News

GolfWRX Morning 9: The U.S. Ryder Cup Team “still doesn’t get it” | Praising Patrick Reed

Published

8 years ago

Oct 2, 2018

Ben Alberstadt

1. Why the U.S. can’t win a Ryder Cup on the road…maybe

Our Gianni Magliocco places the blame on…insularity

“As far as myths go, the rumors that have circulated across Europe throughout the years over what percentage of United States citizens hold passports is a pretty good one. The number that broadcast was always so far under the actual reality, and it is now common knowledge that more Americans hold passports today than at any other time in their history. Still, the myth was evidence of how the rest of the world saw the United States as living inside its little bubble. While the insistence on declaring the winners of the Super Bowl and World Series as World Champions, despite both competitions only possessing sides from the United States, is another detail that supports the rest of the world’s view that the United States is an inward-looking country.’

“How does this insular culture pertain to this year’s failure at the Ryder Cup?…Well, earlier this year, The French Open was held at Le Golf National. A perfect opportunity for Team USA’s 12 members to play the course in tournament conditions, an experience that would undoubtedly have helped them when they arrived to do battle against Europe in September. How many of the 12 players turned up? One. Just one solitary member decided it was worth the effort to get on a plane, travel across the Atlantic ocean and spend a week in Paris getting accustomed to Le Golf National in championship conditions. That man was Justin Thomas, and funnily enough, he was the USA’s best performer over the three days of action in Paris, collecting four points for his country.’

Full piece.

2. They still don’t get it

The takes are hot on the the other side of the pond! Steve Scott at the Courier says the U.S. Ryder Cuppers continue to fail to understand what it means to be a team.

“The difference is that the Europeans get the team dynamic, and the USA clearly still don’t. Tiger Woods returned to the team last week to record an 0-4 record, looking as unengaged and uncomfortable in the Ryder Cup as he ever has.”

“Woods can’t even bring himself to wear the team uniform – I don’t blame him entirely for this as the US team clothier dresses them in the wost possible combinations of the world’s most successful colour scheme, red, white and blue.”

“But Woods wore his waterproof trousers over his team uniform on both Saturday and Sunday when the temperature was edging towards 20 degrees. It’s a small thing but indicative that he is tolerated as a special case and isn’t a real team player.”

“It’s not just the team. The US media encouraged the old hubristic attitude over the last two years that the Hazeltine win and the so-called TASKFORCE! was ushering in period of domination.”

Full piece/rant..

3. DJ & BK dustup?

While details are lacking, multiple reports suggest best bros Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka nearly came to blows in the Ryder Cup team room.

Golf Channel report...”The source of the friction was not known, and the dust-up was considered unusual because Johnson and Koepka appear to have a very close relationship. They often work out together at trainer Joey Diovisalvi’s Joey D Golf Performance Center in Jupiter, Fla.”

“Johnson and Koepka partnered in the Saturday afternoon foursomes, when they lost to Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.”

“Johnson’s fiancee, Paulina Gretzky, was reported to have been close by when the alleged incident happened. One of the European players’ wives also was a witness, according to The Telegraph, which also said that “an insider” reported that she was “clearly shocked and upset by the nastiness, which was very threatening.”

4. A defense of Patrick Reed

Rather than being muzzled, Golf Digest’s Joel Beall argues we need more Patrick Reed.

“…He seems to embody all the qualities associated with a nemesis. He has now called out Jordan Spieth, one of the most popular players in the sport, on multiple occasions this year. (It’s worth noting here, regarding Spieth’s “ego,” that Jordan was the only American player to watch Bryson DeChambeau in the final singles match after the Ryder Cup had been decided.) That the two have a backstory of a successful partnership is something out of a comic book.”

“Reed’s also living up to his “top-five player” proclamation, winning golf’s most prestigious tournament yes but also placing second at the 2017 PGA Championship and nearly winning this year’s U.S. Open. He is only 28, with his advanced stats pointing to further improvement in the years to come. Those hoping Reed would shut up and go away will not get their wish for quite some time.”

“You could argue, does golf need a villain? Well, the despised likes of the New England Patriots and New York Yankees have made for richer, fuller narratives in their sport. Same goes for athletes like boxer Floyd Mayweather and tennis player Lleyton Hewitt in individual games. “The more successful the villain,” Alfred Hitchcock once said, “the more successful the picture.”

Full piece.

5. Big bucks for Pelley?

Geoff Shackelford writes…”It has emerged on the eve of the Ryder Cup that European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley earned an extraordinary financial package of £2.78million last year.”

“Pelley’s pay is far in excess of that earned by the previous CEO of the European Tour, George O’Grady, who was on £610,717 when Canadian businessman Pelley succeeded him in 2015.”

