News
Woods’ missed cut was a step in the right direction
Any assessment of what Tiger Woods’ missed cut at the Quicken Loans National means must begin with this question: “What did we expect?”
Yes, Tiger Woods missed his fourth 36-hole cut as a professional in his career. However, this missed cut was different than his other three, as our expectations were vastly different.
Until very recently, it was unclear whether Woods would return to competition this year, and it was widely known that he’d only been hitting full shots for less than two weeks heading into the Quicken Loans National.
Thus, with the formula of a major surgery plus a hundred-day layoff plus minimal practice, making the cut was always going to be a victory at one of the longest and most difficult non-major tracks on the PGA Tour.
So what happened out there?
As Tiger himself said:
“I made a ton of little, simple little mistakes, misjudging things and missing the ball on the wrong sides and just didn’t get up-and-down on little simple shots. Those are the little things I can correct, which is nice.”
After hitting 64 percent of fairways on Thursday, Woods was erratic off the tee Friday. He displayed deficiencies in all areas of his game during the second round and had trouble from the approach shot in on Thursday. He was historically bad when he missed the green, going just 3-for-16 in scrambling this week. The 18.8 percent rate of making par was the worst scrambling percentage of his career.
Here’s the full statistical breakdown of Woods’ two rounds, courtesy of PGATour.com:
What does it all mean?
Well, here’s Tiger’s position on his performance: “I came back four weeks earlier than we thought I could. I had no setbacks. I got my feel for playing tournament golf.”
Obviously, the major hurdle that had to be cleared was how his back would hold up. Not only did he not have any issues, but Woods also didn’t appear to be babying anything either. It’s safe to say the back was not a significant factor in Woods’ performance, and he repeatedly attested to being “pain free.” This is huge for the golfer in the short run, as he tries to finish out the season strong, and in the long run, as he tries to chase down Jack Nicklaus over the coming years.
Rex Hoggard of Golf Channel had an excellent take on the situation:
“This wasn’t about a score as much as it was getting a scorecard in his hand. This was about getting ready for the Open Championship in a fortnight at Royal Liverpool. About supporting an event that benefits his foundation and needed a boost after signing a new sponsor. And most importantly about giving his surgically repaired back a test drive.”
Hoggard hits the nail on the head. And here’s more of Tiger’s positive take on his play:
“I hate to say it, but I’m really encouraged by what happened this week. I missed the cut by four shots – that’s a lot. But the fact that what I was able to do physically, and the speed I had and the distance that I was hitting the golf ball again, I had not done that in a very long time. Felt great today. Then, as I said, I made so many little mistakes … all the little things that I know I can fix. But as I said, that’s very encouraging.”
Ultimately, although he never broke character and admitted he didn’t expect to win this week, Tiger Woods came to Congressional to get some reps, test his back, and lend his star power to the tournament his charity organizes and benefits from.
Thus, even though his play was sloppy and his short game was biblically awful, the missed cut is a significant step in the right direction.
The first round of The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool is July 17th. Woods will reportedly briefly vacation with his family next week and then begin his preparations to tackle the course where he won his last Open in 2006.
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...
tlmck
Jul 2, 2014 at 4:05 am
Based on his own comments, Tiger is going nowhere fast. He is obsessed with swinging as fast and as hard as possible which causes most, if not all of his wayward shots. I believe he called it “tournament speed”. Yet on his slower, more controlled swings, he seems to hit good shot after good shot like in his heyday when he was “controlling” his golf ball. Seems like a no brainer to me, but he just does not seem to get it. Either that or he is letting his machismo get the better of him like so many idiots do.
Straightdriver235
Jun 29, 2014 at 8:12 am
He still swings with the same tension problems he had before the injury, and still has the concentration look of a basket case instead of a conqueror. I am sad to say the exciting days of Tiger Woods are over. He may compete once in a while, and even win here and there. It is increasingly clear he will not ever overtake Jack. Is he better historically than Hogan or Jones? He is nearer to their level.
DC
Jun 29, 2014 at 5:44 am
Thanks for providing a realistic analysis and factual context of the missed cut. All other news outlets get caught up in hype and over exaggeration in their goal for ratings and web clicks.
If commentary and opinion was provided in this format, the news and journalism industry would achieve some semblance of credibility and trustworthiness.
Rich
Jun 29, 2014 at 7:50 am
So the most important story out of the tournament thus far is that he missed the cut? If everyone thinks that then golf is truly doomed when he finally explodes for good one day.
Dustin
Jun 29, 2014 at 11:27 am
Where did he say that this was the most important story of the tournament? He merely noted that this type of article, one based on statistics and facts alone, is what the media should strive for.
DC
Jun 29, 2014 at 1:39 pm
More importantly, an opinion or editorial based upon facts, evidence, and statistics. Not just on mere belief.
We’re all entitled to our set of opinions, but no one is entitled to their own set of facts.
Jack
Jun 29, 2014 at 4:19 am
Everyone who makes money in any way connected to golf is running scared! The tour is in big time trouble without Tiger, because the casual fan in really an anti-fan and really just a Tiger fan. Look at golf money before Tiger, look at the Tiger bubble, and consider where golf is headed over the next five years.
Dennis Clark
Jun 28, 2014 at 7:49 pm
BTW, this missed cut is his 11th in 18 years. Phil has 79. Think about it. Good article Ben. DC
Jack
Jun 29, 2014 at 4:21 am
I think Jack missed around 23 cuts total for his entire PGA career.
Rich
Jun 28, 2014 at 7:10 pm
This is ridiculous. HE MISSED THE CUT! Why is there a story and any analysis over it? You know what don’t answer that. It’s just stupid. Isn’t there something more interesting to write about? I guess not.
Todd Turner
Jun 28, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Duh, he moves the meter! It’s understandable you don’t like him, fine, but take blinders off!
Philip
Jun 28, 2014 at 11:38 pm
His comment has nothing to do with whether he likes Tiger or not. The news coverage does not make sense in the context of what it is about. However, the same was true for Arnold Palmer who still drew in crowds and was news worthy long after he stopped winning. Tiger will be no different.
The everyday person is attracted to excitement and distractions. Not the normal situation when watching golfers which is why Arnold and now Tiger get so much attention. They bring showmanship to golf, just like the touchdown dance routines in football. Makes for better TV action.
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Pat M
Jun 28, 2014 at 2:04 pm
He should take the rest of the year off to get well. He is getting old and the knee and back are issues. I don’t think he can win majors without Steve Williams. Steve was vital to Toger’s major wins.
Kyle
Jun 28, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Lol. That was funny to read. Thanks!
brett
Jun 28, 2014 at 12:10 pm
This post could have been said in three word ‘it means nothing’
richard
Jun 28, 2014 at 10:50 am
The missed cut means nothing other than he got to play a couple of practice rounds to sort things out, but under tournament conditions. Let’s not over analyze things here…he needs more rounds under his belt, and he probably got tired of sitting around at home in Florida. He likes being on tour, and that is the best way to round his game back into shape at this point. If he’s not hurting, why not?
Major
Jun 28, 2014 at 5:31 pm
He only plays like 17 tournaments all year when he’s healthy, compared to a guy like Furyk who plays 33 or more. How’s that translating to “liking” playing on the tour for Woods? He obviously only plays for the money or for the Majors.