News

Morning 9: Echavarria wins in Japan | An victorious in playoff

Published

10 months ago

Oct 28, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Nico Echavarria saw off the challenge of Justin Thomas to win the Zozo Championship over the weekend.

1. Echavarria triumphs in Japan

AP report…”Nico Echavarria claimed the Zozo Championship for his second PGA Tour victory, shooting 3-under 67 on Sunday to win by a shot over Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas.”

“Echavarria, a Colombian who played at the University of Arkansas, birdied two of the final three holes — including the 18th — to add to the title he won last year at the Puerto Rico Open.”

”He finished at 20-under 260 at the Narashino Country Club, located about 50 miles from central Tokyo. It’s course record, topping the 261 Tiger Woods shot in winning in 2019.”

Full piece.

2. An wins in Korea

AP report…”Byeong Hun An made an 8-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 5-under 67, and then birdied the par-5 18th in a playoff Sunday to defeat Tom Kim in the Genesis Championship for his second European tour title.”

“The victory was nine years after A won his first European title in the BMW PGA Championship. It follows a strong year for the 33-year-old South Korean that has been missing only a victory.”

“An had five top 10s on the PGA Tour, playing well enough to make the Presidents Cup team. The victory moves him to No. 27 in the world, after starting the year at No. 60.”

“It’s a sweet ending for this year,” A said. “It’s been a great year. I’ve put a lot of work in it. It will be the same next week when I get back, another offseason that I have to work hard for to be better next year.”

Full piece.

3. LPGA: Yin wins in China

LPGA report…“Continuing her front nine, Yin made another birdie on the par-5 3rd hole to move to 18-under par, as did Thitikul and the close friends sat in a tie for the lead. Yin made back-to-back birdies on hole 6 to grab solo lead and then on hole 7 to extend her lead by a shot. Ryu sat one shot behind Yin after also making a birdie on the 7th. The final pairing made the turn with Yin at 20 under, Ryu at 19 under and Thitikul at 18-under par for the tournament.

”Yin picked up her fifth birdie of the final round on No. 10, and lengthened her lead by two shots over her closest competitors. Thitikul and Ryu took advantage of the par-4 12th hole and made birdies to move to 20-under par each. However, Yin would maintain her position in first place at 22-under par through the next six holes as Thitikul made one birdie on hole 14, and Ryu birdied 13 but bogeyed 17.”

“The Maybank Championship came down to the last hole, and specifically between the Dow Championship winning duo, Thitikul and Yin. Both players hit the green in two shots, and Thitikul tapped in a birdie putt to reach 22-under par and sit tied with Yin. Yin had a lengthy birdie putt to earn the victory outright and avoid forcing a playoff for the second year in a row at the event.”

Full piece.

4. The journey continues

Golf Channel’s Brantley Romine…“Brett White’s miraculous journey continues.”

“The 31-year-old White, who nearly died seven years ago after contracting viral encephalitis, co-medaled at first stage of PGA Tour Q-School on Friday in Semmes, Alabama. White opened in 10-under 62 at Magnolia Grove’s Crossing course before cruising to a 24-under total, which equaled Georgia grad Caleb Manuel and was 10 shots inside the cut line.”

“White advances to one of five second-stage sites, the first of which begins Nov. 19.”

Full Piece.

5. An’s big shot

Golf Channel’s Bentley Romine…”This isn’t necessarily the type of shot you’d try at home, a 290-yard driver off the deck – a wet deck – with mostly carry, and water and some rocks guarding much of the left side of Jack Nicklaus Golf Club’s par-5 15th hole. But An, with time running out on Sunday in Incheon, South Korea, had to take the chance in front of his home fans.”

“This is a big gamble here,” said the TV announcer as An pulled the club back.

When the ball landed on the front of the elevated green and rolled about 9 feet past before settling, the same announcer added, “Are you kidding me?”

“No one saw that coming, apart from him,” added the broadcast’s analyst.

Full Piece.

6. Harrington victorious

AP report…” Padraig Harrington closed with a 5-under 67 and held on for a two-shot victory Sunday in the Simmons Bank Championship, his third title this year on the PGA Tour Champions.”

Harrington got in front early and most of his challengers faded before a big crowd at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Y.E. Yang made 10 birdies in his closing round of 65 and pulled within one shot when Harrington made his lone bogey on the 14th hole.

But the Irishman held steady with three straight pars, and then hammered a drive down the 18th fairway that left him a long iron to the green and two putts for a final birdie.

“It’s a nice way to finish,” Harrington said. “It gives me some confidence, and I really didn’t give anyone else a chance.”

Full Piece.

7. Echavarria’s Winning WITB

Presented by 2nd Swing

Driver: Ping G430 Max (10.5 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana BB 73 TX

3-wood: PXG 0311 Black Ops (15 degrees)

5-wood: PXG 0311 XF Gen5 (19 degrees)

Irons: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4, 5), Srixon ZX7 Mk II, PXG 0317 CB (7-PW)

Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy III (50, 54, 60)

Putter: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Seven

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: 2025 Titleist Pro V1x

Full Piece.

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)