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Tour Rundown: Playoffs? Let’s talk about playoffs!
The video of the Indianapolis Colts then-coach Jim Mora in the “Playoffs?! Don’t talk about playoffs! You kidding me? Playoffs?! I just hope we can win a game,” has a place in our athletic hearts for all eternity. This week on the tours, playoffs are nearly all that we have to discuss. Overtime and extra sessions were the rage across the professional golfing world. None last beyond the first hole, but extra golf is extra golf.
With one week left in the DP World season, and two weeks each for the LPGA and PGA Tour, the 2025 seasons are truly in the wind-down phase. We still have the Australian summer to anticipate, along with some exhibition play, but that’s all until January of 2026. We are grateful for four events this week, so let’s run down their conclusions in this week’s Tour Rundown.
LPGA @ TOTO Japan Classic: Playoff #1
The lady golfers of Japan came out in force to defend the home turf. Shina Kanazawa finished ninth, Kotone Hori came eighth, Sayaka Takahashi tied for sixth, Ai Suzuki placed fifth, Shuri Sakuma claimed fourth spot. Now it’s time for a break. Whoooooo. On the podium, Miyu Yamashita placed third, leaving the top two spots to … you guessed it…a playoff. Nasa Hataoka was the top golfer heading into Sunday, and she posted 68 to reach 15 under, one shot ahead of Yamashita. Pursuing furiously was Yuna Araki, who notched five consecutive birdies on the front nine, on her way to a 65 and a tie with Hataoka.
Before the playoff summary, let’s consider that eight of the top nine finishers are Japanese golfers, and two more tied for 10th. It was a stellar week for the local contingent. On to the playoff. Araki went at the flag on the par-3 18th, and went just long. Hataoka hit the putting surface wide right, then banged her long birdie putt nearly 10 feet past. With a chance to put real pressure on her opponent, Araki’s chip went long, and then her putt for par was pulled left. Hataoka looked to have missed low, but her recovery putt seeped in the right side, and the title was hers.
DP World Tour @ Abu Dhabi HSBC: Playoff #2
The playoff run to the World Tour Championship is surreal. The views and surroundings reek of linksland, then you realize that you’re in the Middle East, esconced in a massive desert. The Yas Links finish heroically against a watery backdrop, hard against the eastern end of the Arabian Gulf. It proves to be a terrific set-up for the following week’s conclusion in the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai had the fortune of witnessing a 62 from Rory McIlroy on Sunday. While the eight birdies (five consecutive) and one eagle didn’t win the event for the Masters champion, they brought him agonizingly close to the…you guessed it…playoff. McIlroy tied Nicolai Hjogaard at 24 under par, one shot behind two Englishmen.
Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood matched each other, shot for shot, since Saturday morning. It was 66-67 on day three, in favor of Rai; then 66-67 on day four, in favor of Fleetwood. After Hjogaard missed for eagle at eighteen to reach 25-deep, both Fleetwood and Rai missed to reach 26-under, and the overtime session was scripted. Each player hit wedge into the 18th green again, but Fleetwood missed low after missing high in regular time. Rai was not to be denied, and his birdie effort caught the low edge and dropped for the victory.
Asian Tour @ Singapore Open: Playoff #3
As I write this portion of Tour Rundown, the PGA Tour has not yet teed off its final group in the final round of the WWT Championship. We might have a fourth playoff this week, but three are already guaranteed.
If you weren’t mid-60s on a Singapore Sunday, you weren’t in contention. A number of LIV golfers were in the field, hoping to gather a victory that would earn world ranking points. All fell away on day four. Surging were Soomin Lee, Jeunghun Wang, and Yosuke Asaji. Lee came to the final hole in search of an eagle to match Asaji, whose closing 67 brought him to the top at 19-under par. His effort was brave but errant, and he tied for third with Rattanon, Wannasrichan. As for Wang, his birdie effort was both brave and true, and he matched Asaji on minus-nineteen.
The pair returned to the devilish closing hole, and Wang boldly went for the green and glory, but ended in the fountains. His watery second opened the door for Asaji, who wedged to six feet and made for birdie and the overtime win.
PGA Tour @ World Wide Technology: No playoff, but a Ryder Cup touch
There was rush-hour congestion at the top of the board in Mexico for much of the afternoon. Ben Griffin, a member of the USA Ryder Cup side at Bethpage Black, ran off a quintet of birdies (look familiar?) from holes eight through twelve, and he was away to the finish. Griffin’s final round of 63 was, as Patrick sings to David in Schitt’s Creek, simply the best, better than all the rest.
Garrick Higgo had posted 61 on Saturday, the third of that number on the week. Sami Valimaki and Nick Dunlap led off the tournament with minus-11 tallies, and each tallied a top-10 finish. Dunlap tied for eighth spot, while Valimaki finished two behind Griffin, in a tie for second with Chad Ramey. Higgo was derailed by a double bogey at the twelfth, a score so rare this week that it merited a double-take and a confirmation. Still, the young South African tied for fourth position, three behind the champion.
It was Griffin who corralled a third PGA Tour title in Baja California Sur, Mexico, to go with previous wins in Louisiana and Texas. 2025 was one memorable year for the 29-year-old from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. All that’s left now is a major championship.
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
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
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
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
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
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
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
