News
Tiger Woods to play The Players
We wondered when Tiger Woods would tee it up again following his T17 finish at Augusta National. Now we know: Woods announced today that he’ll next put a peg in the ground at The Players Championship, which begins May 7.
Woods last played at TPC Sawgrass in 2013, when he won the event (he also won in 2001). He didn’t participate in The Players last year as he was recovering from back surgery.
Also on the subject of injury: Woods’ wrist is apparently fine. Visibly in pain after hitting a root on the ninth hole of his final round at Augusta, Woods said after the round that “a bone kind of popped out and the joint kind of went out of place, but I put it back in.” However, Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, told ESPN.com four days later the golfer’s wrist is “fine.”
Thanks to his No. 106 world ranking, Woods did not qualify for the Match Play Championship next week.
Also added to Tiger’s schedule this week (according to Jack Nicklaus) the Memorial, which is June 4-7.
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...
Mad-Mex
May 3, 2015 at 7:23 pm
(Cue sarcastic Tone) Good, I can sleep now and stop worrying about Tiger’s well being.
Some defend him with comments like “Look what he has done for golf!!”,,,,, BUT Golf has done 100 times MORE for him. You think Tiger “cares” about YOU? Think he cares about Golf? Tiger cares about Tiger,,, That’s it!!!!
New Golfer
Apr 28, 2015 at 9:41 pm
All you Tiger haters. So fast you are to forget that he won 5 times back in 2013. Name one other player that has done that in any year? That’s right you can’t. Sure he’s had some back problems and it has caused him to play poorly, so who hasn’t had problems and shot in the 80’s. I remember Rory quitting in the middle of a tournament because he was playing extremely bad, what was his excuse? a toothache? How about Bubba Watson withdrawing after the first day when he shot in the 80’s? Didn’t he have some kind of allergies? and Dustin Johnson shooting 80’s, I can’t even remember what his problem was. Probably didn’t get his daily dose of snow. Why isn’t Tiger playing at the Players news? He’s still the biggest draw to golf weather for good or bad. TV is about ratings and making money and people want to see Tiger play more so than 95% of the field. Even little old grandmas know who Tiger Woods is, can that be said about any other golfer? No. So next time before coming on some forum and smashing Tiger, think before you post, about what he’s done for the game and if it wasn’t for him little old grandmas and half of the girlfriends/wives of posters on here wouldn’t have any interest in golf.
Dennis
Apr 27, 2015 at 9:06 am
Good article Ben.
MHendon
Apr 25, 2015 at 11:34 pm
A lot of people on here bitching about this article, but the bottom line is hate him or love him Tiger still is the biggest draw in golf.
sam s
Apr 26, 2015 at 2:09 pm
He does draw attention, but no necessarily for his golf. He draws attention because how far he quickly dropped…and because of his numerous inappropriate actions – personal and on the course. Remember, Tiger has only played in 12 events since 2013 and hasn’t finished in the top 10 even once. He is ranked a lowly 106th – just in case you are wondering, that means that 105 players are ranked better than Tiger…many that you’ve probably never heard of before; like Romain Wattel, Shingo Katayama, Emiliano Grillo, Scott Hend, Gary Stal, Koumei Oda, Mikko Ilonen, etc., etc., etc. No one minds Tiger Woods being in the news when the news is justified – such as because of his good play, or him doing something disgustingly stupid like he’s done so many times in his life. But to announce in a news article that Tiger Woods is playing in a particular tournament is as stupid as doing the same for any other player that qualifies to play in the tournament. Likewise, to cover Tiger Woods on television when he is nowhere close to the lead is also downright stupid. When Tiger plays well enough to be competitive – then cover him. Otherwise, he is nothing more than a once great golfer that has become a has-been and not someone you would want a family member to emulate with his personal life. In my view – Tiger Woods was once a great golfer, but a scumbag person.
Kyle
Apr 26, 2015 at 6:50 pm
He’s the biggest draw in golf because he’s the best ever. End of story.
COGolfer
Apr 27, 2015 at 12:12 am
You obviously have a bias but the ‘scumbag person’ really showed your stripes. A-Rod, Armstrong, Ray Lewis, Hernandez, “etc, etc…” Obviously you don’t have to be a reasonable person to participate in professional sports.
Love him or hate him, he has helped shape professional golf. The news needs story lines and Tiger provides them.
I also think he has won a couple majors. I believe more than (at least) the top 30 combined.
oh poor sam.
Apr 27, 2015 at 1:34 am
“was once a great golfer”
lol
the man just finished t17 in the masters.
Joe
Apr 29, 2015 at 12:12 pm
His first event back… Just wait until he gets the rest of him game back up to snuff.
MHendon
Apr 27, 2015 at 2:10 am
First off let me be clear, I am by no means a Tiger fan. I tend to root for Rory, but Jordan Spieth is quickly becoming a favorite. However to sit there and call Tiger a scumbag for doing what most men and women for that matter do at some point in their life is quite hypocritical. Unless you’re some kind of saint you really shouldn’t go there. It would be interesting to see what might be uncovered in any of our lives if we where under the public scrutiny that has been Tigers life. And yes Tiger hasn’t played well in a couple years but he still is the biggest draw and when he plays everyone involved in the business of Tiger woods makes more money that’s why its covered so much, period.
sol demanto
Apr 27, 2015 at 5:32 pm
I would agree – ‘scumbag’ is an excellent description for Tiger Woods.
Nathan
Apr 25, 2015 at 5:48 pm
Good to know when the man is playing next. Thanks
Booger
Apr 24, 2015 at 11:30 pm
I want to know what tourney’s rory and Jordan sign up for. Don’t care about this hacker.
Dave
Apr 25, 2015 at 5:58 pm
If he is a hacker WHAT do you qualify as?
LJL
Apr 24, 2015 at 9:06 pm
This ‘news’ is so damn stupid. There is no ‘news’ when any other golfer decides to play a particular tournament. Why should Tiger Woods make news just because he enters? Think people!
Kyle
Apr 26, 2015 at 6:51 pm
You must not follow golf often.
KT
Apr 24, 2015 at 7:26 pm
I think Tiger had a Brian Williams moment with that bone popping comment.
Gary Gutful
Apr 24, 2015 at 4:56 pm
I generally pop at least 5 bones out before breakfast and then shoot 65 in the afternoon…
Golfer Steve
Apr 24, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Glad to see this