed the first season of Netflix’s tennis docuseries “Break Point,” which had 30.5 million hours watched. Season 5 of “Drive to Survive,” the popular Formula 1 docuseries that sparked interest in a potential series covering the PGA TOUR, was watched for 90.5 million hours. All three shows were renewed for another season.

Full piece.

3. What would Arnie say?

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak spoke with Sam Saunders…”So, when asked to comment on how he thinks his grandfather, who died in 2016, would have felt about the friction in the game since the launch of LIV Golf, Saunders is quick to say he can’t speak for “The King,” but that doesn’t mean he can’t offer an educated guess.”

“It’s not fair to ever assume what anyone would think, period,” he said. “I can’t tell you I think he would think this, but based on my relationship with him and how I feel about the game of golf and how important it is to keep it accessible and fun, I can’t imagine he wouldn’t be disappointed because I know I am.”

Full piece.

4. Norman: Rahm signing validates LIV

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”LIV Golf League CEO and commissioner Greg Norman said last week’s addition of Spain’s Jon Rahm, the third-ranked golfer in the world, is validation of the circuit’s 54-hole format that incorporates individual and team golf.”

“Norman, speaking to ESPN from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday morning, said several players have contacted LIV Golf League officials to inquire about the remaining spots on a team that Rahm will captain.”

“I think word is getting out there amongst all the players around the world, even the top players, the best players in the world,” Norman said. “They love our format, they love our platform, they love the team spirit, the team atmosphere. And to be honest with you, I’ve seen it resonate very, very loudly this year. And obviously, Jon is an incredible addition to us.”

Full piece.

5. Storytime with Daly

Our Matthew Vincenzi…While sitting down for an interview with Tucker Carlson, John Daly told a story about the time he beat Tiger Woods while he was “still drunk” from the night before.

Carlson was speaking about Woods, and said to Daly, “You beat him hungover once?”

Daly replied, “I was still drunk, actually, but yeah, that was a funny story”.

“That was at Sherwood, early 2000’s (he later specified that it was 1994), there was only about 12 or 14 pros, but we didn’t play too good.”

“…So [the next morning] we tee off, my caddie was drunk with us. There’s only two times I’ve ever drank on a golf course. One, I had a few Coors Lights, we had a long wait to play the back nine at Riviera. I downed four or five Coors Lights; I was playing like shit. There’s like four groups waiting to tee off on the front, I downed those, shot -4 or -5 on that side and make the cut, think I ended up finishing 3rd”.

“But the funny thing about Tiger is, when I got on the tee, I had my caddie bring me a crown or a jack and coke, if you’ve never played Sherwood, the first hole, he’s walking and walking through all the cactuses on this hill trying not to spill my drink.”

“I grab my 3-iron and go on the tee. To make a long story short, I shoot like 65 he shoots like 71, he was shaking his head all day.”

Full Piece.

6. Åberg’s caddie on split

Our Matt Vincenzi…”This week, it was revealed that rising Swedish star Ludvig Aberg, has split with his caddie, Jack Clarke.”

Aberg’s new caddie will be Joe Skovron, who was previously on the bag of Rickie Fowler and Tom Kim, having a great deal of success with both.

While speaking with Bunkered, Clarke said he “didn’t see it coming.”

“He just turned around to me the week before last and said he was going to let me go, purely based on wanting more experience on the bag,” he said.

“Before the conversation I didn’t see it coming because of the results we had together but I totally respect his decision.

“I was shocked and disappointed by the decision, but at the end of the day it’s his decision to hopefully become what he wants to become.”

“When he said the experience in majors, I can’t say too much about it because I don’t have that.”

Full Piece.

7. Cabrera shoots level par in first comeback round

Ben Parsons for Bunkered…”First reported by Golfweek, Cabrera competed at the Abierto del Litoral (Coast Open) on the PGA Tour’s Latinoamerica Developmental Series in his native Argentina.”

“He shot an even par 71 in his opening round of the 72-hole tournament, which is his first competitive event since playing on the Champions Tour back in September 2020.”

Full Piece.

8. Tiger’s debut ball sold for huge fee

9. Photos from PGA Tour Q-School

Check out all of our galleries here!

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)