News

Five Things we Learned: Friday at the PGA Championship

Published

3 months ago

May 17, 2025

The PGA Championship might be the greatest gift to golf and major events. At the US Open and the Masters, we read articles about how the field is essentially whittled down to a select twenty, and no one else should have a shot at the title. Inevitably, this happens. What about the other 130 golfers in the field? Why should their chances be reduced? Doesn’t that make it a boring affair? Hardly. When it comes to the Open Championship, it’s a similar but different notion. Winners come from out of the blue, but the Royal and Ancient is not nearly as dismissive as the American viewing public (alongside some of the working journalists). The winner is the Champion Golfer of the Year, and he is welcomed into the shrine of winners, with no baggage nor criticism. That’s how Brian Harman, Francesco Molinari, Paul Lawrie, and Tom Lehman won major titles since 1980. Even farther out in the rings of golfing Saturn, that’s how Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton went back-to-back in the early 2002s, and how Ian Baker-Finch, Bill Rogers, Kel Nagle, and Max Faulkner, among many, claimed a solitary major title.

It’s time to stop the bullying. First and foremost, the PGA Championship is a major title. If there’s a flaw in golf’s hierarchy, it’s the restriction of major titles to four. Adding the Australian Open and one more wouldn’t diminish what golfers have done over the years. The LPGA has more than four, as does the PGA Tour Champions. A winner will emerge from this year’s crowded field, and he will be a worthy winner. For this week, at the very least, he will be the PGA Professional of the Year, and he will have earned the right to be welcomed into the fold of the many course and club professionals, who toil daily to support the game that we the viewers, we the fans, we the golfers, play as often as possible. Long live the PPOTY!

OK, back to this gig. It’s Friday evening, and it’s time for a Five Things We Learned on Friday at the PGA Championship. In case you missed Thursday’s action, we’ll leave you with those highlights. Then, we’ll get down to business.

First, take my caddie, and I’ll take the lead…almost

John Maxwell Homa was just what Charlotte, Quail Hollow, and the PGA of America needed on Friday morning. He played the inward nine first, and absolutely electrified the in-person and on-screen fans with a 30 over his first half-round. Highlight of the day was the 300+ flight of his tee ball on 14. Homa’s strike settled within 12 inches of the hole, guaranteeing eagle. It was never on line to be an albatross, but a hole in one on a par-four hole would have been something! Homa came home in one-under figures on the front (his second) nine, lowering the week’s low from Vegas’ 65 to 64. He would be matched later in the day, but Homa and his new caddie found themselves inside the top five, guaranteed a 2:25 tee time with a pretty strong compatriot.

Second, sometimes it’s all about the rake place at the rake time

With two rounds in, Jhonattan Vegas is still the leader, and international players still feature prominently (the top four hail from Venezuela, Korea, England, and France) in the competition. Vegas stood on the 36th tee Friday with a four-shot advantage. After bogey at the second hole, he had scratched four birdies from the greens to reach ten-under par for the week.

Vegas reached the 17th tee, played a less-than-flush tee ball, and watched it do what you see in the video below. Might he have gotten up and down from the bunker? Perhaps. Holed a long putt or chip? Perhaps. His rake shot will be remembered for the memes that it will produce: I didn’t read that much rake in the putt, for example. Luck has a way of evening out, and Vegas found a double bogey without finding the creek that protects the left flank of the hole. His approach never turned, and found sand. His recovery had to be played gently, and it came out too gentle. A chip and two putts later, Vegas was still your clubhouse leader, still with a multi-shot advantage, and perhaps, a bit of grounding as the weekend loomed.

Third, welcome back to the Si-Woo Kid!

We all remember 21-year-old Si Woo Kim, who shocked the world in 2017 with a Players Championship win. Kim performed his mandatory military service after becoming the Sawgrass sensation, then returned to professional golf. In addition to his Wyndham (that he won the prior season), Kim added American Express and Sony Open titles, but has yet to join the ranks of major champions. Mid-May of 2025 might be his week.

Like Max Home, Si Woo had a 30 of his own on the front nine. Like Homa, Kim signed for a 64 on day two, matching the low round of the week. Unlike Homa, Kim actually dunked a tee shot for an ace on day two. It wasn’t quite as long as Homa’s hole, but an ace is an ace, and Kim rode his perfect strike on hole six to an afternoon tee time in Saturday’s final pairing. Major status might finally beckon to the great Korean golfer.

Fourth, these are some names among the chasers

For all those looking for the next Tiger, stop praying for a Scheffler win every week. If he earns it, wonderful. He’ll have his hands full, despite following a 69 with 68, to reach the weekend at five-under par. Scheffler is tied for fifth spot, three back of the leader. No doubt he has eyes on the heavy Wannamaker trophy, but he’s not alone.

There is greatness and potential in Robert MacIntyre, Matthieu Pavon, Denny McCarty, Garrick Higgo, and others among the pursuing pack. There is opportunity for glory and disaster along the emerald fairways of Quail Hollow. Most importantly, there are sixteen golfers between -4 and -8, and another eleven at minus-three. Without a dominant leader, the 107th playing of the PGA Championship is anyone’s game. If that’s not enough to get you excited for Saturday, remember that Masters champion Rory McIlroy is only a 62 away from minus-eight. That would get him in contention for Sunday.

Fifth, guys we’ll miss and predictions we’ll make

Not everyone made the cut on Friday evening. We shall miss the likes of Shane Lowry, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Min Woo Lee, all whom missed by three shots or fewer. The green mile of closing holes is daunting, and fellows like Akshay Bhatia, a home-state Carolinian, testified to that. Bhatia was minus-three on the 14th tee. Two doubles and one single later, he was not five shots back of the leader; he was out of the tournament.

Time to make some lurker predictions. Four of our six lurker picks reached the weekend, but we’ll eschew their names for six new lurkers. Here goes nothing, friends!

-4 Denny McCarthy. He’s a great putter, so if he can find the greens, he can make putts.
-3 Taylor Pendrith. Nick Taylor broke the Canadian Open curse. It’s time for Taylor to end the major one.
-2 Viktor Hovland. How good can this guy get? He had a close call in 2023. Time for redemption.
-1 Beau Hossler. This far back, you need a birdie machine. Hossler can light it up when he’s on. Today!
0 Stephan Jaeger. He was a dark-horse prediction by many. He bounces back on Saturday with 63.
+1 Bud Cauley. Another comeback story. He has a 60 in him. Minus-eleven on major Saturday? Aye.

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)