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5 things we learned: Thursday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic

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This week’s PGA Tour event caps the first month of professional golf’s return. The Rocket Mortgage Classic is in its second year, and offers a classic course in an urban setting. Detroit Golf Club is a quintessential, Donald Ross golf course. The holes bend gently this way and that, appointed by bunkers cuffed with manageable rings of rough. The greens vary in size and shape, but typically trick even the professional into attempting to delicate an approach. With only a one-year sample size, it’s hard to predict who will play well this week in Detroit. Put your money on golfers with history at a similar club, or success on traditional golf courses. That’s my primer for year two at the RMC, meaning it’s time for five things we learned on Thursday.

5. Doc Redman is at home at DGC

Redman was the second most surprising participant in last year’s event. The 2017 US Amateur champion posted 62 in last year’s Monday qualifier, and advanced to the tournament proper, where he finished solo 2nd. If not for Nate Lashley, who missed qualifying on Monday, received a sponsor’s exemption, then won the tournament, Redman would have been the story of the week. The former Clemson golfer began this year where he left off 2019, although no one saw it coming through ten holes. Remand paired one birdie with one bogey, holding steady at even par as he reached the 11th hole. From that point forward, it was 4th of July fireworks. Doc parred the 14th hole, missing an 11-feet birdie putt. Why focus on 14? It was his only par over the closing stretch. Three consecutive birdies from 11 through 13, and four more, from 15 to 18, brought him to 7 under on the day, into a tie for first at 7-under par. Redman has yet to shoot above 68 at DGC.

4. Stallings and Kisner join Redman at the top

Scott Stallings, like Redman, played the course in traditional order. Kisner, in turn, began on the inward half and finished at the par-three ninth. Both golfers closed with three birdies over their final four holes, to reach seven deep. Like Redman, Stallings had eight birdies and one bogey; Kisner was clean on the day, with seven birdies and eleven pars. Unlike Redman, neither Stalling nor Kisner had a particularly memorable, first go-round at Detroit in 2019. Each made the 36-hole cut, but neither finished inside the top 45.

3.  Seven golfers lie in wait

The Big Bang Theory, aka Bryson DeChambeau, reached minus-seven with one hole to play. He drove the ball in perfect position at 18, then inexplicably missed the green with wedge in hand, and dropped back to minus-six with a bogey. He is joined by Chase Seiffert, Peter Malnati, JJ Spaun, Emiliano Grillo, Chris Stroud and Matt Wallace. Beyond Bryson, Wallace is the most accomplished of the septuplets. He has 4 European Tour victories, and came within an eyelash of qualifying for the 2019 Ryder Cup team. Spaun led the field with nine birdies on the day, but he also had three bumbles along the way. Spaun tied for 13th in 2019, so his affection for the course is viable.

2. Mr. Rocket Mortgage is tied for 11th

Rickie Fowler, the PGA Tour pitchman for the tournament host, acquitted himself well with seven birdies for 67. His mid-round hiccough came at the 18th (his 9th), where he never saw the fairway, played chunk-and-run around the putting surface, and ultimately tapped in for 2 feet for double bogey. Fowler isn’t first on my list for Best Player To Never Win A Major, but he is the top guy for Should Win More With The Talent He has. In my mind, he’s an affable Sergio Garcia, save for the fact that Sergio has a major title on his record. This seems like the type of event that Ricky could win, but 2nd and 3rd-round lapses are his specialty. It will take 36 holes of solid play to keep him close to the top.

1. The predictions are in

Most likely to go from Triple A to the Majors: Chris Kirk. Two weeks ago, he won on the Korn Ferry tour. He sits at -5 after round one.

Least likely to have two golfers inside the top 50: Norway. Siri, search Kristoffer Ventura and Viktor Hovland.

Least likely Norwegian to be born in Puebla, Mexico: Ventura

Most likely to go low on Friday: Brendan Todd. Gassed away a win last week in the final round. Made double on a par five on Thursday. Watch out.

Most likely to move inside top five from way back: Tyrrell Hatton. This guy is freakishly good. Might be best on European Tour.

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

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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

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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

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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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