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Tour Rundown: Min Woo kicks in the door

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5 months ago

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The final week of March 2025 yielded some impressive performances, as golfers ramped up for major championship season. A number of tours found a home in the west, from Texas to Arizona to California. The indoor season crowned a champion in Florida, while the DP World Tour passed through India. It’s beginning to feel like competitive golf season, with Tour: Americas joining the list with its South American transit. We’ve assembled a summary of six events for your edification, so pull up a chair at the table and join us for a six-course dinner of Tour Rundown.

PGA Tour @ Houston Open: Min Woo kicks in the door

They tried to chase him down, out there in the new West, but Min Woo had too much ammo in his six shooter to roll over. Min Woo Lee earned his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday in Houston, posting 67 in the final round to hold off Gary Woodland and Scottie Scheffler. Lee joined his sister as the third pair of siblings to win on the PGA and LPGA circuits. Previously, both had won USGA Junior titles and competed in the Olympics.

Min Woo established his leader role with round of 66-64-63 over the first 54 holes. He played most of Sunday like a runaway train, intending to separate himself from the others. At the 16th tee, Lee blocked a tee shot right, into the pond that runs the length of the hole. With the poise of a gunslinger, he played his subsequent tee ball safely onto dry land, then completed the hole as the architect intended. The double bogey gave hope to the chasers, but Lee finished with a pair of pars to slip out of Houston with the coveted title.

Scheffler had briefly held the lead, following Friday’s 62, but was unable to match Lee’s brilliance on Saturday. Both he and Woodland went super-low on Sunday (63 and 62, respectively) but were unable to complete the chase. As the tour ramps up for Masters week, all three should figure in the chase for the green jacket.

LPGA @ Ford Championship: Hyoly smokes, it’s Hyo-Joo

Continuing our wild west theme for a bit, the women of the LPGA laid siege on Wild Horse Pass, in Chandlere, Arizona. Everyone tried to chase down Lilia Vu, and one of the outlaws did just that. Like Lee above, Vu had laid claim to the week’s trophy, thanks to stellar rounds of 66-64 to begin matters. It’s not that 68-68 on the weekend was wretched golf; it’s simply that others had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

On Saturday, a number of golfers chipped away at Vu’s lead with 67s, but on Sunday, they opened the stockade and unleashed even better scores. None was lower than Hyo Joo Kim, who signed for 64 on Sunday, matching Vu at 22-under par. The pair stood one shot clear of Allisen Corpuz, whose day-four 65 came up one putt shy of overtime. Vu and Kim returned to the 18th tee, where both found the fairway and the green. Vu was unable to convert her putt for birdie, but Kim’s splendid approach had left but six feet for glory, and she did not falter. Wild Horse was her seventh tour title, and first since October of 2023,

DP World Tour @ Indian Open: Chacarra rises above

Eugenio Chacarra is no strange to turbulence. He began his USA university studies at Wake Forest, before transferring to Oklahoma State. Upon turning professional, Chacarra spurned the world’s tours for the riches of the LIV golf circuit. After three seasons, he departed the upstart assemblage for opportunity, and this week, he received it.

Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, Chacarra held his game together over the course of four days, to claim an inaugural DP World Tour title, and the spoils that come with it. The Spaniard played around par for three days, as the field had fits with the Gary Player-designed, DLF course. On Sunday, Chacarra began with a double and a single bogey in his first three holes, and was left for departed. He rebounded with five birdies in the middle of the round, to reclaim the lead. A 17th-hole bogey was not enough to derail his engine, and Chacarra eclipsed Keita Nakajima by two to claim a life-changing victory.

Nakajima also started poorly on day four, standing two-over after three. He closed with two late birdies to assure himself of second position, but could never recover the fire that brought him to 29 on Friday’s front nine.

TGL @ Championship Series: Hot-Lanta claims the first TGL crown

We almost had a worst to first story line in the first season of TGL. The boys from Gotham had the New York Golf Club on the verge of a climb to the top, but they came up short to Atlanta. NYGC had lost the inaugural match of TGL: Year One to The Bay, but snuck into the playoffs with a strong, regular-season finish. They defeated Los Angeles Golf Club in the semifinals, and carried a one-point advantage to hole fourteen, in match one of the best-of-three final.

It was then that Billy Horschel, aka Mr. TGL, ripped an iron inside four feet on the penulatimate par three, to square the match. Xander Schauffele wiffed from six feet at the last, unable to send the match to overtime. The two teams met the next evening, and NYGC appeared poised for retribution. The metro mob carried a three-zero advantage to the twelfth tee, but then, Atlanta came to life. Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, and Justin Thomas won consecutive holes to stun the Tribeca Trio. When Cameron Young was unable to counter at the last, Atlanta had an unexpected 4-3 victory and the first-ever, TGL team title.

PGA Tour Champions @ Galleri: Allan outlasts others for first tour trophy

Steve Allan collected a pair of admirable titles during his younger days on tour. He won the 1998 German Open and the 2002 Australian national championship. Since then and until now, no titles of note came his way. This week in California, the Australian held off a collection of challengers to claim an inaugural Champions championship.

Allan’s success eminated from avoidance of the bad round. Each of his companions in the top five (Tag Ridings, Steve Flesch, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Steven Alker) posted one score north of 70 during the week. This wasn’t the only key to success during a week at Mission Hills, but it did serve as a harbinger for Allan. His rounds of 69-65-67 added to minus-fifteen, and held off the erstwhile Ridings by one shot.

Despite its notoriety as a manageable finisher, the watery 18th yielded few birdies on Sunday. Both Ridings and Allan made par there, and the title went to the Aussie.

PGA Tour Americas @ Abierto Telecom: Grider nips Vrzich in playoff

Things were electric this week, in Argentina’s second city. The eponymous golf club of Cordoba hosted the world’s up-and-coming professionals, and they put their skills on display, and then some! Among the top four finishers, only Connor Godsey failed to record an eagle over the final nine holes. Godsey leaves the Platense with regret. Standing at 17-under through 70 holes, the former Montevallo (Alabama) golfer closed with bogeys, to drop to -15, a shot out of the playoff.

Finishing at -16 were Ryan Grider (two-under in his last three holes) and Joey Vrzich (minus-four over his final four holes.) The former Baylor and Pepperdine student-athletes headed back to the final tee for overtime. Vrzich’ gas tank was empty, after closing with 63, and he made bogey on the extra hole. Grider sailed his approach shot inside ten feet, and calmly converted the sliding putt for birdie and the victory.

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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

Published

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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