“Sale is pretty tough in his assessment of no new “bumper” sponsors, yet Pelley’s biggest achievement is the current Rolex series of lucrative events. There have been buzz-creating new formats and strong use of social media to market players and events to his team’s credit as well.”

“Not so hot has been an attempted website reboot, the at times blatant milking of the Ryder Cup for revenue and an inability to strengthen ties with the PGA Tour, leading to several more young player defections to the PGA Tour. “

6. An argument for POY?

Well the PGA Tour Player of the Year trophy is widely assumed to already have Brooks Koepka’s name engraved upon it, Lance Ringler at Golfweek writes Sagarin scores make a strong case for Justin Rose.

“And Koepka doesn’t even have the best head-to-head record among the group of seven names previously mentioned. According to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, Rose is 49-26 against the other six this season. Koepka is fourth in terms of winning percentage.”

Of course, all of this gets at the heart of the POY race. Do we reward consistent high-level play or peak achievements?

7. Spectator hit by Koepka’s ball loses sight

…exploded eyeball. Two words that when joined together create an impossibly gruesome image. Unfortunately, that’s the diagnosis for the woman Brooks Koepka hit with a tee shot at the Ryder Cup. Reportedly, she has lost site in the eye and is considering legal action.

BBC report…”Mrs Remande also criticised the Paris tournament organisers for “not making contact” after the incident to find out how she was. She also claims there was “no warning shout from the course official when the ball was heading towards the crowd”.

“A Ryder Cup spokesperson told the BBC: “It is distressing to hear that someone might suffer long-term consequences from a ball strike….”We have been in communication with the family involved, starting with the immediate on-course treatment and thereafter to provide support, helping with the logistics of repatriation, including providing a transfer for the family from Paris to Lyon. We will continue to offer support for as long as necessary.”

Awful stuff.

8. Garcia saved a bullet for Faldo

Happily, for the Europeans, Garcia contributed more than just backslapping and banter at Le Golf National: he won three points in four matches, taking down Rickie Fowler 2 & 1 in their Sunday singles match.

In doing so, Garcia became the European side’s top point getter. When asked about the accomplishment, the Spaniard couldn’t help but take a shot at the man he passed on the list.

“This means a lot to me,” Garcia said. “I have passed some of my heroes today-and Nick Faldo.”

Burn! Faldo, of course, captain of the 2008 European team, famously said Garcia had been “useless” in the competition at Valhalla in which he went 0-2-2.

9. Numbers of note

Sean Martin of PGATour.com with a few morsels…

Rose’s rise…”He finished in the top 10 in 61 percent of his starts this season, the highest percentage this season (Dustin Johnson was the only other player to finish in the top 10 in more than half his starts)….Rose did it with a well-rounded game. He was the only player to finish in the top 30 in all four Strokes Gained statistics: Off-the-Tee (14th), Approach-the-Green (29), Around-the-Green (7) and Putting (17). He rose more than 100 spots in the Strokes Gained: Putting standings since last season, one of the biggest single-season gains in the history of that metric.”

Molinari’s too…”Molinari, 35, has gained nearly 20 yards in the past three years, including a nine-yard gain since last season. He did it by hitting the gym – “I was more of a couch guy,” he said – and tweaking his swing and equipment. Molinari also is hitting his irons about 8 yards farther….How important is an extra 20 yards off the tee? Mark Broadie, the inventor of the Strokes Gained: Statistics, said it can decrease a player’s score by three strokes per tournament.”

More here.

News

WITB Time Machine: Phil Mickelson’s winning WITB, 2021 PGA Championship

Published

23 hours ago

May 13, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Phil Mickelson made history at the 2021 PGA Championship on Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. At 50, he became the oldest player to win a major, breaking Julius Boros’s record. Starting the final round with a slim lead, Lefty faced tough competition from Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen. He pulled ahead with key birdies and a standout 366-yard drive on the 16th hole. Finishing 6 under par and two shots ahead, Mickelson claimed his sixth major and second PGA Championship. Many saw his win as an inspiring comeback, showing that experience and determination can still lead to victory in professional golf — and, sometimes, age is just a number.

Driver: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (6 degrees @5.5 , green dot cog)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (47.9 inches)

2-wood: TaylorMade “Original One” Mini Driver (11.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

4-wood (Sunday only): Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (16) (Thursday-Saturday), Callaway X21 UT Proto (19 degrees @20.5, 25), Callaway Apex MB ‘21 (small groove) (6-PW)
Shafts: (16) MCA MMT 105 TX, KBS Tour V 125 S+

Wedges: Callaway PM Grind ’19 “Raw” (52-12@50, 55-12, 60-10)
Shafts: KBS Tour V 125 S+

Putter: Odyssey Milled Blade “Phil Mickelson”
Grip: SuperStroke Pistol GT Tour

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X (Triple Track)

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

More photos of Phil Mickelson’s WITB here.

