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Tour Rundown: Reed a Farmers winner, Casey triumphs in Dubai
Our return to manifold events was short-lived, alas. With nearly a month between events on the LPGA, PGA Tour Champions, and Korn Ferry tours, our attention focuses on the twin titans of Europe and America. The colonial tour rolls into sunny San Diego for a Torrey Pines trek, while the old world circuit remains in the Middle East, on the eastern edge of the Emirates’ Persian Gulf peninsula. Each tour promises to be thick with drama, both on and off the course, so Thumbs Up and away we go with this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open is Reed’s 9th Tour Title
Patrick Reed outplayed his pursuers on Sunday at Torrey Pines. Toney Finau did NOT win again, Sam Harrop. Viktor Hovland fell apart unexpectedly, and Carlos Ortiz did even worse. Reed and Ortiz entered the final round in a first-place tie at minus-ten strokes. Hovland, Jon Rahm, and Lanto Griffin (all winners on tour) sat two shots behind the leaders, suggesting that some sort of multi-player shoot out might be in the offing. Sadly, it never transpired. Reed moved ahead with an eagle-birdie run at the 6th and 7th holes, fought through a single bogey at the 8th, and played two-under golf the rest of the way. His closing 68 produced a five-shot triumph over a quintet of runners-up: Finau, Hovland, hometown lad Xander Schauffele, Ryan Palmer, and Henrik Norlander. Ortiz tumbled all the way to a tie for 29th, thanks to a wretched 78 that will be dispatched to the memory closet as soon as possible.
Greatness isn’t always palatable — Patrick Reed got himself mucked up in a controversy again this week. Unlike his dalliance with sand at the 2019 Hero World Challenge, this one was more clumsy-carp than Thanos. Reed was the best golfer in the Farmers field this week; and as a one-time major titleist and multi-capped international team contestant, has shown that he is one of the best when he is on his game. He bears an odd similarity to Sergio Garcia, in that both make childish decisions, despite their advancing years. For those of us who’ve never danced with greatness, their actions are difficult to unpack.
Those final rounds — Francesco Molinari and Luke List took nearly as much away from Sunday as Reed. The pair tied for low round of the day at 66, and sailed 29 spots up the leader board, into a tie for 10th. List’s 66 bookended his first round, and only a listless 77 on Friday kept him (theoretically) from challenging more. Molinari has struggled to find the form that left him on Masters Sunday 2019, and the world is a better place when the serene Italian contends.
See you soon, Torrey — Our attention returns to La Jolla in 134 days, when the world’s best will tee it up on the South course. The first open at TP gave us Tiger v. Rocco, with Lee Westwood oh-so-close to a first major. Rocco is gone to the Champions Tour, and Tiger’s status is always uncertain. Westy, meanwhile, is coming off a resurgent season that saw him capture the Race To Dubai on the European Tour. We’ll once again resign ourselves to the worst closing hole in major championship golf (even worse than the 18th at Bethpage Black) and hope that the drama and the principle actors will overcome that element. If you told us that the event would be played on the North course, we might do handsprings for a week.
European Tour: Dubai Desert Classic to Casey for 15th Tour Title
Paul Casey birdied the 72nd hole, not for a heroic victory, but for a four-shot margin over South Africa’s Brandon Stone. Stone was paired with Sergio Garcia, who fell away early, while Casey marched the last round with third-place finisher Robert MacIntyre of Scotland. Stone did fine work to recover from an opening 38, courtesy of three bogies against zero birdies. He played the second nine in minus-three, to return to level par on the day. MacIntyre sat like a hunter at minus one through eight, until an inexplicable, four-bogie run ended his day. He made a second birdie at the 14th, but his effort on this day was fortunate to allow a tumble of only one spot on the leader board.
Attacking the golf course — Casey began his fourth round in solid fashion, with pars and birdies over his first five holes. The highlight, which might just as easily have been a lowlight, was a pitch-in for birdie at the par-three fifth hole In an on-course interview, Casey described the missed green with a wedge as not one of his best. Needing to float his recovery out of the thicker stuff, over the fairway surround, and onto a green running left and away, the 43-year old Englishman checked all the boxes. Alighting on the green, the ball reeled with determination, as if the bottom of the hole were predetermined. Asked how he had conjured such a shot, and what his plans were for the day, Casey indicated that being ruthless, attacking the golf course, was his only consideration. Having worked for three days thus far, the plan should not change.
Low rounds and things like that — Casey did what he had to do, to convince the others that they had to gamble. His final-round 70 was his fourth of the week at that number or better. On Sunday, Casey was bad at times (three bogies) and at other times, brilliant (five birdies.) He never threatened to scratch a large number (double or worse) on his scorecard, and forced his pursuers to take risks. Among the entire field, the low number on the day was the 67 posted by Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard. If MacIntyre had posted that number, all other things being equal, he would have nipped Casey by two shots. Højgaard’s five-under performance moved him 26 spots, inside the top ten.
That putt — Something about reading tales of heroic acts in our youth, I guess. We love to point to pivotal moments and turning points in any story. It’s hard to look at Sunday’s final round in Dubai, and not remember Casey’s 13-feet putt for bogey at the 15th hole. After taking too brave a line on the par three, Casey received his comeuppance with a banked lie in thick cabbage. His chop-out was more salad than needed, and the ball failed to reach the green. A subsequent pitch sailed the ball to the far edge of the frog hair, but a courageous stroke with the flat stick limited the damage to one lost shot.
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...
