News

Tour Rundown: Hideki moves from bronze to gold | Coughlin can’t be stopped

Published

1 year ago

Aug 19, 2024

Across the USA, fantasy football drafts take place, while school supplies adorn shelves and leaves begin to turn color. It’s not fall for at least a month, but the winds have shifted and summer is nearly behind us. The Women’s Open will take place this week at The Old Course, and it will signal the true end of the summer professional golf season. 2024 has been a year of wondrous competition, from the majors to the ultra-major (the Olympic games) to the playoffs. It’s FedEx Cup time, to be followed by the CME and the Race to Dubai. Before she departs for good, let’s enjoy another week of Tour Rundown, and all the magnificent shots that were played.

PGA Tour Playoffs @ FedEx St. Jude: Hideki moves from bronze to gold

Last month, Hideki Matsuyama led, then lost, then reclaimed a medal at the Paris Olympics. Matsuyama closed elegantly, to claim a spot on the Olympic podium, bronze medal around his neck. His return to the USA for the beginning of the FedEx Cup run began with a stumble, but ended with more greatness.

While awaiting a connecting flight in London, Matsuyama, his caddie, and coach, were robbed of a number of belongings. The caddie and coach lost their passports, and were compelled to return to Japan to secure new documentation. Matsuyama continued on to Memphis, securing the services of Taiga Tabuchi, the usual caddy for Ryo Hisatsune. The duo worked efficiently throughout the week, moving to the top of the board with an opening 65. A 64 on day two gave Hideki the solo lead, and he preserved it on Saturday with another 64.

Matsuyama played solid golf over the majority of the TPC Southwinds course, even as Xander Schauffele chased him down. Schauffele, still sore after losing a spot on the Paris podium, posted the low round of the week (63) on Sunday to reach 15-under par. At the 12th, Matsuyama found water and made his first bogey since Saturday’s second hole. He dunked his tee shot on the ensuing par three, but got up and down from 35 yards away for a bogey that felt like birdie. He wasn’t finished. Yet another wayward drive at 15, followed by an errant approach shot, brought a double bogey to his card. A once-safe lead was gone, a casual stroll home had disappeared, and Matsuyama was in a battle to the end.

Despite a par at the reachable, par-five 16th, Matsuyama yet to steady himself. A creative approach from the left rough left 25 feet for birdie on 17, and the putter did not disappoint. Par at the last would secure victory, the great champion found fairway, then green, then birdie for a two-shot win over Schauffele. Tied for second was Norway’s Viktor Hovland, whose season-long struggles may finally be at an end.

Matsuyama mic drop. pic.twitter.com/c5Buv17xto

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 18, 2024

DP World Tour @ Czech Masters: Ravetto collects first tour title

Although they say that it’s how you finish that matters, you must do something along the way to have that chance at the end. David Ravetto of Paris opened his stay in Prague with rounds of 68 and 63. The latter tied the course record, and brought him to the top spot, one ahead of Sweden’s Jesper Svensson. Svensson reclaimed the advantage on Saturday, but Ravetto was brilliant once more on Sunday.

Thanks to six birdies, Ravetto turned for home in 30, once more in the lead. A bogey at 12 slowed his train, but birdies at three of the next four greens regained the momentum. Svensson was within one of the lead when the pair reached the par-five 16th. Ravetto made the last of his day-four birdies, while Svensson lost course with a double-bogey seven. The Swede was able to preserve solo second with a pair of pars, but it was Ravetto who earned a first-ever triumph on the DP World Tour.

Top class bunker shot from Ravetto to hold onto his one-shot lead ?#CzechMasters pic.twitter.com/YT2bCKKqrc

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 18, 2024

LPGA @ Scottish Open: Coughlin can’t be stopped

It was early July, just prior to the Paris Olympics, and Lauren Coughlin was a winless grinder on the LPGA circuit. Move ahead five weeks, and the American is the champion of not one, but two countries. Coughlin secured her first LPGA win at the Canadian Open last month, then traveled overseas to the Dundonald Links in Scotland. There, she posted four rounds in the 60s, the only one in the field to achieve such notoriety. Those four rounds were enough to develop a four-shot margin of victory over Germany’s Esther Henseleit.

Couglin made a pair of bogeys on day one, then did not slip again until the beginning of round four. Despite bogey at the second and fourth holes on Sunday, Coughlin found five birdies the rest of the way, including a decisive one at the home hole. Henseleit, who gained attention with a come-from-way-behind, Silver medal in Paris, rode a third-round 66 to a two-shot advantage for second spot.

Bunkers are a beast in Scotland but they’re not stopping @LCisHOOSgolfin from getting the up and down ? pic.twitter.com/nqopZK0OA1

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 18, 2024

Korn Ferry Tour @ Magnit: McGreevy masters Metedeconck

The low total in New Jersey this week was 18-under par. That figure belonged to Max McGreevy. Next came four golfers at -15, followed by another three at -14. A three-shot margin of victory might seem like a safe space, but it isn’t. McGreevy did nothing spectacular on Sunday, but neither did he do anything dangerous. He posted three birdies and fifteen pars, and let the field do its best to catch him.

Among those at -15, Tim Widing had the best chance. The two-time winner this season had five birdies and an eagle on the day, but he also fell into a few holes along the way. Two bogies and a double bogey ensured that a third tour title would not come his way this week. Will Chandler was the 54-hole leader, but four bogies from the sixth to the 13th took him too far back to make victory a reality. The Korn Ferry Tour moves on to the Boise Open this week, the longest-running event in tour history.

Max McGreevy with an early birdie in the final round to maintain the lead ?@maxmcgreevy looks for his second win in the 2024 season @MagnitChamp. pic.twitter.com/jTPXV3zOPU

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) August 18, 2024

PGA Tour Champions @ Rogers Charity: Tanigawa returns to podium

Ken Tanigawa kinda sorta burst onto the PGA Tour Champions scene, back in 2018. He won the PURE Insurance, then followed it with a major, at the 2019 Senior PGA at Oak Hill. 123 tournaments followed for the two-time winner, with nary a victory among them. No one, especially Tanigawa, thought that it would take five years of competition for a third triumph to come his way.

This week in Calgary, Tanigawa found that elusive triumph. He moved into contention on Saturday, thanks to an electrifying 61. Seven birdies plus one ace propelled him into Sunday’s penultimate group. Tanigawa chased down Richard Green, the overnight leader, with a masterful 64. Over the final five holes, Tanigawa found a pair of birdies, while Green tripped over two bogies, for a four-shot swing. Green held on to second position, two behind the winner, and one ahead of Darren Clarke and Jason Caron.

Clutch birdie on 17 to take the lead!
@KenTanigawa leads by one searching for his first win in five years @RogersClassic. pic.twitter.com/KUai5JLz8c

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) August 18, 2024

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)