News

Morning 9: Patty T, Knapp win GTI | Q-School qualifiers

Published

8 months ago

Dec 16, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

Good morning, golf fans. A humble request: If you haven’t done so already, please check out the latest episode of my new podcast with Gianni Magliocco. Appreciate you all! Latest show description below.

The guys offer hot takes on a very cold subject: snow (also, Joker 2). On the “actually related to golf front,” they take a quick spin through the topics du jour before discussing Tiger Woods’ PNC Championship commitment and what could be ahead for the 15-time major champion. Nine-stroke penalties, Brooks and Bryson, and a curmudgeonly rant about practice swings (Ben) round out the show.

1. Patty T, Knapp Time take the GTI

AP report…”Patty Tavatanakit holed a 25-foot birdie putt and Jake Knapp gave them the lead on the next hole with a tough pitch to set up birdie as the UCLA duo combined for a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a one-shot victory in the Grant Thornton Invitational.”

“They won on their respective tours on the same day this year — Knapp at the Mexico Open, Tavatanakit at the Honda LPGA Thailand — and were equally impressive as a team, especially down the stretch at Tiburon Golf Club.”

“Jeeno Thitikul, who won the LPGA finale at Tiburon last month for the $4 million prize, holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole as she and Tom Kim shot 64 to finish alone in second.”

Full piece.

2. Q-School qualifiers

AP report…” Lanto Griffin holed a 40-foot putt for eagle on his first hole that sent him to a 7-under 63 in the final round of Q-school, the leader of six players who earned PGA Tour cards for next year.”

“Griffin was the medalist at 9-under 271, but all that mattered was being among the top five and ties to get full status as the PGA Tour goes through sharp changes that include smaller fields starting in 2025.”

“Hayden Buckley (67) and former world No. 1 amateur Takumi Kanaya of Japan (69) also made it through. Kanaya holed 8-foot par putts on his last two holes.”

“They were followed at 4-under 276 by Alejandro Tosti of Argentina (66), Will Chandler (66) and Matthew Riedel (72).”

Full piece.

3. Dunhill: Shaun Norris a winner

BBC report…”Shaun Norris shot a final-round 67 to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship by one shot in his native South Africa.”

“Norris carded an eagle, five birdies and a bogey to finish on 13 under and claim victory at Leopard Creek Country Club.”

“England’s John Parry, Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult and South Africa’s Ryan van Velzen were a shot back on 12 under.”

Full piece.

4. LIV Promotions

Golf Channel report…”Chieh-po “Max” Lee captured the lone 2025 LIV Golf spot on offer at its Promotions event.”

“Lee, a 30-year-old winner this past season on the Asian Tour, shot 3-under 68 in the final round at Riyadh Golf Club to finish at 10 under par, two clear of second place.”

“Taichi Kho (67) and Branden Grace (67) finished T-2. Grace, who won a LIV Golf individual tournament as part of the Stingers team in 2022, was relegated after a poor ’24 season.”

Full piece.

5. AK’s wild claim

6. Tiger a winner in 2025?

Around the 10-minute mark of the latest episode of Not Another Golf Show, the guys dig into Tiger Woods’ health update at last week’s Hero World Challenge and news he plans to tee it up along with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship next week.

Here’s an excerpt of the conversation.

Ben: I’ll ask you, coming out of out of his Hero presser and his answers around his health. Did you expect him to be ready for this event or did you expect he’d be on the shelf for a bit longer here?

Gianni: I thought he’d play because he can just get in a cart for this… it’s not going to be taxing on the body at all. let’s be honest, nobody really cares about the result. It’s more about just teaming and having fun. So I’m not surprised he’s playing, but it’s very hard to be enthusiastic about Tiger’s 2025 when you listen to him speak about his body, about his health, how he’s not going to be able to play lead-up events into the majors. I know he hates the term “ceremonial golfer” but it’s hard to get away with not calling him that these days.

Ben: I mean, just looking at his age, irrespective of the toll the body has taken, which is singular, think, in golf, at least among top golfers. mean, the infographic of what has happened to each portion of his body and what he’s weathered, the number of surgeries, all of that is…It’s really staggering and you know, it’s easy to forget about some of it. But I mean, the age he’s at, for the most part, players don’t win anymore. I mean, he’s past the age of decline.

So you got father time going against you generally. then given everything he’s been through. And I think specifically, he has issues affecting his ability to walk and his endurance related to that and the ability to pain-free related to that. But you know, the back issues, I think just as much the way that continues to be a thing, you know, I mean, he was on the shelf for his prior back surgery, right? When the car accident happened, and then all the focus is on the leg, you know. But the back was still very much a thing at that point, and obviously, as evidenced by him having another surgery here, still is very much a thing. So, it’s super concerning in terms of just his ability to ever have the combination of feeling good enough to get the reps, to get the game sharp enough, and having four days in which he’s able to walk around with the level of comfort that it’s not adversely affecting his play.

Gianni: Yeah, I would just, and it is never going to happen, but I would just love to see him avail of the PGA Tour’s disability clause and just use a cart for a year and just see how he feels after that…because he’s just giving himself fits now…

Full Piece.

7. Winning WITBs

Presented by 2nd Swing

Tavatanakit

Driver: Titleist TSR2 (8 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 50 S

3-wood: Titleist TSR2 (15 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 S

5-wood: Titleist TSR2 (18 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Tense 1K White 60 S

Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5-PW)

Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50, 56-08M, 60-04L)

Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Wedge 115 S

Putter: Scotty Cameron SB-2 Tour Prototype

Grips: Iomic Sticky 2.3

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Knapp

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5

Mini driver: PXG Secret Weapon (13 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 95 6.5

5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 95 6.5

Irons: PXG 0317 ST (4-PW)

Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X (4-PW)

Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II (52-10), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-10S), WedgeWorks (60-T)

Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X (52, 56), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125

Putter: PXG Prototype

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour SGP 1.0

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

Full WITBs.

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)