As the golf world prepares to turn its attention to western New York and the US PGA Championship, it could not help but peek at a series of tournaments whose conclusions came on the eve of the second men’s major of 2023. The LPGA gathered in New Jersey for the Founders Cup, while the DP World Tour met in Belgium for the Soudal Open. The PGA Tour Champions celebrated its first major event of 2023 at the Tradition, while the PGA Tour assembled in Texas for the Byron Nelson.

Which event offered more interest? The celebration of the founding members of the LPGA against a major title, against a final major invitation? For those with something on the line, the answer was none and each of them. It’s time to run down the four professional winners of May’s second weekend in 2023.

Finishing eagle for @CTPanGolf ? pic.twitter.com/6a1zz3szTE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 14, 2023

PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Tradition: Stricker finishes off fifth Senior major title

When Steve Stricker decides to post 64-65 on the weekend, especially at a major, we at GolfWRX hope that the rest of the field enjoys the battle for second place. That was the script for this week at Greystone in Birmingham, Alabama. For the third time in five years, Stricker secured victory in the Regions Tradition with a definitive performance. The only opponent to slow his roll was a rain delay from Mother Nature.

This week, Stricker’s tour de force was a six-shot margin of victory over Ernie Els and Robert Karlsson. Els was equal to Stricker on Sunday, posting his own 65. Karlsson began the day one shot back of Stricker, but the Swede was unable to mount any sort of challenge. His three birdies were not nearly enough, and his two bogies relegated him to the runner-up tie.

The streak continues. ?

After the rain delay, @stevestricker heads straight to the green and birdies another hole @RegionsTrad. pic.twitter.com/brD51zvANg

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 14, 2023

PGA Tour @ the Byron Nelson: Day claims 13th title in Texas

Tour win number thirteen was a long time coming for Jason Day. He claimed a twelfth in 2018, but fell victim to back and other ailments soon after. Day tried a vast array of treatments for the maladies, but only recently was able to return to the form that saw him ascend to the highest echelon of golfers on the planet.

On Sunday, Day posted eight birdies in his first 17 holes, but it was a gritty, ninth one at the final hole, that sealed his triumph. Day reached the final tee with a one-shot advantage over Si Woo Kim. His tee shot found the rough, while Si Wood reached the fairway. Day laid up short of the crossing water at TPC Craig Ranch, while Kim came up just shy of the putting surface, in a bunker.

With raindrops falling, Day played a gutsy pitch with his wedge, spinning the ball to three feet. Kim needed to hole out to force a playoff, but came up just shy. Both golfers tapped in for birdie, and Day was again on top of the golf world. He’ll head to Rochester’s Oak Hill Country Club as a former PGA Championship winner, with designs on a second major title, and a bushel of confidence.

Golf shot.@JDayGolf knocks it close in front of his family @ATTByronNelson pic.twitter.com/6varghTQaO

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 14, 2023

LPGA @ Founders Cup: Jin Young overtakes Minjee in playoff

It was a big week for three-in-five, if you mean two golfers did the deed. Jin Young Ko proved to love Upper Montclair as much as Stricker loves Greystone. JYK had to work overtime to seal her deal, Ko made a fifteen-feet birdie putt on the final regulation green to catch the overnight leader. Minjee Lee had a number of chances to win in regulation, but it was a stinger of a bogey at the 16th that gave Lee pause, and Ko hope.

On the first extra hole, Minjee was bold in her birdie putt, rolling the rock six feet past the hole. Her comeback putt for par was away, and Jin Young Ko had her 15th career LPGA win. What’s next for JYK? Perhaps a return to the major champion’s circle. Two of her first five tour wins were majors, but none since 2019 has fallen her way.

JIN YOUNG KO!

She birdies the 18th to tie the lead!!! pic.twitter.com/hOnYNUqoCv

— LPGA (@LPGA) May 14, 2023

DP World Tour @ Soudal Open: Forsstrõm earns first Tour title

On Saturday in Antwerp, Belgium, France’s Mike Lorenzo-Vera thrilled the paying public with consecutive eagles at 16 and 17. Sweden’s Simon Forsstrõm didn’t need nearly as thrilling a finish to his round on Sunday, but what he did was certainly noteworthy. After birdies at four and eight gave the 14-year veteran the lead, double bogey and bogey at 10 and 12 threatened to undo his run to a maiden title on the DP World Tour. With but one Challenge Tour title on his resume, could he rally?

Steeling himself, the pride of Bromma, Sweden indeed rallied with birdies at 14, 16, and 17 to reclaim the lost shots and edge past countryman Jens Dantorp to a total of 17-under par. Dantorp played wonderful golf all week, never leaving the 60s. His tally came up one strike shy of Forsström, and two shots clear of Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, who claimed third position. As for Lorenzo-Vera, he ultimately finished in a tie for fourth spot, four shots behind the victor.

A first DP World Tour title for Simon Forsström ? #SoudalOpen pic.twitter.com/zqt5KQNmJF

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 14, 2023