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Tour Rundown: Keegan’s Kareer Komeback | A Baltusrol win for Yin

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3 years ago

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Let’s get right to it.

LPGA @ Women’s PGA Championship: A Baltusrol win for Yin

Leona Maguire had an opportunity to climb a new rung on the women’s professional golf ladder, but Sunday at Baltusrol was not her day. The 54-hole leader did not make a birdie until the 13th hole of round four. By that time, she had three bogeys and was about to add a fourth. Her 74 dropped her from seven under to four under par, and into an 11th-place tie. Her stumble revealed opportunity for ten other golfers to take a run at the 2023 PGA Championship.

Jenny Shin, who was paired with Maguire, could not capitalize on Maguire’s bad fortune, and dropped six spots into a tie for 8th. Surging into the same place were Rose Zhang (-4 for -5 overall) and Ayaka Furue (-5 for -5 overall.) A quintet of golfers tied for third spot at six-under par. Xiyu Lin had the best shot at the title, turning in five-under par on the day. The birdie well ran dry, and a final-hole bogey dropped Xiyu from seven-under to minus-six. Matching her total were Stephanie Meadow, Megan Khang, Anna Nordqvist, and Carlota Ciganda. Spain’s Ciganda had the low round of the day (64) but was unable to make birdie at either of the closing par-five holes.

Japan’s Yuka Saso found her momentum near the turn on day four. She posted five birdies from hole seven through fifteen, but a crushing bogey temporarily derailed her train at the 16th. Birdie at the last brought her to minus-seven, but it wasn’t enough to catch the champion. China’s Ruoning Yin, a recent winner of her first LPGA event, was the only golfer to avoid Old Lady Bogey over the final 18 holes. Ruoning paired four birdies with 14 pars for 67, reaching 8-under par for the tournament. Her birdie at the last hole separated her from Saso, and gave the 20-year old her first major championship.

PGA Tour @ Travelers Championship: Keegan’s Kareer Komeback Kontinues

For those with a bit of memory, Keegan Bradley was the golfer most identified with the USGA’s decision to eliminate the anchored putting form of rolling the rock. Although the long putter didn’t go away, its use was severely curtailed, and Keegan’s burgeoning win total (three in 2011-2012, including a major championship) halted for six years. In 2018, the New England native won for a fourth time during the playoff run. Since October of 2022, the Vermont-born Bradley has won twice. Beyond the 2011 PGA Championship in Atlanta, this week’s win in Connecticut certainly means the most.

It was Keegan’s week, to be sure. Denny McCarthy may have opened with a near-epic 60, coming up just shy of a rare descent into the 50s, but he wasn’t going to win. River Highlands was in pristine condition, and  receptive greens meant that scores would be low all week. Bradley was on track for a fourth-consecutive round below 66, until a Sunday spate of bogeys gave hope to the chasers. Chez Reavie began the final round one slim shot behind Bradley, but lost his connection to the birdie network. His first one came at Sunday’s 14th hole, and it was also his last. A blase round of one-over par relegated Reavie to a tie for fourth, four back of the top spot.

On Sunday’s 13th tee, Bradley’s scorecard read five-under par on the day, 26-deep on the week. His lead was nearly double-digits, and he simply lost his way. His drive went right, into the water, and Bradley made bogey on a par-five hole that others devoured with eagle. On the 14th, he chunked his approach shot short of the green and made another bogey. At the par-three 16th, Bradley nearly dunked another tee shot. He found the right rough and again, failed to get up and down for par. At this juncture, the lead was three and folks had to wonder. Fortunately for all of New England, their homegrown hero righted the ship, closed with two pars, and brought the region a native winner.

DP World Tour @ BMW International: Lawrence of South Africa edges Luiten

Thriston Lawrence of Neispruit, South Africa, is having himself quite a run. His first DP World Tour win came in 2021, in Johannesburg. His second came on the continent, at the European Masters in Switzerland. Win number three came in his country’s home Open championship last December. Now Lawrence has a fourth career title on one of the world’s premier tours, this time in Germany.

The final round at München Eichenried was a challenge for the remaining field. The mid- and low-60s scores of Saturday morphed into challenges of all sizes and shapes on Sunday.  Overnight leader Joost Luiten, like Reavie in Connecticut, was able to find but one birdie over the final 17 holes. His plus-two score on day four dropped him to 12-undr par, a total that would ultimately come up one shy of a playoff. It was Lawrence who found glory over the closing 18 holes.

You might think that a fellow who inked five bogeys onto his scorecard would have little chance of a top-five finish, much less a victory. Lawrence also posted eight birdies along the closing trace. His birdies at 15 and 17, paired with Luiten’s bogey at the penultimate hole, brought Lawrence from two behind to one in front. Pars for both at the final hole put the final touch on a single-shot victory for South Africa.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Compliance Solutions: Stanger stays the course

With scores of 65, 64, and 63 posted at various times this week, one might think that Jimmy Stanger should have been a bit envious, if not outright anxious. The 2023 campaign has been a decent one, with a few, top-fifteen finishes for the UVA alumnus. That all changed this week in Oklahoma. Stanger posted rounds of 67-66-67-66 and stared veteran Rafael Campos down with birdie at the final hole. Campos was just off the green at the par-five closer, but his pitch was too strong, and his putt, too high. He settled for par. One group later, Stanger would secure the four that Campos lacked, and claim a life-changing KFT title by one shot.

PGA Tour Champions @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Open: Powerful Paddy powers home

If you’re following all the tours these days, you know that Ireland’s Padraig Harrington does double duty on the regular and senior circuits. Although he hasn’t won on the junior circuit since 2018 in Portugal, Harrington does more than show up, make a cut, and collect a check. As for the Tour Champions, the three-time major winner has five victories in little more than a year, including the USGA Senior Open in his debut appearance.

This week, Harrington and company were staring up at Joe Durant, who seemed ready to collect a fifth Senior title in Endicott, New York. Durant was cruising through twelve holes, enjoying seven birdies and a six-under round. Inexplicably, the Chenango River that flows through town reduced to a trickle for the Pensacola native. Durant came home with six consecutive pars and watched, helplessly, as Padraig surged.

Beginning at the par-five twelfth hole, Harrington pealed off four consecutive birdies. At the drivable par-four 16th, his tee shot found the left edge of the green, and his fifteen-feet putt for eagle caught enough empty space to tumble home. In the blink of an eye, Harrington was tied for the top spot. Another birdie at 17 gave him solo command of the ship, and Harrigton guided it home with par at the last. His closing 63 was the week’s low round, quite fitting for a champion of the world.

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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.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. LivvyDivvy

    Jun 28, 2023 at 1:17 am

    Several days later… and wrx still has the “K K K” headline. Dog whistle anyone?

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

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3 weeks ago

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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

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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

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4 weeks ago

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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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