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Morning 9: Donald to stay on as captain? | Azinger tips Tiger for 2025 captaincy | LPGA seeking investment

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the fallout from the Ryder Cup continues.

1. Stick around, Luke!

AP report…”European captain Luke Donald was delivering his Ryder Cup victory speech in front of a giddy crowd at Marco Simone when his celebrating players standing beside him started a chant that quickly swept through the grandstands.”

  • “Two more years” was the cry, seemingly led by Rory McIlroy and drawing a broad smile from Donald.”
  • …”No one has captained Europe in back-to-back Ryder Cups since Bernard Gallagher did so, three times in a row in fact, in 1991, ’93 and then ’95. Back then, that wasn’t rare, with Tony Jacklin and John Jacobs having also repeated before Gallagher.”
Full piece.

2. Rory: The angriest I’ve been in a long time

Tom Morgan for the Telegraph…”When asked what had annoyed him most, he added: “The fact that on the 17th green and 18th green I’m trying to get the crowd to quieten down to let Patrick hit his putt. I was trying to afford Patrick the opportunity to do what he did, which is great. And then I’m trying to read my putt on 18 and he’s standing directly in my way. So I don’t feel like I was afforded the same opportunity to make my putt as Patrick was. I was trying to do the right thing. And that was exactly the wrong thing to do. And that’s not the way the game should be played. Especially by a caddie. Well, caddie, player, whatever. I just thought it was completely disrespectful. That’s the angriest I’ve been in a long time.”

Full piece.

3. LPGA seeking investment

Karl Matchett for the Independent…”Over the past two weeks, the sport’s centre stage has been on the team environment rather than the more frequent solo play tournaments, with first the Solheim Cup and then the Ryder Cup both providing thrilling drama and exceptional storylines across the course.”

  • “But while the men’s event pitching golfers from the USA against the best Europe has to offer was reportedly shown for over 100 hours across US television channels, the women’s event – the Solheim Cup – had only 25 hours across cable TV and streaming, report the Financial Times.”
  • “As such, the LPGA is keen to take advantage of the growth in popularity the sport is enjoying, with the FT further reporting the organisation’s commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, confirming that a “strategic planning partner” would soon be appointed to oversee opportunities around external investment. That comes on the back of a commercial partnership agreed two months ago with the owners of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Group.”
Full piece.

4. Stefan Schauffele, too

GolfWRX Staff…”Speaking to The Times, Xander Schauffele’s father, Stefan, has sensationally claimed that his son’s spot in the side was in jeopardy up until just a few weeks ago.”

  • “Before the biennial contest, players sign a player participation agreement. However, per Schauffele’s father, both Xander and Patrick Cantlay had requested amendments made to the contract drawn up by the PGA of America.”
  • “Amongst these amendments requested was denying a Netflix camera crew entry into the US locker room (which players would not directly benefit from financially.)”
  • “Per the report, the issue was eventually put to a vote by Zach Johnson, and the players voted unanimously in favour of denying Netflix access to their team room.”
  • Speaking to The Times, Xander Schauffele’s father sounded off on the PGA of America, saying:
  • “The PGA of America were not willing to even talk to us about [the three amendments]. It was very late in the schedule right before the team came here [to Rome] to practice because they had moved the deadline and they said, ‘If you don’t sign it by then, you’re off the team’, but they never gave us the contact information of their legal counsel.
  • “Saturday morning of Labour Day weekend [September 2], finally, the head of the PGA of America got wind of this, because it was not him that was blocking it, and put our lawyers in contact with the PGA of America’s general counsel, and then it took a few hours to hash it out and it was fine. Then I received a message that Xander was back on the team. That you can quote. That’s the extent of this and I think it’s shameful.”
Full piece.

5. Kneecapping home-field advantage?

Via Golf Channel…”It’s also time to create a neutral setup. Although the Marco Simone layout wasn’t nearly as extreme as Paris in ’18, it clearly favored the Europeans with slow green speeds and narrow fairways lined with thick rough. It was a similarly biased setup in ’16 at Hazeltine National, with virtually no rough and PGA Tour-quality green speeds that clearly favored the home team.”

  • “Instead of Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA of America being in charge of Ryder Cup setups, it would likely even the playing field if a neutral party handled those duties. For matches in the United States, let the USGA set up the course; in Europe, it could be the R&A’s responsibility.”
  • “Officials should also give the visitors more flexibility in building the right team by allowing the captain 12 picks, with the home captain getting six. Instead of being hamstrung by automatic qualifiers who might not fit the team, the course or the team room, give the visiting captain complete autonomy to bring the appropriate 12 players.”
Full piece.

6. Calendar adjustment for better form?

Ed Carruthers for the Daily Mail…”Apart from a practice trip to Marco Simone earlier in September there was little opportunity for the American team to come together, never mind play competitively.”

  • “If you asked us when we would like to play the Ryder Cup relative to our schedule, I think we would probably say, give us a week after the Tour Championship or two weeks after and then go, instead of five,’ said Spieth.”
  • ‘It’s hard for me to speak for the rest of the team. For me personally, I’d like to feel pretty sharp going in and obviously individually, I did not have the opportunity to even play any of those events where I may have.
  • ‘But that’s just how I feel. Some guys come off a few weeks off, go through some prep and play great after more time off.
  • ‘I can only answer that question individually, and this year, it wasn’t going to happen.
  • ‘If it were tighter to our Tour Championship and/or even if it were later and we had more of an opportunity to get a little rest and play more of an event or something then it helps a bit.
  • ‘If you look at how that played at the BMW, which is one of the bigger events of the year, and 10 of the 12 finish in the top 15 or something they were in great form.
Full piece.

7. Azinger: Tiger vs Sergio in 2025?

Bunkered report…Tiger Woods has been tipped by former Ryder Cup winning skipper Paul Azinger to lead the United States at Bethpage Black in 2025.

  • “When Azinger’s co-commentator Dan Hicks speculated that “there’s a guy named Eldrick available,” in relation to the next captaincy, he replied:
  • “Yeah, I think he might be the next captain.
  • “Bethpage Black would be a perfect matchup for he and Sergio Garcia actually. Who you never know, two years from now, where we’re going to be.” He then called that rivalry a possible “all-timer.”
Full piece.

8. Rory: Absence of LIV pros allowed team to flourish

Ewan Murray for The Guardian..”Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry believe the absence of high-profile LIV rebels from Europe’s Ryder Cup team allowed younger members to shine.”

  • “Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio García – all icons for Europe in the biennial event – missed out on the 16½-11½ victory against the US in Italy after their switch to the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit. Ludvig Åberg, Nicolai Højgaard and Robert MacIntyre featured in the winning team as rookies with McIlroy among the more experienced members in the camp.
  • “They’ve had unbelievable Ryder Cup careers and they’ve made their choices,” McIlroy said of the LIV contingent. “They’ve done what they’ve done and no one can take away the impact that they’ve had for the European team over the years.
  • “But I feel like this week not having those big personalities in the team room let other guys have that chance to flourish and to shine: Viktor [Hovland], Jon [Rahm], myself; there wasn’t a ton of space taken up in that room by some of the other big personalities and that just let the rest of the team flourish. It’s a young team. We can all grow together. I could potentially be the oldest person on the team next time. It’s a new era and it’s a pretty good one.”
Full piece.

9. Sanderson Farms Championship photos

  • Check out all of our galleries here
Full piece.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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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

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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

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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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