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Tour Rundown: No major hangover

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3 years ago

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It occurs to me, that the movement of the men’s PGA Championship to May should have an unforeseen benefit for the LPGA and PGA Tour Champions. After the Open championship finished up last week, it became apparent that there was still a healthy amount of major golf in the offing. This week, we watched the women compete in the Evian Championship, while the senior men held an Open championship of their own. In two weeks, the women will celebrate their Open championship, at venerable Muirfield. Now that the finest courses in the world have opened their eyes to the value of hosting a major event on any of the global tours, we earn the double bonus of seeing dramatic tournament resolutions at breathtaking venues. Have a read on this week’s results in Tour Rundown.

LPGA: Evian Championship heads to Hockey Town

It’s rare that a golfer holds a lead in a major championship for four rounds. Brooke Henderson didn’t have that burden on her shoulders this week at Evian. She began the tournament with 64, one shot behind Japan’s Furue, in a tie with Nelly Korda. Henderson repeated her 64 on Friday to assume the outright lead, and preserved it on Saturday with a 68. Since her amateur days, Henderson was considered a can’t-miss kid, but we know how hard it is to live up to those expectations. Ask Lexi Thompson, who gave back a late-Sunday lead at the Women’s PGA this year. It wasn’t the first time for her, nor for anyone.

That was the burden of expectation for Henderson as she began the final round. Korda was not with her, but lurked. When the young Canadian played the first six holes in plus-three, her lead was gone, with Korda surging at minus-three on the day. Nelly Korda would eventually fade to a tie for eighth spot, but Henderson’s challenges were just beginning. Henderson made birdie at the seventh, but posted another bogey at the 11th to drop out of the lead for the first time in three days. American Sophia Schubert posted her fourth consecutive round in the 60s, to reach 16-under par for the week. Spectacular as her performance was, it would fall one stroke shy of first position.

Also emerging from the pack were Mao Saigo of Japan, who made birdie on half her holes in round four. She would finish at 15-deep, as would Lydia Ko, Hyo-joo Kim, Carlota Ciganda and Charley Hull. The international leader board had players from New Zealand, Korea, Spain, and England, but it would be the Maple Leaf that would rise the highest. Faced with a now or never moment, Team Henderson (sister Brittany is her caddie) rose to the challenge with birdies at 14 and 15 to reclaim a tie at the top. On the par-five 18th hole, Henderson faced a twelve-feet putt for the win, and with a little body Canadian, the orb rolled into the bottom of the cup for victory. Evian 2022 represents thes second major title of her career, following her PGA championship in 2016.

Senior: Open Championship

As the 2022 Open at Gleneagles Kings course wound down, two things became apparent. For the fourth time, we would have a winner who had previously won the Open championship. In addition, he would bear an Irish surname. The question was, would it be Harrington or Clarke?

Darren Clarke, the broadcast team suggested all week, had a seriousness of purpose about him over these four days. His swing was consistent, his shots were true, and he was never out of the lead. Paul Broadhurst, the 2016 champion at Carnoustie, stood tied with Clarke after three rounds. Broadhurst would tumble away on Sunday with 71, and finish in a tie for third, two back of the top spot.

Broadhurst wasn’t alone. Joining him at eight-under par were Mauricio Molina, Doug Barron, Ernie Els, Thongchai Jaidee, and Steven Alker. It was anyone’s game at Gleneagles, but it came down to two.

Had you watched Harrington play military golf this week (left-right-left-right) you’d have wondered how he made the cut, much less found the path to contention. Yet, there he was at the end, the ultimate grinder, home in nine-under par. Padraig went out in 37, courtesy of bogey at seven and double at nine. He came home like the double-Open champion that he is. Six circles for birdies on the inward half added up to thirty, and 67 on the day. It was left to Clarke to make one final birdie at the 18th, to edge past his old rival. In true, old-world fashion, Clarke … well, never mind, we’ll let you watch for yourself.

PGA Tour: 3M Open

It would be too easy to show you the lowlights of Tony Finau’s last two holes. The tee shot on 17 that barely stayed dry, or the tee shot on 18 that didn’t. Thing is, neither was punitive enough to carve away all of Finau’s four-shot advantage. He got up and down for par at the par three penultimate, then got down in three after a drop at 18, and won by three shots over Sungjae Im and Emiliano Grillo.

It was a rough day for leader Scott Piercy. Paired with Grillo, he struggled to a 76 after playing brilliant golf for 54 holes. Piercy was still in the hunt when he made a shambles of the 14th hole. Grillo also found his own waterloo, despite not hitting a ball in the water, on the 7th. The Argentine went from rough to rough, with an unplayable stroke mixed in. Add a few pitch shots and two putts, and he also had a triple bogey. He fought back on the inward half, and had to be at least a bit satisfied with a runner-up tie.

The victory was Finau’s third on tour, and first in regulation time. Prior to Minnesota this week, Finau had been in five playoffs since 2016, winning two of them. Winning is never easy, no matter how large or small the advantage. Cheers to Tony Finau on another tour victory.

Korn Ferry: PC Charity Championship

Taylor Montgomery and Peter Kuest were two of the golfers who posted a leading 63 on Thursday in Springfield. Homer Simpson was not the third. Kuest had a struggle the rest of the way. He made the cut, but never returned to the 60s, and tied for 49th place. Montgomery fare quite a bit better. He added three more rounds in the 60s, posted 22-under par for the week … and finished second by six shot. Tied with Montgomery were Robby Shelton, Augusto Núñez, and Kevin Yu.

Way out in front of the pack was the third amigo from Thursday, David Kocher. After his 63, Kocher signed for 66-65-66 and finished the week at 28 below old man par. Harder to believe than his total, were the three bogies that he made during the week. Kocher had 30 birdies on his four cards, and had one of those weeks you dream about. A fitting way to end this week’s Tour Rundown, wouldn’t you say? Let’s all dream a bit!

DP World Tour: Cazoo Classic

Richie Ramsay is a grinder. He was the only golfer to post four rounds in the 60s at the Cazoo Classic, although none of them went below 67. There were plenty of mid-60s rounds this week, along with a few in the low 60s. None of that faze Ramsay, the 2006 winner of the US Amateur at Hazeltine, and a three-time winner on the DP World Tour.

Paul Waring owned the lowest round of the week, a 63 that he posted on Thursday. Unlike Ramsay, Waring would not once return to the 60s this week. Had he done so, he’d have tied for first or won the event outright. Waring finished at 13-under par, one shot ahead of the quintet that tied for third position.

After much jousting on the day, the tournament came down to the final hole, as it should. Waring reached the par-four in regulation figures, and faced a 30-feet putt for birdie. His effort wavered at the end, and he tapped in for par. Ramsay found himself in the rough off the tee, and could only reach the apron, some 30 yards from glory. He pitched to eight feet and then, with the grit and guts that emblemize his career, he drained the putt. The one-stroke win was Ramsay’s sixth on tour, and first since 2015.

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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.

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

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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WITB

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