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Tour Mash: Kyle Stanley ends a five-year drought

Published

9 years ago

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It was a week with two major titles on the line, along with an opportunity for redemption for golfers in dire need of a career revival. A mass of humanity was within two swings of the lead on one tour, and drama echoed across every Sunday fairway on the world’s major professional golf tours. With no more delay, let’s mash it up.

Quicken Loans National to Stanley in playoff

It was a week of “Remember Him?” at the Quicken Loans National near the nation’s capital. Keegan Bradley finished in a tie for fifth, Charles Howell III tied for first and lost in a playoff. No return from the forgotten was greater, though, than Kyle Stanley’s. The 2012 Phoenix Open winner had not challenged for much of anything in the intervening five years, but he caught lightning in a bottle and used it to secure his second career PGA Tour victory.

After opening 65-65, David Lingmerth finished 73-73 and dropped from first after 3 rounds to a tie for 5th. His miscues offered hope to a number of golfers. First there was Rickie Fowler, who made nine birdies on the day, but had two bogeys and one double-bogey to finish two shots out of the playoff. Sung Kang stood on the 15th tee at 7-under par, but made a bogey and a double over the closing stretch to drop back to 4-under.

For the second consecutive week, nerves showed off the tee and into the green in the playoff. Last week, it was Daniel Berger and Jordan Spieth; this week, both Stanley and Howell missed fairway and green. After Howell missed from 11 feet for par, Stanley drained his five-foot effort for 4 and the win.

Women’s PGA trophy belongs to Danielle Kang

Danielle Kang might have expected an inaugural LPGA triumph to come before 2017. When she turned professional, half a decade ago, Kang had won the U.S. Amateur twice. On Sunday, she made the Women’s PGA championship her maiden victory, which probably worked out well. Kang used a four-birdie run on her second nine to separate herself from playing partner Chella Choi, and might have been forgiven for thinking that a win was in the books.

That’s when Brooke Henderson, perhaps feeling the civic pride from Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration on Saturday, began to make a move. Henderson signed for a bogey-free, five-birdie 66, two better than Kang. Trouble was, she started three shots back of the eventual champion. The finish was Henderson’s 2nd superlative finish in three weeks, and moved her from seventh to fourth in the Race for the CME Globe. As for Kang, this major triumph vaulted her all the way from 28th to a tie for tenth in the season-long series.

U.S. Senior Open title is Perry’s latest triumph

One golfer in the 2017 US Senior Open field played both weekend rounds under par at Salem (MA) country club. He was also the only golfer to play four rounds in the 60s, and that was enough to give James Kenneth Perry his ninth Champions Tour win, his 4th senior major and 2nd Senior Open title. Perry rode rounds of 65-64-67-68 to a two-stroke win over Kirk Triplett, who fell agonizingly shy of his first senior major triumph.

Perry was more consistent than anyone else. He might have lacked the firepower of the 62s posted by Triplett (Thursday) and Brandt Jobe (Saturday) but his engine revved the highest when the tally came in. Jobe finished a distant third at 9-under par, five behind Triplett and seven behind the champion.

The Salem country club continued the tradition of classic golf rebirth. The Donald Ross-design, just outside of Boston, utilized slower green speeds in order to counteract greater-than-normal slope. Bombers weren’t the order of the day, and the spoils went to the man who thought his way better than the rest over the course of 72 holes.

Flawless Fleetwood wins Open de France

Tommy Fleetwood played in the final pairing in last month’s US Open. Although he ultimately finished fourth, that experience proved invaluable as his Sunday golf was flawless near Paris, and he stormed from behind to earn his third European Tour win. American Peter Uihlein, still in search of a second Euro Tour victory, nearly caught Fleetwood, finishing one stroke back.

Fleetwood began the day four back of leader Alexander Bjork, who was paired with Uihlein in the final twosome. As the leaders struggle at the start (Bjork 1-over through four, Uihlein 2-over through five) Fleetwood was on the march. He made five birdies against zero bogeys on the day, finishing 12-under for the tournament. A number of players made runs, but it was Uihein and his inward 31 (4-under) that nearly caught the Englishman. Bjork ultimately finished tied for 3rd with Thorbjorn Olesen and Mike Lorenzo-Vera, undone by far too many bogeys and too few birdies.

Le Golf Nationale will be the host site for the 2018 Ryder Cup, and captains Thomas Bjorn (Europe) and Jim Furyk (USA) were certainly paying attention to the performances of candidates for their respective teams. The 2018 playing of this tournament will certainly attract more American players, looking to convince Furyk of their worth as captain’s picks.

Web.Com stalled by lightning, ends in playoff

The bad news was the two rain delays, followed by the playoff, that drove the conclusion of the Nashville Golf Open Sunday’s gloaming. The good news was that, as the second rain delay ended, 22 golfers were within two strokes of the lead. No, not a typo. Four golfers (Guillermo Pereira, Taylor Moore, Abraham Ancer and Adam Schenk) sat atop the board at 13-under. Another five golfers were one shot back, with 13 more at 11-under. No other tour had the potential for this much drama and the Web.Com golfers didn’t disappoint.

In the end, Lanto Griffin was able to follow his sublime 62 on Saturday with a 4-in-5 birdie stretch on the back nine, to reach -16. Joining him at that number was Abraham Ancer, already a winner on the Web.Com tour. Ancer had eight birdies in his closing 67, none of which came on par-5 holes! One stroke out of the playoff were Pereira and Moore. Both birdied the closing hole, but came up just shy of a shot at glory.

On the first playoff hole, Griffin made birdie from 20 feet on the par-three 10th hole. Ancer had missed the putting surface with his tee ball, and could not hole out from off the green.

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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 Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Jun 1, 2026

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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

Pullout Albums

 

 

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Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jun 1, 2026

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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

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

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Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

4 weeks ago

on

May 31, 2026

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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

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