News

Five Things we Learned: Saturday at the Masters

Published

4 months ago

Apr 13, 2025

As Moving Day was unpacking, I was taking in a regional performance of Chess, the 1986 musical that has enjoyed a reassessment and revaloration in recent years. My initial thought for this third-round recap was to connect a musical number with each of the five things we learned. Unfortunately, songs like Pity The Child, Florence Quits, A Taste Of Pity, and Nobody’s Side don’t lend themselves to player movement at the Masters.

The third round was a chess match, make no mistake. Only one player among the top fourteen played the course over par, and he happened to be the 36-hole leader. That departure allowed others to leap to the fore, and the 54-hole leader is the fellow that the entire golf world aches for. Chasing him are his perhaps-nemesis, a major non-winner with a great Augusta track record, and a young lion. No better time than the present, to check out the five things we learned on Saturday at the Masters.

Sungjae Im’s eagle on No. 2 moves him into a tie for fifth. #themasters pic.twitter.com/CbEZO3lMMU

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025

Five: Eagles!

Rory McIlroy made bogey on the par-five eighth, and still found a way to play the par-five holes in four strokes under par. The Northern Irishman hit a bunch of mediocre shots on the way to making six on eight, failing to get his pitch shot close enough to save par. Six holes earlier, however, McIlroy had pitched in for eagle, from just over the second green.

McIlroy went over the 13th green in two as well, but pitched to three feet to make birdie. He saved his best for the last par-five hole. After a fairway-splitting bomb off the tee, Rors threw an iron high into the air, then watched it settle four feet from the hole. He buried the putt for his second eagle of the day, reaching minus-twelve.

Eagle on No. 15 launches Rory McIlroy into a four-shot lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/ri6fA5yO7O

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025

Four: Bryson just won’t go away

DeChambeau made birdie on Saturday’s first two holes, reaching minus-nine on the third tee. He gave three strokes back against one more birdie through the 14th green, returning to even par on the day. Imagine for a moment, that he had parred his way home. He would have been at minus-seven, five back of the leader, in the penultimate pairing on Sunday, and uncertain of his ability to win a second major event.

What did happen, however, was this: DeChambeau posted birdies at 15, 16, and 18, to reach minus-ten and a date with Rory on Sunday. Keep in mind that it was DeChambeau who made a miraculous par at the last in Pinehurst last June, effectively stealing the US Open from McIlroy. Will one of the two don the eponyomous green jacket on Sunday? Magic Eight Ball says Yes.

Solo second. #themasters https://t.co/56oqkxwpH8 pic.twitter.com/ICVoSZqVUP

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025

Three: The Rose that lost its petals

As much as fans want Rory to finish the job on Sunday, a great majority (statistics my own) certainly wanted to see Justin Rose score one for the forty-somethings. It wasn’t to be, however, as Rose poste 75 to effectively remove himself from contention for the title.

The Englishman was treading water through 15 holes. Unlike Bryson, he wasn’t able to make birdies coming home. Unlike Rory, he wasn’t able to make pars coming home. Rose signed for bogey at the 16th and the 18th, to drop to minus-five for the week. We’re not saying that he’s completely out of the running, but Rose needs 63 on Sunday to get back in the mix.

Two; Those guys who stayed in contention

Corey Conners is doing his level best to break through at Augusta. After three previous, top-ten finishes, the Ontario native is poised to make a Sunday run. A tenth-hole birdie brought him to eight-under par, and he closed with eight pars to stand four back through three rounds.

Ludvig Aberg is intent on improving on his runner-up finish in 2024. Aberg was three-under through 36 holes, then tripped over a bogey on the first green, to drop back to two-deep. Digging deep, the Belgian played the following 17 holes in four-under par, to earn a spot alongside Conners in the penultimate pairing. Should either of them have a chance on Sunday? Not if either Rory or Bryson gets the job done. Might they have a shot? Of course! It’s Augusta, the back nine, Amen Corner, and Sunday.

Corey Conners leaps into a tie for third. #themasters pic.twitter.com/qLfHXvchil

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025

One: Guys who are finished like a chair

Scottie will put the jacket on someone else’s shoulders this year. Sugar Shane won’t add a second major to his Royal Portrush Open title. Jason Day will get another major top-ten, but not another major title. Each of these fellows woke up on Saturday, jonesing for a mid-60s round that would thrust them into contention, and possibly, the lead. Instead, they got par.

Scheffler etched two birdies and two bogeys onto his 72 mix tape. Lowry had four of each, never finding a semblance of balance, as he shimmied his way to a 72 of his own. Day went one better, holding on over the closing holes for a one-under 71. Simply put, we wanted more and better from them, but we didn’t get it. Could each toss a 63 on Sunday? Absolutely. We have to hope for that.

A birdie on No. 2 to get his day started. Scottie Scheffler moves to six under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/AIISPYsnKc

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025

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)