News

Morning 9: McIlroy returns to #1 | Lynch on fall season | Retiring with an ace

Published

3 years ago

Oct 24, 2022

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com.

October 24, 2022

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Rory McIlroy returns to the summit of the sport.

1. PGA Tour: Rory wins, takes top spot in OWGR

BBC report…”Rory McIlroy returned to the top of the world rankings for the first time in more than two years by retaining his CJ Cup title in South Carolina.

The Northern Irishman claimed a one-shot win at Congaree Golf Club, shooting a four-under-par 67 to finish the tournament on 17 under.

American Kurt Kitayama also hit 67 on Sunday, and briefly drew level with McIlroy thanks to a birdie at the 12th.

However McIlroy made three straight birdies of his own to pull clear.

“It means a lot,” said an emotional McIlroy after claiming his 23rd PGA Tour win.

“I’ve worked so hard over the past 12 months to get myself back to this place. I feel like I’m enjoying this game as much as I ever have.

“I absolutely love the game of golf and when I go out there and play with that joy, it has definitely showed over these past 12 months. It feels awesome.”

Full piece.

2. Europe: Yannik Paul takes Mallorca Golf Open

DP World Tour report…“On an afternoon of twists and turns, overnight co-leader Paul had been in the driving seat on the back nine before a two-shot swing at the 15th handed his playing partner Marcus Armitage a two-stroke lead with three holes to play.”

“But as Armitage dropped three shots over the next two holes, Paul saved par at the 17th to find himself tied for the lead as he made his way to the 18th.”

“And the German coolly slotted in his difficult 15-foot birdie try from the fringe at the last to deny Paul Waring and Nicolai von Dellingshausen a play-off.”

Full piece.

3. Lydia Ko wins in South Korea

Golf Digest’s Keely Levins…”It’s always special for Lydia Ko to return to South Korea and compete. Though you’ll see the New Zealand flag next to Ko’s name on leaderboards, she was born in Seoul and remains connected to the country. And as much as Ko loves going to South Korea, the fans might love it more: the support for her is enormous. But after nine years of playing professional golf, the 25-year-old had yet to win an LPGA or Korean LPGA event in South Korea. That’s what made Sunday at the BMW Ladies Championship all the more special. With a final-round 65 at Oak Valley Country Club in Wonju, Ko impressively earned her 18th LPGA Tour win. The next-closest competitor was Andrea Lee who was four shots back, finishing solo second.”

Full piece.

4. Alker wins on PGA Tour Champions

Bob McClellan for PGATour.com…”Steven Alker struck the first blow in pursuit of his first Charles Schwab Cup, coming from two strokes back to start the day to win the PGA TOUR Champions Dominion Energy Charity Classic at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond by one stroke over K.J. Choi”

“Alker, who entered the first event in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs leading the standings, trailed Jerry Kelly, who’s fourth in the race for the Cup, by a stroke before three consecutive birdies starting at 15. Those pushed him to 14-under par to edge a hard-charging Choi, who fired a 5-under 67. Kelly, Padraig Harrington, No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, and Doug Barron were another shot back at 12 under.”

“Alker finished with a 68 to Kelly’s even-par 72. Kelly, who began the final round at 12 under, knew it would take a lot better than a round of par to win for the fourth time this season.”

“Instead, it was Alker who posted his fourth victory of 2022 and solidified his grip on the Schwab Cup.”

Full piece.

5. An ace and a sendoff

Golf Channel’s Max Schreiber…Na Yeon Choi is going out with a bang — and a new car.

“The nine-time LPGA winner and 2012 U.S. Women’s Open champion announced her retirement from the LPGA earlier this month. This week’s BMW Ladies Championship in Korea, which Choi is playing on a sponsor’s exemption, will be the 34-year-old’s last event. “

“In Round 3, Choi gave her fans one last thrill, acing Oak Valley Country Club’s par-3 12th. Thanks to her hole-in-one, the Korean will take home a new BMW X7.”

Full piece.

6. Lynch: Value of future fall seasons on the PGA Tour

Eamon Lynch for Golfweek…”Beginning this season, just 70 players will qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs and secure cards for the new calendar-year season of 2024, down from 125. The rest will join a shootout for ’24 status in the fall events, a Hunger Games-style scrap with a cast that includes up-and-coming talent and recognizable names searching for redemption. Under this new dispensation, the old dead zone from East Lake to New Years has life, and something meaningful at stake: future employment, earned via tournaments and the resurrected Q-School. The fall can finally be welcomed for what it offers rather than dismissed for what it lacks.”

“That’s not to suggest the game’s best players will sit home for four months while others wrestle for relevancy. Since the PGA Tour backburnered plans for a fourth-quarter series of lucrative events overseas, the DP World Tour can expect more stars to join the race to its year-end bonus pool party in Dubai. Jon Rahm has made clear his desire to keep supporting fall events in Spain and it has been reported that the Irish Open will move to dates after the FedEx Cup playoffs, enabling McIlroy and Shane Lowry to compete at home. Golf fans will probably see more of elite players in the autumn, albeit in different time zones.”

Full piece.

7. ‘Acting easier than golf’

Todd Kelly for Golfweek…”She grew up on a golf course in Florida and became a standout player on her high school team.

In 2012, she was all set for a U.S. Women’s Open qualifier, according to a 2015 Golf Digest story.

But Kathryn Newton was also a budding actress and when she scored the leading role in the fourth installment of the “Paranormal Activity” movie franchise, she put away the clubs to chase her acting career.

Three weeks ago, however, Newton was back on the golf course, at the Old Course at St. Andrews, specifically, to participate in the pro-am ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Newton was paired with English golfer Matt Wallace, and the pair finished 118th out of 167 teams.

“Acting’s way easier than golf,” Newton told CNN’s The Jazzy Golfer, at the event. “I (don’t) say that lightly because I have respect for my acting and my fellow actors. When I see the pros out here today, I feel like they’re magicians or something.”

Full piece.

8. Lowry explains putter break

Our Jason Daniels…”During the first round of the CJ Cup, the 2019 Open champion had just played his approach to around 50 feet when pulled the putter from his bag just too quickly, resulting in a break between graphite and steel.

Lowry had pulled the club out so rapidly that it fell from his grip and was heading to the floor but, “as it fell, I tried to like flick it up with my foot, but like kind of not too like aggressive or anything, just kind of tried, because the shaft was like this and tried to flick it up with my foot and I caught it like right where the graphite meets the steel on those shafts and it just snapped in half.”

Full Piece.

9. McIlroy winning WITB

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (9 degrees @7.5)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li White 80 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees @17.55)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X

Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (3-9)

Shaft: Project X 7.0

Wedges: TaylorMade MG3 Raw (46-09SB, 54-13SB, 58-11SB)

Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Hydro Blast

Grip: SuperStroke Traxion Pistol GT Tour

Ball: 2021 TaylorMade TP5x (#22)

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Full WITB.

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

Aug 4, 2025

Ronald Montesano

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

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 29, 2025

GolfWRX Staff

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.

News

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

Published

4 weeks ago

Jul 28, 2025

Brian Knudson

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)

GolfWRX

Morning 9: McIlroy returns to #1 | Lynch on fall season | Retiring with an ace

News

Morning 9: McIlroy returns to #1 | Lynch on fall season | Retiring with an ace

1. PGA Tour: Rory wins, takes top spot in OWGR