Connect with us

News

Morning 9: Rory: Why PIF deal needs to happen fast | AK facing missed cut | Best Driver 2024

Published

on

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Players Championship gets underway from TPC Sawgrass!

1. McIlroy: With ratings sinking, PIF deal needs to happen fast

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”With TV ratings falling so far this season, four-time major champion Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that he wants the “train to speed up” regarding the PGA Tour finalizing a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to reunify men’s professional golf.”

  • “These bigger signature events that we tried to create, they worked last year,” McIlroy said at TPC Sawgrass, the site of this week’s 50th Players Championship. “The ratings were up, and it was great. But you look at the ratings this year for those events in the United States and everything’s down.”
  • “According to published reports, TV ratings for the final round of last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida, where world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler ran away with a 5-stroke victory, were down 30% compared to the final round in 2023. TV ratings for final-round coverage of the Genesis Invitational on Feb. 18 — when 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama returned to the winner’s circle — were down about 5%.”
Full piece.

2. McIlroy gives Monahan a vote of confidence

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard…“…early Wednesday at The Players Championship, the commissioner received a vote of confidence from world No. 2 Rory McIlroy.”

  • “You look at what Jay has done since he took over. The media rights deal, navigating us through COVID, the strategic alliance with the DP World Tour. I would say creating PGA Tour Enterprises, we were just able to accept a billion and a half dollars in the business,” said McIlroy, who resigned from the Tour’s policy board last year with one year remaining on his term. “People can nit-pick and say he didn’t do this right or didn’t do that right, but if you actually step back and look at the bigger picture, I think the PGA Tour is in a far stronger position than when Jay took over.”
Full piece.

3. McIlroy: Players Championship missing some of the best players is a problem

BBC report…”And the split means several of the world’s best are not competing at this week’s Players Championship in Florida.”

  • “I don’t think there is a fast solution,” McIlroy told BBC Sport.
  • “But everyone needs to put their feelings and egos aside and figure out a solution where we can bring all the best players back together week in week out.”
  • “…The Players Championship is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year but the PGA Tour’s $25m flagship event is missing its 2022 winner Cameron Smith and reigning major champions Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm. All three now play on the LIV circuit alongside the likes of fellow major champions Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia.”
  • “…It’s the biggest tournament outside of major championship and you don’t have all the best players in the world here, that’s a shame,” added McIlroy.
Full piece.

4. Xander: Monahan has a long way to go to regain my trust

Gabrielle Herzig for Sports Illustrated…”Schauffele, speaking at a press conference ahead of the Players Championship, did not hold back when asked whether Monahan is the “right person” to guide the Tour as it enters a new partnership with Strategic Sports Group and continues negotiations with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV Golf. “

  • “I mean, you know what I’ve said in the past on how I feel about it. Trust is something that’s pretty tender, so words are words, and I would say in my book he’s got a long way to go. He could be the guy, but in my book, he’s got a long way to go to gain the trust of the membership. I’m sure he’s got the support of the board, since they were with him making some of those decisions, but for me personally he’s got quite a ways to go.”
Full piece.

5. Interpreting Monahan

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard tries to read between the lines…”Monahan did, however, leave some breadcrumbs for those who watched his press conference, starting with a possible timeline. When the June 6 framework agreement was announced, it had a Dec. 31 deadline that came and went with no deal. Since then, the only updates have been vague.”

  • “I expect next time I’m in front of all of you we’ll have a lot more progress to report,” the commissioner said.
  • Although that’s far short of a hard deadline, it does give a rough estimate of where the Tour and PIF are in the process, with Monahan’s likely next press conference — barring some breaking news — coming at the Tour Championship in August.
  • “Monahan also addressed how the deal with SSG, a group led by Fenway Sports, might impact a potential deal with PIF. Some looked at the SSG agreement as a possible competitor to a potential Saudi investment…”
  • …Monahan’s explanation seemed to suggest that it’s not a matter of a SSG or PIF deal, but instead an SSG and PIF deal. It would be a stretch to imagine some of the best business leaders in sports — including Arthur Blank, John Henry and Steven Cohen, who are all investors with SSG — were interested in investing in PGA Tour Enterprises, the circuit’s new for-profit arm, with the looming threat of LIV Golf backed by the vast resources of the PIF. It’s more likely SSG signed on to be a part of professional golf’s new reality with the PIF.”
Full Piece.

6. Scheffler: Don’t blame us

Ben Parsons for Bunkered…”For the second successive year, LIV golfers are ineligible for the PGA Tour’s flagship event because of their defections to the Saudi-backed series.”

  • Scheffler sympathises with fans who are caught up in the chaos, but thinks the blame should be pointed at LIV players for fracturing the men’s professional game.
  • “If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left,” Scheffler said. “We had a tour, we were all together and the people that left are no longer here. At the end of the day, that’s where the splintering comes from.
  • “As far as our tour goes, like I said, we’re doing our best to create the best product for the fans, and that’s really where we’re at.”
Full Piece.

7. AK’s rough start to comeback continues

Paul Higham for Golf Monthly…”It was another tough day at the office for the returning Anthony Kim after he shot a four-over round of 74 on the opening day of the International Series Macau event on the Asian Tour.”

  • “The 38-year-old returned to golf with a fanfare as he took part in two LIV events, before teeing it up on the Asian Tour in a traditional 72-hole tournament at Macau Golf and Country Club.”
  • PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed on Wednesday that he had held talks with Kim about a return before he opted to join Greg Norman’s organisation.”
Full Piece.

8. Best Driver 2024 is live now on GolfWRX

What’s the best driver of 2024? This year, to answer that question, we have expanded our panel of expert fitters to help you find which of the 2024 drivers is best for your game, breaking down the candidates by clubhead speed.

Full Piece.

9. Photos from The Players

  • Check out all of our galleries from TPC Sawgrass!
Full Piece.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

on

By

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

 

 

Continue Reading

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

News

Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

on

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

Continue Reading

Announcement

Our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use have been updated as of January 29th, 2026. Please review the updated policies here Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. By continuing to use our site after January 29th, 2026, you agree to the changes.

WITB

Facebook

Trending