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5 Things we Learned: Day 2 at the Olympics

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1 year ago

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Day two of the Paris Olympic men’s golf competition saw a curious occurrence on repeat at the 18th. With water lurking left, golfers consistently aimed at the quiver of bunkers that protect the right side of the fairway. Trouble was, deep rough lurked farther right, and that’s precisely where many drives found rest. Subsequent results ranged from acceptable to catastrophic. Come Sunday, with everything perhaps on the line, the 18th at Le Golf National should offer a dramatic denouement to the third playing of golf in the post-modern Olympic games.

After 36 holes, three golfers sit even at 11-under par 131. Another nine are within five strokes of that lead. Names like Scheffler, Kim, Niemann, and yes, C.T. Pan, are lurking. Scores of 63 and 64 were posted for the second 18, and the card might go even lower on the weekend. There’s so much to tell, but I’ll keep it to a handful of items. Let’s get on with the five things that we learned on day two of the 2024 Olympic men’s golf tournament.

1. Tapioca Pudding? Nope, Tapio Pulkkanen

The first part of the sub-heading is the answer to the question “What is low-hanging fruit?” The second is the proper and only response to “Who lucked into the Olympic games?” If you followed the run-up to Paris 2024, you know that A) Joost Luiten qualified for the Holland Olympic team; B) Holland decided to not send him and two other golfers, even though they volunteered to pay their way; C) Luiten won a court case forcing Holland to send him; D) The IGF had already awarded Luiten’s spot to Pulkkkanen, when Holland abandoned it; E) Tappio is in Paris, or at least, close by.

Tapio Pulkkanen’s second round called to mind the old ABC Wide World of Sports tease The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. For much of the day, Finland’s favorite was inside the top ten, thanks to a series of birdies over the first 15 holes. At 16, his tee shot tugged left into sand, and he was unable to get up and down for par. No worries. Still four-under on the day, still inside the top fifteen, with 38 holes to play. Par at 17, nice work. Then came 18.

How to describe it? Better not to, but I must. Drive in the deep rough, second into the shallow rough, third into the water, fifth into the water, seventh on the green, two putts. To paraphrase the immortal Severiano Ballesteros, I miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, I make. Golf and the Olympics are a fine pairing. They share both glory and despair equally, without prejudice.

2. Barrika harro dago 

There’s a bearded, thickly-built golfer from a cove tucked along Spain’s northern coast. Officially, he is a Basque, from the town of Barrika. In Euskera, the Basque language, barrikada means exactly what it looks like in English: barricade. Given his muscular girth, it’s no stretch to call Jon Rahm, from Barrika, a barrikada at the Paris Olympics.

Rahm has had a challenging 2024 campaign. Adjustment to a new schedule, less competition against traditional opponents, and a bit of injury have kept him from approaching the number-one ranking that he once held. This week, he is on his game. Six birdies overcame a solitary bogey, and moved the 2023 Masters champion from seventh to fourth position.

Rahm’s Retort: Spanish crowd travels really well, especially being as close as we are to Spain, right. It’s an easy commute to Paris. Easy drive and you can even do train rides or flight, right. So it’s very easy to get here.

And you could tell. There’s a lot of Spanish crowd out there throughout the golf course. Even if you listen to them a couple times, a few holes ahead, cheering on David, as well. It was a lot of fun.

3. “Just being an Olympian is something he always wanted”

For the longest time, the ultimate father-son combo (warts and all) was Earl and Tiger Woods. Stefan Schauffele has taken up the cause of fathers instructing sons, and seems to have figured it all out. With dad’s blessing, Xander has taken Chris Como on as his lead instructor, allowing the old man to rest a bit. His own Olympic pentathlon dream was scuttled by a car accident, Stefan has poured all his knowledge and experience from track and field into developing power and consistency in his son’s game. More than the four majors, it seems that the Olympic movement resonates within the Schauffele family.

Xander made dad proud on Friday. He overcame a pair of bogeys with seven birdies, and reached the clubhouse at 11-deep. When others behind him faltered, he found himself in the final pairing for round three.

Xander’s View: I’m American. I’m U.S.-born but I feel at times very international with my mom and where she grew up and with my dad being half-French, half-German. Make I just make it up in my head but I try to call a lot of places home.

4. Tommy, Tommy Tommy, Tommy Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Fleetwood!

That was part of the European fan chant for MoliWood, the unlikely pairing of Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood at Le Golf National in 2018. The duo won four matches together, sparking their side to victory over Team USA. Molinari is not part of the Italian side at Paris 2024, but Fleetwood certainly is. The long-haired, Fairway Jesus for whom we all have great affection played himself into serious contention on Friday.

Fleetwood played flawless golf on day two near Paris. He blended an eagle at the third with six birdies, to reach 12-under par through the 17th green. On the final hole, Fleetwood was one of those wide-right golfers, and he was forced to pitch out and ascend the green with his third. Two putts led to bogey, and a shot was irretrievably lost.

Tommy’s Tales: Like I say, I haven’t felt particularly comfortable with my swing all week. But I’ve been doing the things that I know are right and I’ve put the ball in play a lot and I’ve been doing the right things, and I think gradually as you keep hitting enough good shots, obviously you confidence build and you keep drawing on those feelings.

5. Hello again, Hideki

Hideki Matsuyama was a three-act play on the second of August, 2024. Over the first nine holes, he was up and down on multiple occasions. Birdies and bogeys exchanged thrusts and parries, and Matsuyama reached the turn at -1 on the day. By the 18th tee, he had added four birdies to his count, and forged a two-shot advantage. That’s when membership in the fore-right brigade came his way, and Matsuyama found trouble.

If there’s such a thing as a remarkable double-bogey, that’s what Hideki had on the day’s final hole. His drive, as mentioned, flared rightward, ending in the gunge. He pitched to the lesser right rough, then chunked his third into the eau. With a sizable number and a drop from grace staring him in the face, the Japanese champion pitched to 13 feet and drained the putt for six.

Matsuyama’s Memory: It was 115 further down the green, front of the green is water hazard. I was kind of aiming — I was aiming left of the pin to play safe but the wind hit ball harder and end up being in the water.

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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

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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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