News

Morning 9: Murray wins dramatic playoff | Rory throws title away | Winning WITB

Published

2 years ago

Jan 15, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Grayson Murray produced a moment of brilliance to win the Sony Open in a playoff.

1. Murray wins Sony playoff

AP report…”Grayson Murray is a PGA Tour winner again and feels better than ever about his future. The gold trophy he won Sunday at the Sony Open with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff is only a small reason for that.”

“Murray has been sober for eight months, tired of alcohol fueling his arrogance in public and making him feel like a failure for wasting talent in his private moments.”

“He feels renewed through Christianity and is getting married in April to a woman who became a big part of a small support group.”

“No, winning didn’t change his life. But it sure provided a big boost to his career.”

“My story is not finished. I think it’s just beginning,” Murray said. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”

Full piece.

2. McIlroy falters, Fleetwood takes title in Dubai

AP report…”Tommy Fleetwood benefited from two huge errors on the back nine from Rory McIlroy and produced his own strong finish to win the Dubai Invitational following a back-and-forth final-round duel Sunday.”

“McIlroy had already three-putted from 2 feet at No. 14 by the time he reached the 18th tee with a 1-shot lead over Fleetwood and pulled his drive into the water.”

“Fleetwood followed that by driving into the middle of the fairway and sent his approach to 16 feet, well inside McIlroy after the world No. 2 had to take a drop.”

“McIlroy missed his winding putt up the hill, and Fleetwood made his own to shoot 67 for 19-under 265 overall, securing a first win since the Nedbank Golf Challenge in November 2022.”

Full piece.

3. Michael Jordan course pro finishes 72 strokes off lead in Dubai

Adam Woodard for Golfweek…”Unless you were diligently watching the DP World Tour’s 2024 opener or you’ve played Michael Jordan’s exclusive golf club, Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, chances are you’ve never heard of Ken Weyand.”

“Weyand is listed online as the President/GM/Director of Golf for Grove XXIII and has served in that position since November 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile. This week he played in the 2024 Dubai Invitational – a 60-player, no-cut event – as a sponsor invite and made quite the name for himself. The 54-year-old club pro faired about as well as one can expect against a field of professionals and shot rounds of 87-82-82-86 to finish in dead last at 53 over, a whopping 72 strokes behind winner Tommy Fleetwood. Sweden’s Jens Dantorp finished 59th at 14 over, 39 shots clear of Weyand in last. He made just two birdies all week.”

Full piece.

4. Grayson Murray’s curious trophy-related injury on Korn Ferry Tour

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Winning the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in Nashville was a weight off Grayson Murray’s back, as it clinched his ticket back to the PGA Tour…”

“During his post-round press conference at the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he’s the 54-hole co-leader after shooting 6-under 64 on Saturday, he noted, “I had a little back issue there for about a month or so that I didn’t touch a club.”

“That begged the question: how exactly did he injure his back?”

“I actually got hurt holding the trophy,” he later said. “I have a herniated bulging disc. It’s fine, I got two shots, and it helped, just taking Aleve now. It’s something to monitor.”

Full piece.

5. Meet Matthew Pavon, who contended at Sony

Kevin Prise for PGATour.com…”Matthieu Pavon has a tattoo on his right hand inscribed, “The saliva that flows now will become the tears of joy tomorrow.” It’s a reminder to work hard, and it’s also a metaphor for his career.”

“Pavon, 31, turned pro in 2013 and progressed through the Alps Tour and Challenge Tour before earning dual membership on the PGA TOUR via last year’s DP World Tour. It hasn’t been an easy road for the Frenchman who was never hailed as a star at any level. But Pavon, the son of a longtime professional soccer player, has persevered.”

Full Piece.

6. Murray’s ex-caddie…

7. Murray’s Winning WITB

Presented by 2nd Swing.

Driver: Mizuno ST-X 230 (10.5 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X White 7F5

3-wood: Callaway Rogue ST Max (16.5 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X Black 7F5

7-wood: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (20 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X 8F5

Irons: Mizuno Pro 225 (4), Mizuno Pro 221 (5-PW)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue

Wedges: Mizuno T24 (52, 56, 60)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: L.A.B. Golf Link.1

Shaft: Kinetix Tuned Zero TRQ

Grip: Garsen Quad Tour

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Full WITB.

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)