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Morning 9: Tiger on his health and game | Donald named Ryder Cup 2025 captain | Tiger’s caddie for Hero

Published

2 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as all of the attention turns to Tiger’s comeback this week at the Hero World Challenge.

1. Tiger on the state of his health, game

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”On Thursday, Woods is scheduled to make his first start since the third round of the Masters in April at the Hero World Challenge. He hosts the tournament, which benefits his foundation.”

  • “My game feels rusty; I haven’t played in a while,” Woods said during a news conference Tuesday. “I had my subtalar fused. I’m excited to compete and play, and I’m just as curious as all of you are to see what happens because I haven’t done it in a while.
  • “I can tell you this: I don’t have any of the pain that I had at Augusta or pre-that in my ankle. Well, other parts are taking the brunt of the load, so I’m a little more sore in other areas, but the ankle’s good. So that surgery was a success.”
Full piece.

2. Woods frustrated by Tour handling of framework agreement

Golf Digest’s Joel Beall…”Tiger Woods, in his first comments since the Masters, admitted he was “frustrated” with the PGA Tour’s handling of the framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.”

  • “Woods, speaking to the media at this week’s Hero World Challenge, was asked for his reaction to the tour’s surprise announcement with the financial backer of LIV Golf, as Woods had been publicly silent on the matter. The 15-time major winner said he was “surprised” before expressing irritation for how the situation was handled.”
  • “Well, going back to that, I would say that my reaction was surprised as I’m sure a lot of the players were taken back by it, by what happened,” Woods said on Tuesday. “So quickly without any input or any information about it, it was just thrown out there. I was very surprised that the process was what it was. We were very frustrated with what happened and we took steps going forward to ensure that the player involvement was not going —we were not going to be left out of the process like we were. So part of that process was putting me on the board and accepting that position.”
Full piece.

3. Tiger’s plans to play

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Best-case scenario? Playing “maybe a tournament a month,” Woods answered.”

  • “We have set up right now the biggest events are one per month, it sets itself up for that,” Woods added. “Now, I need to get myself ready for all that. I think this week is a big step in that direction.”
  • “Looking at the PGA Tour’s schedule for next year, here are the events Woods could play if he chose to start in January and play once per month through July: Farmers, Genesis, The Players, Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open. The FedExCup Playoffs begin in August, though assuming Woods’ still light schedule, he’d be a longshot to earn enough points to qualify.”
Full piece.

4. Rob McNamara to caddie for Woods

PGATour.com staff report…”There’s an open position on Woods’ bag following longtime caddie Joe LaCava’s move to Patrick Cantlay earlier this spring. For now, a full-time replacement is still in flux.”

  • “I don’t think Charlie’s going to be able to caddie,” said Woods, who spent several weeks this fall caddying for Charlie in various junior tournaments. “[He] can’t play hooky that often.”
  • “Woods confirmed Tuesday that Rob McNamara, his longtime business partner and vice president of TGR Ventures, will fill in this week at the Hero World Challenge. It is Woods’ first start since he underwent a subtalar fusion procedure in his right ankle in April. Woods withdrew from the third round of the Masters because of pain in the ankle, which stemmed from a broken talus bone suffered in a February 2021 car crash.”
Full piece.

5. Don’t forget about Will Z!

PGATour.com staff…“Tiger Woods and Will Zalatoris, each of whom withdrew from the Masters Tournament in April only to undergo season-ending surgery shortly afterward, return to action at this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.”

  • “…One of the most promising up-and-coming Americans, Zalatoris had already suffered a few near-misses in majors by the time he captured his first PGA TOUR title in a playoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in 2022. It seemed like the start of something big, but fate intervened.”
  • “He suffered two herniated discs the next week, withdrew from the BMW Championship and missed the TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup. Although Zalatoris returned early this year, so did the pain, and he withdrew from the Masters without hitting a shot.”
  • “A microdiscectomy…ended Zalatoris’ season.”
Full Piece.

6. G-Mac joining Smash

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After finishing outside of the top-24 in the LIV Golf standings (40th) last season, Graeme McDowell has not been resigned by his former LIV Golf team, Cleeks GC.”

  • “However, McDowell received some good news after losing his guaranteed spot and has been signed by Smash GC which is captained by Brooks Koepka.”
  • “According to James Corrigan of The Telegraph, McDowell, an insider told him “Could not believe his luck.”
  • “Obviously, all was not rosy on the Cleeks and with G-Mac and Kaymer. He thought he was out of LIV and would have to be participating on the Asian Tour next year. Playing alongside Koepka – probably the best player on LIV – is a massive result for him.”
  • “G-Mac is the second player to depart from Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC, as Austrian Bernd Wiesberger also failed to finish inside the top-24 on the standings and is now returning to the DP World Tour to play once again.”
Full Piece.

7. Donald to captain Europe in 2025

8. Spieth reaggravated injury in bizarre way

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Last season, Jordan Spieth struggled with a wrist injury for most of the year. The three-time major champion failed to earn a victory and finished 27th in the FedEx Cup standings.”

  • While speaking with the media prior to the Hero World Challenge, Spieth shared how he reaggravated the injury after he finally started to feel better over the summer months.
  • “I was reaching for a toaster to make my son breakfast. The toast wasn’t even in the toaster.”
  • The injury stems from overuse, so the 30-year-old has been cautious about too much practice.
  • “It’s not anything to mess with, so I’ve been trying to take it very, very carefully.”
Full Piece.

9. WITB Time Machine: Rickie Fowler’s winning WITB, 2017 Hero World Challenge

We’re jumping in the WITB Time Machine and heading back to 2017 when Rickie Fowler was head of the class at Albany. The patron saint of orange finished with an 18-under tally, four strokes ahead of Charley Hoffman, thanks to a scorching final-round 11-under 61.

Let’s take a look at what Rickie had in play that Sunday in the Bahamas.

Driver: Cobra King F8+ Nardo (8 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila 2KXV NV Blue 70 X (43.35 inches)

3-wood: Cobra King F8+ (14.5 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila Synergy 70 X

5-wood: Cobra F8+ Baffler (18.5 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila Synergy 70 X

Irons: Cobra King Forged MB (4-PW)

Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper S+ 125

Wedges: Cobra King V-Grind (52, 56, 60)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Full WITB.

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Aug 4, 2025

By

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

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

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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News

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

Published

4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

By

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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