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Morning 9: Reed’s Masters menu | An impressive Tour record could be broken soon

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7 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt (ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com)

January 3, 2019

Good Thursday morning, golf fans.
1. TaylorMade M5, M6 launch
In a market where distance seems to dominate the conversation, TaylorMade has always been at or very near the top year in and year out. It’s no secret that some of the most popular offerings from the past 10-15 years have come straight out of the Top Secret “Kingdom.”
  • 2019 will be another year that TaylorMade Golf sits right near the top of that mountain, with its most aggressive push in regards to tech advancement since the SLDR in 2013.
  • Marketed as “taking speed to the limit,” TaylorMade’s next generation of the M family of drivers, the M5 and M6, feature a Speed Injected Twist Face, building on the Twist Face technology the company debuted with the M3 and M4 drivers last year. The M5 and M6 club faces are designed to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit.
  • In simple terms, speed injected face technology is where they take all of the heads they produce, push them all past the USGA limit in regards to COR and work backwards to ensure they fall within the parameters – the algorithm-driven process of resin injection into the clubs via the two ports on the face brings the figure just inside the acceptable range.
2. Patrick Reed’s Champions Dinner menu
The 2018 champ revealed what he’ll serve.
  • Dan Kilbridge at Golfweek...”The highlights: Bone-in ribeye, mac and cheese, creamed corn, creamed spinach.”
  • “Reed also said he’ll have some grilled chicken and healthier options just in case.”
  • “I’ll go caesar salad, but then I was going to make multiple options, because some guys might not like steak,” Reed said. “So there will be grilled chicken, there will probably be some kind of seafood as well. I want to please everyone there. It’s not just for me, it’s for all the past champions and everybody and I want everyone to have a great time.”
3. An impressive record you likely don’t know about
Ryan Armour: fairway-finding machine.
  • Alex Myers at Golf Digest…”Armour is coming off a solid fall in which he made the cut in all five of his starts and finished T-15 at the RSM Classic in his final tournament of 2018. But in addition to carrying over into 2019 the $269,911 he’s earned, the one-time PGA Tour winner will also start the new year on a crazy streak. The 42-year-old has hit 52 fairways in a row.”
  • “Yep, that’s 52 fairways in a row. Or, essentially four straight tournament rounds of not hitting a tee shot on a par 4 or par 5 in the rough. And nope, that’s NOT the PGA Tour record. That distinction belongs to Brian Claar, who hit 59 in a row in 1992, which happens to be the first year the tour began keeping consecutive fairways as an official stat. Yeah, we’re guessing you didn’t know that one.”
4. Still no regrets for CH3
Echoing his tone after ending his victory drought at the RSM Classic, Charles Howell III still wouldn’t change a thing.
  • Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard… “There were times when I wondered if I might not ever win again. Maybe I’ll have a really nice career and try to be super consistent and maybe winning just isn’t in the cards,” he said. “I don’t know that you’re ever OK with that, but it was tending to be a reality.”
  • “Although Howell has just three PGA Tour victories, he has finished runner-up 16 times and ranks 20th on the career earnings list ($37 million).”
  • “By comparison, John Daly won five times on Tour, including two major championships, yet ranks 177th in career earnings. When asked if he would trade careers with Daly, Howell’s answer was a testament to what has been an impressively consistent career.”
  • “I wouldn’t [trade careers with Daly]. As painful as that is to say, because he’s won majors. I am proud of the consistency I’ve had and the finishes I’ve had,” Howell said. “When I went to Oklahoma State I wanted to see how good I could be. But if you’d have said, ‘Charles you’re going to have a 20-year career on the PGA Tour,’ I would have signed up in a heartbeat for that.”
5. No flagstick for JT?
…not so fast.
Gotta love Thomas’ take on putting with the flag in.
“I mean personally I don’t think I can – I mean obviously whenever I’m like this and (caddie) Jimmy (Johnson) is, that’s one thing. But I mean if I have an 8-footer to win a golf tournament, I can’t – I mean no offense, I can’t really take myself seriously if I kept the pin in. I mean it just would be such a weird picture and like on TV me celebrating and like the pin is in and my ball’s like up against it. And so I don’t know, to me that’s one thing. But, yeah, I guess there’s some instances in tournaments where the pin is really the only thing that can stop it, that’s one thing. But if I have a putt, I’m trying to make that thing’s coming out.” (via Golfweek)
6. Welcome to the working world, Kyle Thompson!
Alex Myers at Golf Digest.…”In his third crack at the big leagues this past season, Thompson missed the cut in 20 of 22 starts while earning only $24,878. He decided the Wyndham Championship in August would be his final tournament if he didn’t qualify for the FedEx Playoffs, and he stuck to his word.”
  • “For some reason I haven’t had nearly the monetary success of some other guys,” the five-time Web.com Tour winner told the Greenville News the week of the Wyndham. “If you get one or two good years on the PGA Tour, it can set you up for years.
  • “Instead, after 17 years as a tour pro, the 39-year-old Thompson finally settled on his first “real job” to support his family for the foreseeable future. And he was excited about embarking on his new insurance career to begin the new year”
7. It’s 2019, so…
…time for an updated look at 2019 Masters odds!
Golf Channel’s Will Gray...”The Westgate opened Masters betting as soon as Brooks Koepka captured the PGA Championship last August, meaning that bettors have had more than four months to stake some early claims. While Spieth started out alone as the 10/1 favorite, he’s now joined by Woods, who started at 12/1, and Rose, who opened at 16/1 but has since received some support.”
12/1: Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose
14/1: Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas
16/1: Rickie Fowler
18/1: Jon Rahm
25/1: Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau
30/1: Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama
40/1: Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson
50/1: Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Cameron Champ, Matt Kuchar, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay
60/1: Louis Oosthuizen, Thomas Pieters, Webb Simpson
80/1: Danny Willett, Alex Noren, Cameron Smith, Brandt Snedeker
100/1: Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, Joaquin Niemann, Kevin Kisner, Tyrrell Hatton, Charley Hoffman, Branden Grace, Billy Horschel, Matt Fitzpatrick, Gary Woodland, Aaron Wise
8. Casey to Honma?
Via GolfMagic/most likely a tweet from Golf.com’s Jonathan Wall that they spotted…”Casey, who has been a free agent in the iron market ever since Nike Golf’s departure from clubs and balls several years ago, was photographed with a Honma TW-U Forged utility iron in his hands during his practice round at Kapalua on Tuesday. “
“The Englishman signed a metalwoods-only deal with TaylorMade in 2017, but is a free agent when it comes to the rest of his bag.”
9. Koepka’s goals
Apparently, Brooks Koepka only accomplished a portion of what he set out to do in his two-major season.

Rex Hoggard writes…”Despite that success Koepka said he checked off about “half” his goals last season, pointing out that he missed a good portion of the spring with a wrist injury and he didn’t make every cut.”

  • “I like playing the weekends,” said Koepka, who missed his only cut at a non-team event at the RBC Canadian Open in July. “I wasn’t happy on that plane ride home. I can tell you that much.”
  • But hey... “In bed by 10 o’clock every night. I did good on that one. Every night,” he laughed before adding, “On the road. On the road.”

 

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Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Aug 4, 2025

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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.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

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.

 

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BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

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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)

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WITB

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