News
SMU banned from NCAA postseason, DeChambeau can’t defend title
On Tuesday, the Southern Methodist University men’s golf team was deemed ineligible from NCAA postseason play in 2015-2016 due to recruiting violations and unethical conduct, according to a report from the Golf Channel.
Josh Gregory, who served four years as the SMU Mustangs head golf coach, was found to have:
- Committed multiple recruiting infractions with 64 impermissible contacts with 10 prospects and seven parents of prospects over a 10-month period.
- Offered players merchandise and golf equipment at a “significantly reduced price.”
- Was aware of a university booster contacting nine recruits and “facilitated contact” between Gregory and players’ families
Due to the infractions, the Mustangs golf team, who are now coached by Jason Enloe, are banned from NCAA postseason play in 2015-2016 and will lose 25 percent of its recruiting scholarships for the next three years — the team receives 4.5 scholarships before reductions.
The postseason punishments will keep senior Bryson DeChambeau, who became only the fifth player ever to win the NCAA Men’s Individual Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship in the same year last month, from defending his NCAA title.
Related: Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2015
Gregory, the former SMU golf coach, who also coached the 2012 U.S. Palmer Cup team, did not deny the allegations, but disagreed with the punishment.
“I’ve admitted my mistake since Day One, but I’ve never hidden from it,” GREGORY TOLD GOLFCHANNEL.COM. “I know I made a mistake, but I don’t understand [the punishment]. It doesn’t fit the crime.”
According to the NCAA, the SMU Mustangs Men’s basketball coach Larry Brown also committed multiple infractions including academic fraud and unethical conduct, and will be suspended for 30 percent of the team’s games.
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
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
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
mb
Oct 5, 2015 at 12:00 am
not in the field for SMU this week….most likely turning pro id guess
Keith
Sep 30, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Given SMU’s track record and the huberous of the typical SMU booster…this does not surprise me.
This is the social elite of Dallas/Texas that think they are above the rules. It’s unfortunate for the athletes and sets a terrible precedent for their future and the perspective they will have when faced with similar challenges/opportunities in their life.
E
Sep 30, 2015 at 9:31 pm
Al Texans believe they are above it. Look at the Bush family. They got away with everything
MW
Oct 14, 2015 at 9:25 pm
You’re an idiot.
RG
Oct 25, 2015 at 5:20 am
And your really bright…or not.
Ron
Sep 30, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Once again the athletes are the ones penalized! That’s just wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
brian d
Sep 30, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Its sad, because its never really the people involved who get punished, its the kids who play there and those who had nothing to do with the situation
Jim H
Sep 30, 2015 at 12:23 pm
Looks like Obama’s tyrannical ideology is trickling down to the ncaa.
Desmond
Sep 30, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Seriously?
The NCAA has tyrannized for longer than Obama has lived. Let’s leave politics out of this.
RJ
Sep 30, 2015 at 6:51 pm
WOW…. Can we stop wasting my eye usage with FOOLISH writings! Leave politics to F*X News
DolphLundgrenade
Sep 30, 2015 at 12:11 pm
Everyone who knows about the NCAA knows they are an awful organization for the way they earn huge dollars off of students (if you don’t know, read more), but then they back it up with ridiculous penalties like this…. As if Dechambeau is a professional athlete on a professional sports team.
I don’t know anything about SMU or its problems beyond this (and I can’t say this surprises me, as there are a lot of colleges doing exactly this as we speak; ever wonder why ANYONE would rather live in Alabama to play golf than on a beach in California? No 18 year old recruit would make that pick unless X number of other things are promised) but I do know that this school should continue to face its penalties, but its students should be considered in all of this- Let players that are there play. If they are cheaters or ethically challenged, they will get their comeuppance soon enough- or work on Wall Street or politics and be rich. Life is fun huh!
TE
Sep 30, 2015 at 11:53 am
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/appeals-panel-upholds-ncaa-anti-trust-ruling–disagrees-with-deferred-payments-153721335.html
Deacon Blues
Sep 30, 2015 at 11:37 am
It’s the same story over and over again. . .
It seems like all of the collegiate coaches have no problem providing their athletes the newest and finest equipment, but for some baffling reason they always seem to have to compromise when it comes to exposing their prized athletes to old, washed-out athletic supporters!
It’s just nuts!
There must be some plan of action these geniuses at all of these fine institutions of higher education could come up with to prevent exposure to these unfortunate side-effects of collegiate sports.
Maybe building a special clubhouse to keep them all in – or something like that. . .