News

2026 PGA Championship betting odds

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Scottie Scheffler leads the betting ahead of the second major championship of the year, with the World Number One a +345 favorite to get his hands on a second PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy who won the Masters back in April is a +800 shot to complete half of the calendar slam at Aronimink Golf Club this week, while Jordan Spieth can be backed at +5900 to become a career grand slam winner.

Here is the full betting board for the 2026 PGA Championship courtesy of DraftKings.

Scottie Scheffler +345 – (Check 0ut his WITB here)

Rory McIlroy +800 – (Check out his WITB here)

Jon Rahm +1300
Cameron Young +1500
Bryson DeChambeau +1700
Xander Schauffele +1850
Matt Fitzpatrick +1950
Ludvig Aberg +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2600
Collin Morikawa +3500
Brooks Koepka +3900
Justin Rose +4300
Russell Henley +4600
Si Woo Kim +4700
Justin Thomas +4800
Robert MacIntyre +5300
Patrick Cantlay +5300
Viktor Hovland +5400
Tyrrell Hatton +5500
Jordan Spieth +5900
Sam Burns +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6200
Adam Scott +6400
Rickie Fowler +7000
Chris Gotterup +7400
Patrick Reed +7400
Min Woo Lee +7800
Ben Griffin +8000
Sepp Straka +8400
Shane Lowry +9000
Akshay Bhatia +9200
Maverick McNealy +9200
Joaquin Niemann +9200
Jake Knapp +9200
Jason Day +9600
Kurt Kitayama +10000
J.J. Spaun +10000
Harris English +10500
Nicolai Hojgaard +11000
Gary Woodland +11000
David Puig +11000
Michael Thorbjornsen +12000
Jacob Bridgeman +12000
Keegan Bradley +12500
Corey Conners +14000
Alex Fitzpatrick +15000
Sungjae Im +15500
Sahith Theegala +15500
Harry Hall +15500
Alex Noren +16000
Thomas Detry +16500
Marco Penge +16500
Kristoffer Reitan +17000
Alex Smalley +17000
Wyndham Clark +17500
Sam Stevens +17500
Keith Mitchell +17500
Daniel Berger +18500
Ryan Gerard +20000
Nick Taylor +20000
Rasmus Hojgaard +21000
Dustin Johnson +21000
Pierceson Coody +23000
Aaron Rai +24000
Jordan Smith +24000
Angel Ayora +24000
Bud Cauley +25000
Matt McCarty +26000
Jayden Schaper +26000
Brian Harman +27000
Taylor Pendrith +27000
Ryan Fox +27000
J.T. Poston +27000
Cameron Smith +29000
Ryo Hisatsune +29000
Michael Kim +29000
Max Homa +29000
Denny McCarthy +29000
Tom McKibbin +30000
Rico Hoey +32000
Matt Wallace +32500
Ricky Castillo +33000
Haotong Li +33000
Michael Brennan +34000
Max Greyserman +36000
Stephan Jaeger +37500
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +37500
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +39000
Aldrich Potgieter +40000
Andrew Novak +42000
Patrick Rodgers +42500
Daniel Hillier +42500
Max McGreevy +46000
Billy Horschel +48000
Chris Kirk +48000
Ian Holt +49000
Casey Jarvis +49000
William Mouw +50000
Steven Fisk +50000
John Parry +50000
Nico Echavarria +52500
Garrick Higgo +52500
John Keefer+55000
Matthias Schmid +57500
Austin Smotherman +57500
Sami Valimaki +60000
Andrew Putnam +60000
Lucas Glover +62500
Daniel Brown +62500
Jhonattan Vegas +75000
Emiliano Grillo +80000
Mikael Lindberg +85000
Adrien Saddier +100000
Bernd Wiesberger +100000
Elvis Smylie +110000
Stewart Cink +130000
Kota Kaneko +130000
David Lipsky +150000
Chandler Blanchet +150000
Andy Sullivan +150000
Joe Highsmith +180000
Adam Schenk +200000
Travis Smyth +200000
Davis Riley +225000
Martin Kaymer +400000
Brian Campbell +400000
Padraig Harrington +450000
Kazuki Higa +450000
Jordan Gumberg +450000
Ryan Vermeer +500000
Austin Hurt +500000
Tyler Collet +500000
Timothy Wiseman +500000
Shaun Micheel +500000
Y.E. Yang +500000
Michael Block+500000
Mark Geddes+500000
Luke Donald+500000
Bryce Fisher+500000
Jimmy Walker +500000
Jason Dufner +500000
Jesse Droemer +500000
Jared Jones +500000
Garrett Sapp +500000
Francisco Bide +500000
Zach Haynes +500000
Paul McClure+500000
Derek Berg +500000
Chris Gabriele +500000
Braden Shattuck +500000
Ben Polland +500000
Ben Kern +50000

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

3 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.