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Tour Rundown: Gutsy finishes all around

Published

7 years ago

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In Italian and Spanish, Montesano translates as Healthy Mountain. Well, duh, obviously…just look at me! This week, I become Montecalvo, or Bald Mountain, when I participate in Bald For Bucks to raise money for cancer research. Donations of all sizes are welcome, and you can support the cause by clicking this link.

Last week’s professional golf stretched from the gulf of Oman to Singapore, to Australia and New Zealand, across the Pacific Ocean to Arizona, and on to Florida. As much as any other week, it was an international game. For a complete rundown, keep your eyes on the screen and read on.

PGA Tour: Honda Classic to Mitchell in gutsy close

At the 2017 final regular-season event on the Web.Com Tour, Keith Mitchell failed to birdie the easy, par-5 closer, and just missed getting his PGA Tour card. His face told the story. During the playoffs, he played well enough to secure the card for 2018, albeit with less status.

On Sunday, the table turned 180 degrees. Tied with a couple of no-names (cough, Brooks Koepka; cough, cough, Rickie Fowler) on the 72nd hole. Mitchell made an unlikely birdie from a fairway bunker, and won by one stroke over the decorated duo. Having driven in the left fairway bunker, Mitchell eschewed a run at the green, and pitched some 84 yards to the short grass. His 130-yard approach settled 15 feet from the promised land. His putt never wavered, and an inaugural PGA Tour title was his.

European Tour: Oman Open has unexpected winner in Kitayama

Al Mouj did not lay down this week in Oman. The course and its surrounds tested the field with water, wind, and a round-delaying sandstorm. 36 holes were on offer Sunday, to conclude play. The closing marathon took its toll, as challengers fired and fell back. Along the coast where the gulf of Oman meets the Arabian sea, Al Mouj might have kept its trophy, were it not for the closing heroics of Kurt Kitayama. The young American birdied holes 16 and 17 in round four, at precisely the time when his competition found water, rocks, and everything unwanted over the watery, final stretch. What made his victory all the more improbable was his start early Sunday: quad-bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey.

After playing holes 37-41 in 6 over, Kitayama flipped a switch and played the next 31 holes in nine under. Playing together in the final group, Kitayama, Max Kieffer and Joachim Hansen came to the 72nd tee with a chance at victory. Hanson went to a watery grave off the tee, making bogey and dropping to T6. Kiefer had an uphill birdie putt to tie Kitayama, but left it well short after a case of line-obsession. Kitayama was able to calmly two-putt from 15 feet to secure his second European Tour title in four months. In a four-way tie for second, one behind Kitayama, were Kieffer, Jorge Campillo, Clement Sordet and Fabrizio Zanotti.

LPGA: Sung Hyun claims Women’s World Championship with Sunday 64

Another week, another close call for Minjee Lee. These are the stretches that make or break a season, even a career. We’ll get to the winner in a moment, but Australian Lee is so close to a dominant stretch of victories. Here’s hoping that the coming weeks see her scale the mountain. At the top of this week’s podium, the winner of the Women’s World Championship, is another golfer with designs on the number-one ranking. Sung Hyun Park epitomizes the power game of the new generation of golfer. She hits it hard, far and straight! When she putts with precision, as happened during round four, well, 64s also happen.

Both golfers (Park and Lee) were clipped by a single Sunday bogey. It was the only blemish for Lee, against four birdies. Park simply went deeper: three consecutive tweets to begin her round, two more chirps by the seventh hole, and a quartet on the inward nine. Nine birdies on any day are a tough hand to counter, and Lee came up two strokes shy, at 13 under. Both golfers are inside the season points race’s top 10, with Lee at third and Park resting at sixth.

PGA Tour Champions: Cologuard Championship ends 9-year victory drought for O’Meara

Did you hear the one about the professional golfer who birdied eight consecutive holes? On Friday, it was Mark O’Meara. After opening with par at the first, he didn’t make another until the 10th. Turning in 28, O’Meara slacked his way in with eight consecutive pars, then a bogey at the last. Despite the unconscious display of brilliance, all O’Meara had to show for his efforts was a tie for second, one shot behind Kenny Perry. As the leader tumbled on Saturday, O’Meara played a decent round (70) to take a one-shot lead over three golfers. With everything on the line on day three,  O’Meara made eight birdies against one bogey for another 66, and claimed his first Champions Tour title since 2010, by four strokes over Willie Wood, Kirk Tribplett, Darren Clarke, and Scott McCarron.

PGA Tour of Australasia: New Zealand Open to Murray by a whisker

Australia’s Zach Murray played a game of come-and-get-me; countryman Ashley Hall nearly did. Murray opened with 63-65, then closed with 70-68. His efforts reached 21-under par at 266. Hall lay like a lion in the bushes with 67-69-67, then burst home with 65 on Sunday. His 7-under effort on day four nearly caught the champion, but Murray’s early-week fireworks were enough to secure victory. Hall might have done the deed, save for a closing bogey at the par-4 home hole. Murray also made a mess at the last, with a bogey of his own. His eagle-birdie-birdie stretch on holes 13-15 kept the charging Hall at a distance, and established the winning margin.

Ladies European Tour: Canberra Classic in touch with the Dutch

A weekend of 64-68 usually spells wonderful news for golfers, unless you find yourself pitted against Holland’s Anne Van Dam. That was the case for Slovenia’s Katja Pogocar, who entered the final round square with her rival. Her day-three work was a bit choppy, with six birds against three boges. As things went, it was just enough to hold off Jiyai Shin for outright second, by one slim stroke. The day and the week belonged to Van Dam, who secured her fourth tour title by following 63 with 65. The pair were tightly pitted as the closing stretch arrived, when Van Dam went to work. She closed with an eagle and two birdies over the final four holes, two shots better than her competitor. The final margin of victory was three strokes, thanks to the winner’s final-day, unblemished scorecard.

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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

By

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

By

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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