Desmond
Sep 30, 2015 at 9:15 am
It is more severe than needed.
The former coach, whom SMU had resign under pressure, a year ago, can’t coach at an NCAA School for 4 years.
The booster is disenfranchised from the program.
The guilty individuals were punished severely.
Why punish the kids and essentially kill the program of another coach?
Yes, SMU had institutional issues … over 30 years ago! And most of those involved are dead or not on the board. Punishing SMU because it is SMU is ludicrous with a 30 year span for severe violations.
I do not like the NCAA .. they make millions off the blood and shortened careers of athletes to whom they give nothing. Someone should investigate the NCAA and cut out their institutional heart, and replace it.
Robert
Sep 30, 2015 at 11:19 am
Completely agree. The NCAA has such incredibly hypocritical and unrealistic standards.
alexdub
Sep 30, 2015 at 11:26 am
Well said. I think we will see some institutional reforms with the NCAA in the coming years. Certainly, the NCAA fulfills a needed role, but they have now become the embodiment of institutional cronyism the organization originally sought to suppress.
TE
Sep 30, 2015 at 11:53 am
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bad-horseplay–smu-s-time-as-part-of-ncaa-should-be-over-195905029.html
Desmond
Sep 30, 2015 at 12:37 pm
Shock Jock Comments…
Doesn’t pertain to the golf team;
As to Larry Brown and Roundball, Larry leaves a trail of penalties. He is 75 yr old — did you expect him to follow every rule and play .500 basketball?
I think not — SMU hoped with age that Brown could play legal – and he lied – and then “clarified” his answers to NCAA. You’ve got to ask if the juice is worth the squeeze – for BBall, yes.
JF
Sep 30, 2015 at 4:21 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I love it. Cheaters
jakeanderson
Sep 30, 2015 at 2:54 am
this is well deserved. some people would say that god’s will was at work, and I, am one of them. i have never heard of a catholic college committing such fallacies.
Mike
Sep 30, 2015 at 8:14 am
no the priests do “other” things considered a little worse in the catholic church schools
shimmy
Sep 30, 2015 at 9:58 am
They committed a fallacy? What?
What evidence do you have that this supposed god of yours favors catholics and hates methodists?
Desmond
Sep 30, 2015 at 1:21 pm
Let’s leave God out of this one… it appears the NCAA god is money.
BB
Sep 30, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Yeah let them bugger little boys instead like you know you enjoy doing, with God on your side watching over you while you do it
shimmy
Sep 29, 2015 at 9:46 pm
Good. They deserved it.
Jay
Sep 30, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Seems to me the coach who committed the actions is the one who deserved it??
Christestrogen
Sep 29, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Jeffrey….it was/is called the “death penalty”…
I’m a Texan and remember it well….mainly it was a witch hunt by liberal talking heads to tie then governor bill Clements to impropriety….dale Hansen in particular wanted to catch Clements…
It was ridiculous….and I’m an austinite and have zero affinity for smu
Brodie Hock
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:43 pm
Merchandise at a “significantly discounted price”….if that’s against the rules than I would say a ton of colleges are guilty!
Joe
Sep 29, 2015 at 7:07 pm
There were more NCAA rules infraction than just equipment. The coach and recruiting staff are at fault, I hope some people were fired.
Keith
Sep 30, 2015 at 6:49 pm
The real fault lies on the boosters…they are the root of a lot of these infractions
Joel
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:45 pm
He’s right! The punishment doesn’t fit the crime. Its the players who are paying the price.
JF
Sep 30, 2015 at 4:21 am
Duh
JF
Sep 30, 2015 at 4:26 am
Of course it fits the crime.
If this is not the correct sentence, then they should strip the college and its players of all the awards from the years that these infractions had taken place, and the kids should not be allowed to graduate and should have to go back, if they have already graduated. The sponsor moneys and items should all have to be returned, and no further free goods should be given to this college.
Would you be willing to give out that sort of proper punishment? I would. But the sporting world is very forgiving in the USA because there’s too much money involved.
Desmond
Sep 30, 2015 at 9:17 am
It’s Donald Trump!
help us all.
Joe
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:44 pm
He admitted that he made a mistake! You have to be kidding, it was willful disregard of NCAA rules. Too bad that it has effected DeChambeau from defending his title.
This may hasten DeChambeau to turn pro.
Gary
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Will he be able to compete in the three majors he qualified for with the win at the US AM then?
Joe
Sep 29, 2015 at 7:05 pm
It should not effect his eligibility for the Majors.