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Monday Tour Mash: Spieth Again, Fowler Wins the Scottish
Yawn, it’s Spieth again
Jordan Spieth won his fourth tournament of the 2014-15 PGA Tour season, capturing the John Deere Classic for the second time in three years. Spieth barged into the lead with middle rounds of 64-61, then made like he didn’t want to win with 1-over par through his first 12 holes on Sunday. In the interim, names like Tom Gillis and Zach Johnson shot up the leaderboard. Then, Spieth woke up.
The double-major winner of 2015 squeezed four birdies out of the final six holes to tie Gillis above all others. Gillis stood six-under through eight on the day, but bogeyed the ninth to miss out on a 29. That bogey foreshadowed another collapse late in the round, one that would resign him to a playoff with Spieth. Gillis made three birdies on the back nine, then once again bogeyed late, this time on the 16th. That second gaffe opened the door for Spieth, who made short work of the playoff, winning with par on the second extra hole.
For Gillis, though, there was a silver lining behind the cloud of oh-so-close. By virtue of being the highest-finishing golfer not yet eligible for the oldest of the majors, Gillis secured the final golden ticket to St. Andrews for the 144th playing of The Open Championship.
Fowler steals the show
On Sunday, Rickie Fowler outright stole the Scottish Open from countryman and Ryder Cup teammate Matt Kuchar. Birdies did not flow on Sunday for anyone, unless your name was Marc Warren — who made seven birdies for a 64 and T4 finish. Fowler found his birds when they mattered most. The Californian stood at an indifferent 1-over on the day when he birdied 15 and 16 to tie for the lead. From the 18th fairway, tied for the lead, Rickie Fowler staked an 57-degree wedge to 20 inches, then made the putt to emerge as the 2015 Scottish Open champion.
Although Raphael Jacquelin could not preserve the lead he held midway through the final round, the Frenchman emerged with a consolation prize: entry into next week’s Open Championship at St. Andrews. Joining Jacquelin in the tournament field are Daniel Brooks of England and Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg. Karlberg also posted seven birdies on the final day for 64.
U.S. Women’s Open: Dumbo and the Roller Coaster
In Gee Chun, a 20-year-old golfer from South Korea, backed up a Saturday 68 with an electric Sunday 66 — tied for low round of the day — to bring home the major championship victory. And she has one of the most weirdly interesting nicknames in sports.
[quote_center]BACK IN KOREA MY NAME WAS KNOWN AS DUMBO AFTER THE FIRST WIN, AND EVERYONE CALLS ME DUMBO. WHEN I CAME OVER HERE, SOME AMERICAN FANS RECOGNIZED THAT NICKNAME AND CALLED ME DUMBO. AND SOME EVEN SHOUTING IT, ‘LET’S GO, DUMBO,’ THAT HAS MADE ME REALLY ENJOY THE GAME. THANKS EVERYBODY.[/quote_center]
It would be a harrowing thing to describe how this tournament of hot-potato unrolled over the final two hours. First, Amy Yang had a safe lead. Next, Chun staged an early run with birdies on three of her first seven holes. Then Yang made a pair of birdies. Then Stacy Lewis made a birdie, a double bogey, two more birdies, another double. Oh, and Yang bogeyed four out of seven holes in the middle of the round. And on and on.
Let’s fast-forward to the last three holes, where Chun birdied 15 through 17 to take a lead, then bogeyed the last to offer Yang a chance at the U.S. Women’s Open title. Yang eagled the short, par-four 16th, birdied the par-three 17th to tie, then twitched away a chance at the title with a final-hole bogey. Once again, an unheralded golfer had claimed the National Open championship of the USA. For every Annika Sorenstam, you have a Birdie Kim. For each In Bee Park, there is a So Yeon Ryu. And now, you have Michelle Wie and Dumbo in consecutive years.
Other Events
After the Encompass Championship, Jerry Smith might ask the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill. for a framed photo of their 16th hole. The second-year Champions Tour golfer made birdie there on Friday, reached it in two and made eagle on Saturday, then holed out a greenside bunker shot on Sunday for another eagle. That 3 provided enough cushion for Smith to earn a three-stroke victory over David Frost and status on the tour as a tournament winner.
Until the Albertsons Boise Open, Martin Piller was recognized more as half of the Touring-Pro couple of Gerina and Martin Piller. Creatively-sequenced rounds of 61-63-65-67 gave the Texan a six-stroke margin of victory over Jorge Fernandez Valdes and a 48-space bump (from 52nd to 4th) in the chase for a PGA Tour card. Piller eagled a hole every day but the first, when 10 birdies led to nines of 32-29. Over the course of the week, Piller made 24 birdies, 3 eagles and 2 bogies. As if the rest of the field had a chance!
Cheng Tsung Pan turned pro after the 2015 NCAA Championships. The Taiwanese export spent four years in Washington state, at the University of Washington and got used to a certain amount of travel. Over the past four weeks, he has criss-crossed the continent with his golf clubs, and now has a tournament title to show for his efforts. Manitoba isn’t exactly in Washington, but it has the same northwestern feel and at The Players Cup, Pan took advantage of third-round leader JJ Spaun’s Sunday inconsistency (six bogeys and five birdies) to secure a three-stroke victory over Sweden’s “other” Robert Karlsson.
Let it fly
A few big names had some trouble holding onto their drivers this weekend: Ian Poulter in Scotland and Michelle Wie in Pennsylvania.
SLOW MOTION!Michelle Wie ??? can’t hang onto the club after her drive at No. 7. #USWomensOpen
Posted by FOX Sports on Sunday, July 12, 2015
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.
Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.
PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole
Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.
Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.
Henley’s Suitcase
- Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
- Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
- Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
- Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
- Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype
LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!
Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.
Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.
Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
Celine’s Suitcase
- Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
- Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
- Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
- Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
- Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS
DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!
Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.
Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.
Kaneko’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping Max G440
- Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
- Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
- Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7
Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro
Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.
The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.
Alvaro’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
- Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
- Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
- Wedges
- Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.
Niemann’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping 440 LST
- Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
- Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
- Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
- Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Ping PLD Anser
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Matto
Jul 14, 2015 at 4:09 am
144th Open.
Ronald Montesano
Jul 14, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Isn’t it great when your ginfer slips and you tpye the wrong number, Matteo? I intentionally looked up the number, then still got it wrong! Thank you for catching that error.
RM
gvogel
Jul 13, 2015 at 9:51 pm
I enjoyed watching In Gee Chun’s come from behind victory. She has apparently had a lot of success in the Korean tour. She is fairly young – I hope to see her do well in future majors.
It’s nice to see golfers who can smile at their mistakes, and still win golf tournaments. Even major golf tournaments.
Ronald Montesano
Jul 14, 2015 at 5:10 pm
One thing you can’t change is a golfer’s personality. It’s rare because successful golfers often have insular, me-directed personalities. They don’t make great salespeople because they are very focused on the self and the self’s task. That’s why a Lee Trevino, a Christina Kim, a Fuzzy Zoeller and an in Gee Chun are such rare birds.
RM