News

Five Things We Learned: Saturday at the Open Championship

Published

1 month ago

Jul 19, 2025

Whose tournament is it, anyway? If you listen to certain commentators and pundits, they will tell you that it still feels like Rory McIlroy’s Open Championship. If you’ve watched, attended in person, or followed on the app, you might be of a different opinion. Scottie Scheffler owns a four-shot advantage after three rounds, thanks to a day of complete mastery of himself and the golf course. Some might suggest, reasonably so, that it is Scheffler’s Open Championship. Thanks to their performances, and the work of the grounds crew, the administration, and the other competitors, the 153rd playing of the Open Championship belongs to all of us. The one shame is that a single round remains, but if it is anything like the first three days, we have much to anticipate.

Three days of golf do not define a major champion. The entirety of each, grand slam event determines the eventual champion. The keeper of the Claret Jug might be one of the aforementioned duo, and it might also be Li or Fitzpatrick, Gotterup or Hatton. Three days of rain begin on Monday, but Sunday looks to be as benign as the first trio of orbits. Royal Portrush won’t depend on nature to determine its third Open champion. Instead, it will offer up the caroms and ricochets, the elasticity that define links golf. With that to savor, let’s look at five things that we learned on Saturday at the Open Championship.

1. Who else but Scheffler?

Scottie Scheffler began day three with a one-shot advantage over playing companion Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler played his finest round of the week, from tee to green. Through six holes, he had little to show for his work, or did he? No putts for birdie had fallen, and he found himself tied with Fitzpatrick at ten-under par, but Scheffler knew that they eventually would. On the par-five seventh, Scheffler found the green with his second shot, playing the bound to perfection. His ten-feet for eagle dropped, and Scheffler moved to 12-under par. He would add two birdies, at eight and sixteen, and finish off a third round in the 60s. Three other golfers also hold cards in the sixties from each round, but Scheffler is the only one who has lived in the mid-60s each day. While no name is yet inscribed in the Claret Jug, it’s difficult to look beyond Scheffler. With a victory, he would add a third major title to his career arc, and seek only the US Open to complete the career grand slam. First things first, and let’s begin to enjoy the final round, twenty hours before it commences.

2. Who else but Rory?

The Rory McIlroy that arrived at Royal Portrush in 2019, was a shadow of the man who made the weekend this year. 2019 Rory felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. A half decade had passed since his last major title, and the man that everyone thought he was chasing, had just won a fifth Masters. It was no surprise that McIlroy went away quietly that year, failing to qualify for the final 36 holes.

In 2025, McIlroy arrived at his homeland with a career grand slam draped around his shoulders, in pantone 342. His goal was much simpler this time around: make the weekend. Survive the cut. Keep the ball inbounds off the first tee. Having done all those things with comfort, Rory McIlroy was freed by expectation and allowed to celebrate on Saturday. This he did, to the tune of four birdies and an eagle, for a round of 66. McIlroy even caused the day’s most lighthearted moment, unintentional as it was.

McIlroy will accompany Matt Fitzpatrick over the final eighteen holes. Rory will need to make up six shots on the leader, and the odds do not favor him. Victory doesn’t really matter, though. Rory has already won the week, as he has won the year, and won his career. Sunday will be nothing more than a glorious, five-hour smilefest, hug-off, and fist bump. Who among us would not crave such a clebration?

3. Can Haotong do what none has done before?

No golfer from China has won a men’s major championship. Shanshan Feng and Ruoning Yin each capture a women’s PGA championship, but no men thus far. In 2017, Li placed third at the Open Championship, the best major finish thus far by a male golfer from his country. On Saturday at Portrush, Li avoided near-disaster on a few occasions, recorded four birdies against two bogeys, and signed for 69. He stands at ten-under par, and will escort Scheffler over the course of the tournament’s final round. Can he do what none has done before?

Haotong Li must overcome a four-shot deficit on Sunday. In truth, it should be more. The likelihood of Scheffler shooting over par is remote, meaning that Scheffler should post no worse than 69. Li would need 63 to force a playoff, and 62 to win outright. Along the way, Li will need an eagle or two, and will need to make zero mistakes. Li is a world-class competitor, capable of a glorious performance. Sunday, July 20th will need to offer such an opportunity to Li. Golf has a way of making those things happen.

4. If not for Scottie and Ted…

We might be talking about Matt Fitzpatrick, or Tyrrell Hatton, or Chris Gotterup, or Harris English. All are eight shots under par or better. Each has played marvelous golf, overcoming the impediments, challenges, and uncertainties of Harry Colt’s Dunluce course at Royal Portrush. It’s not quite as bad as calling them the “A Flight” in the club championship, but it’s not far off. Fitzpatrick has a major championship on his Wikipedia page. English has a runner-up at this year’s PGA, and two, top-five placements at the US Open. Hatton owns seven, top-ten plaements at majors, the best being t4 at the 2025 US Open. As for Gotterup, well, he won the Scottish Open last week, but has no finishes of note in major events.

Scheffler and Ted Scott make for a wonderful player-caddie partnership, as do Rory McIlroy and Harry Diamond. Caddie changes have been a constant this year, with high-profile players like Max Homa and Collin Morikawa looking for that Jerry Maguie magic that Scheffler and McIlroy have with their loopers.

It’s likely that one of the four golfers at eight- and nine-under par will play a terrific round on Sunday, and elevate to a runner-up placement. It could serve as a springboard to an eventual, major title, or it might be the hallmark of his career. No matter the outcome, as members of the ensemble, they will feature importantly in Sunday’s denouement.

5. What I think you think will happen

Even with Rory’s Masters triumph in April, the Open Championship has delivered the finest parliament of golfers in contention for a major title this year. Let’s begin with Captain America, Keegan Bradley. He’ll tee off at 12:10 with Christian Bezuidenhout. Bradley isn’t in contention for the Open title, but he is rumored to be considering himself as a selection for the USA Ryder Cup side that he captains. A solid finish should convince Keegan to call on Keegan to play in September.

The Hojgaard twins tee off at 1:40 and 1:50, respectively. We’re not sure which is which, but it doesn’t really matter. Nicolai and Rasmus are a step or two away from winning one of these big events. What each needs is a 65 on Sunday, to salve any battle scars a bit, and to set the stage for future triumph.

Xander Schauffele tees off at 2:00, in the fourth-from-last game of the day. His defense of his 2024 triumph has been notable and admirable. 2025 has not been the most successful of years for the Californiana, especially on the heels of his two-major year in 2024. He’ll not win a major this year, but he will compete for the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup in August and September. Those events will situate him well for the 2026 campaign.

My prediction offers very little imagination. Scottie Scheffler will post 67 on day four, finish at 18-under par, and win by five over Haotong Li. Li will fade a bit on the opening seven holes, but will rebound on the closing eleven, to finish solo second.

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)