News

Morning 9: Hatton tames Bay Hill, himself | Other winners | What’s wrong with Tiger? | Koepka struggles

Published

6 years ago

Mar 9, 2020

Ben Alberstadt

1. Hatton tames Bay Hill, himself

Early in the back nine Sunday, Tyrrell Hatton did not exactly look like a man with the composure to win a golf tournament amid trying conditions. The highly combustible Englishman kept his head, however, and earned himself a Palmer cardigan for his ability to steady the ship.

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”there were some testy moments for Hatton in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, including slamming his club, flipping the bird, and pointing his putter like a rifle and firing a pretend shot back in the general direction of a pond on the 11th hole where his ball found a watery grave.”

“He wasn’t the only one whose patience was tested as Bay Hill Club & Lodge turned into a windy U.S. Open-like struggle. Only four golfers managed to break par for 72 holes.”

“Yet leave it to Hatton to keep his cool down the stretch as others faltered to hang on to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke over Australian Marc Leishman. Juicy rough, greens as hard as cement and howling wind brought the field to its knees with Hatton the ultimate survivor, and winning his maiden PGA Tour title – and a three-year exemption – despite a 2-over 74 and a 72-hole total of 4-under 284.”

Full piece.

2. ICYMI: A sampling of his theatrics

Golfweek’s Julie Williams…”At the 11th hole on Sunday, Hatton felt the heat. The 28-year-old Englishman started the day with a two-shot lead and appeared to be in good shape after turning in even par. At the par-4 11th, however, Hatton hit his drive into water on the left side of the hole.”

“After taking a drop, Hatton hit it over the green on his approach and ended up walking away with a double-bogey. He left no doubts about his level of frustration in a colorful display of gestures not often seen on the PGA Tour.”

“Using his putter as a rifle, Hatton turned and fired a pretend shot back toward the pond that swallowed his drive. After that, he extended a middle finger behind him in the pond’s direction, too. There was one final, similarly obscene gesture as he walked off the green and toward the 12th tee.”

Better on video! See it here.

3. Meanwhile, in Qatar…

Reuters report…”Spaniard Jorge Campillo showcased a putting masterclass to beat Scotland’s David Drysdale in a two-way playoff on the fifth extra hole to win the Qatar Masters on Sunday.”

“Campillo looked on course for a two-stroke victory on the final day of the tournament but a wayward tee shot on the par-4 17th gave him a double bogey that meant he finished tied on 13-under overall.”

Full piece.

4. Big Easy!

Golf Digest’s John Strege…”Ernie Els is a World Golf Hall of Famer who was eager to rejoin his contemporaries on the PGA Tour Champions, though they might have preferred he continued competing against the younger generation.”

“In only his third start on the senior tour, Els won the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club on Sunday. In his senior debut in January, he tied for second in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship, losing in a playoff.”

Full piece.

5. Harig: What’s wrong with Tiger Woods?

ESPN’s Bob Harig on TW skipping The Players...”Perhaps some long-forgotten history is in play, and Woods has learned the lesson of past transgressions. TPC Sawgrass is no place to show up if you’re not ready to play, and given the fact that his back is giving him issues, it is difficult to envision Woods having practiced to the level necessary to be competitive.”

“Way back in 2011, Woods suffered knee and Achilles injuries during the final round of the Masters. The injury kept him out until the Players, which was then played in May. He showed up, looked terrible, shot 42 for nine holes and withdrew. And he wasn’t seen again until August, with a lackluster result at the Bridgestone Invitational followed by a missed cut at the PGA Championship.”

“The point is there is no sense in rushing to play a tournament if you are not prepared to play it…But the fact that he isn’t ready to play says everything and why Steinberg’s words of reassurance are anything but.”

Full piece.

6. Still sh***

Golf Channel’s Nick Menta…”Asked to compare his Sunday 71 to his Saturday 81, here’s how he summed it up: “Still sh–. Still sh–. Putting better.”

“In blustery conditions at Bay Hill on Saturday, Brooks Koepka carded his career-worst round of 81. “I’m a big boy. I can handle it,” he said.”

“When it was then suggested that he “probably can’t say that on the podium,” Koepka offered an elegant solution.”

“Well, fine me,” he said with a laugh, before continuing on about his putting. “I found something with my putting, so my putting, the touch is back. I feel very confident with that. But still close on the swing, sometimes it’s there and then sometimes it’s not.”

Full piece.

7. Preparing for the Grand Slam bid…again

ESPN’s Bob Harig…”Career-slam talk commenced immediately, and McIlroy has been chasing that green jacket ever since, logging some top-10 finishes but truthfully not coming as close as he did nine years ago — when he was the 54-hole leader, triple-bogeyed the 10th hole and shot 80.”

“Inevitably, the questions surface, and McIlroy does his best to entertain them, basically going the route that there is a lot of golf to be played prior to the Masters.”

“For some people, it starts the Monday they arrive at Augusta,” McIlroy said when asked this week when the process for the year’s first major begins. “For some people, it started in January. I think it’s different for everyone. For me, what I realized is I can’t make things too big in my head. So if I started to gear up for Augusta in January, by the time Augusta got around in April, my head would be absolutely fried.”

“So I try to push it out as late as possible. I’ve got four tournaments to play between now and then, and my biggest concern and my top priority are those four tournaments.”

Full piece.

8. Yeah, I shanked it. So what?

That’s the essence of Twitter swing critic/PGA Tour pro Max Homa after shanking a pitch into a TV tower at the API.

Golf Channel’s Will Gray…”I had a horrendous lie. Didn’t even know if I pitched it left if I could keep it in a decent spot,” Homa told GolfChannel.com. “I figured if it came out bad, it would go in the bunker. Never really thought it was going to grab my club and make me shank it. Hadn’t done that in a while.”

“While the lie had Homa guessing, the placement of the TV tower proved fortuitous. Instead of “flying into the water,” according to Homa’s estimate, his ball instead bounced off the tower and into the hazard but stopped in front of some rocks. He was able to play it, ended up hitting the pin with his next shot and tapped in for a bogey-6 that could have been much worse.”

“I think (playing partner) Sam Burns said it best, he goes, ‘Tap that thing in and get the heck off this hole,'” Homa said. “I guess it was a bad lie, so that was a bad break, and then a great break off the sideboard. So we’ll call it even.”

Full piece.

9. Every shot live!

We’re looking at an exciting week in the history of golf media ahead! The PGA Tour has cracked the logistics code (and has the deep pockets) to give viewers the opportunity to see every shot of its flagship event alive.

Jim McCabe for PGATour.com…“And it’s likely to land you in a stratosphere never imagined – like being able to deliver to your fans every shot by every player in THE PLAYERS Championship. Yes, all of ’em. Somewhere north of 31,000 combined by 144 players over four days over THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.”

“Digest those numbers and the mere concept of Every Shot Live for a minute. Then you can appreciate the sense of anticipation that is swelling within Scott Gutterman, Senior Vice President of Digital Operations for the PGA TOUR.”

…”He could add that it’s daunting, overwhelming, and complicated, too, but Gutterman knows passionate fans aren’t so much interested in all the logistics. Nope. They’re only thrilled that Every Shot Live is the ultimate supply that answers the demand.”

Full piece.

News

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

Published

19 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.