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Tour Rundown: Schauffele in full form, Mullinax books a trip to Fife

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3 years ago

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The eyes of the golf world were equally focused on Scotland, Kentucky, and Ohio. The prestigious Scottish Open took place at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, while the Barbasol Championship held court at Keene Trace, just south of Lexington. The second of three consecutive, major titles on the Tour Champions settled matters at Firestone Country Club, in Akron. It’s a fine time to be a golf fan, with more links golf on the horizon. Buckle in and enjoy our recap of July Week Two of 2022.

Cue Tour Rundown.

DP World Tour/PGA Tour sees Schauffele return full to form

Even though Xander Schauffele made a lipstick on a pig reference to his final-round performance at the Scottish Open, it was skilled enough to win a second consecutive tour event, and situate him as a threat this week at St. Andrews. Schauffele found himself 11 shots back of the leader after round one but, as golf aficionados know, one round does not a tournament make. As Cameron Tringale left the 60s for good on Friday (following the magic with 72-74-70 for a 6th place tie) the 2020 Olympic gold medalist moved up the leaders board with middle scores of 65 and 66. The question on Sunday’s morn was, could Schauffele preserve his position?

What made it all more demanding was the blow-up of his Sunday partner, Rafael Cabrera Bello. RBC had won the Scottish Open before, but the way he played on day four was nothing like that performance. The Spaniard had two birdies on the day, but those were erased by a double at the 12th, and seven bogeys on the card. The Iberian hopeful tumbled from 2nd to a tie for 36th, and lost a chance at earning a spot this week in the Open Championship.

The primary challenge to Xander’s run came from American expat Kurt Kitayama. Kitayama plays the majority of his schedule overseas, and he solved the East Lothian course as few others did on the final day. A 71st-hole bogey kept Kitayama from reaching seven-under par, which proved to be the winning number. Coupled with Schauffele’s birdie at the 70th hole, Xander had the luxury of playing the last hole in five strokes for the win. Kitayama, Jamie Donaldson, and Brandon Wu all qualifed into the 150th Open Championship with their finishes at Renaissance.

PGA Tour: Barbasol victory earns Mullinax a trip to Fife

Trey Mullinax was a part of the fabled UAlabama teams of the 2010s. He earned a pair of wins on the Korn Ferry Tour, prior to ascending to the big time. On Sunday in Kentucky, Mullinax took a giant career step by holding off Kevin Streelman, to earn an elusive and first PGA Tour title. The win secured playing privileges for two years, and compelled the Birmingham native to rearrange plans for this week. He’ll join former teammate Justin Thomas at St. Andrews for the Open championship. This will be his first appearance in the oldest major, and his third overall.

Mullinax left the mid 60s for a minute on Saturday, posting 67 after opening with twin 65s. On Sunday, he returned to that zip code with 66, including a marvelous birdie at the last, from 15 feet. Runner-up Streelman was equally electric on the inward half, posting four birdies. Unfortunately for the DukeU alum, he had a pair of bogeys coming home, that sealed his second-place status.

PGA Tour Champions: Kelly takes ownership of Senior Players

Jerry Kelly nearly pulled a Young Tom Morris move, and retired the belt, errr, trophy awarded to the Senior Players champion. Kelly won the event in 2020 for his first senior major, then came agonizingly close to defending in 2021. His runner-up finish was followed by a return to the winner’s podium, giving him two wins in three years at the event.

When Kelly is in contention, fellow Wisconsonian Steve Stricker is rarely distant. Such was the case again at Firestone on Sunday. Stricker reached nine-under par at the penultimate hole, and had a run at birdie at the last. The putt did not drop, and that allowed Kelly the luxury of a two-putt for bogey from ten feet. The former hockey goalie just needed one putt, and his 11-under total gave him a two-shot win over his statemate.

Tied for 3rd at eight-deep were Ernie Els and the explosive Steven Alker. Alker looked as good as anyone to make a run at Kelly, but he could never get off the birdie-bogey two-step. A bogey at the last dropped him into a tie with Els, who finished with 68.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Premature

    Jul 11, 2022 at 10:13 pm

    Schauffele Blew his load to early.

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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3 weeks ago

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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

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Jul 29, 2025

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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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