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Tour Rundown: Tournament of Champions

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4 years ago

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As the rime traces its stencil across my window, I imagine that the warmth and trade winds of the Hawaiian islands must feel nice this time of year. Knowing that the island of Maui is poised to welcome the previous campaign’s title holders, is enough for me to reduce any falling snow to a mild case of dandruff. 38 golfers began play at Kapalua, known to be both brilliantly routed and scorable. With an interesting par of 73, due to a supply-chain shortage on par-3 holes, Kapalua offers excitement from tee one to green the last. Welcome to the PGA Tour 2022, and welcome back to Tour Rundown on GolfWRX.

*One last thing. I saw Hamilton for the first time during the holidays, so forgive my constant references to appropriate verses from the show.

Thursday: History has its eyes on you

Yes, you, Patrick Cantlay. And you, Jon Rahm. And you, Brooks Koepka. And especially you, Mullet Man. Everyone’s favorite lettuce shot to the top of the leader board on day one, with an eight-under par effort of 65. Australia’s Cameron Smith took our attention away from his home country’s immigration saga with Novax Djokovic for all of Thursday. His work on the outward half was strong, despite standing at +1 after two holes. A birdie 3 at the third chewed the carbon off the spark plug, and an eagle 3 at the fifth fully ignited the valves. One more birdie at the par-5 ninth turned the Aussie in minus three.

On the inward half, Smith was blah-brilliant-blah. Pars at 10 through 12 and 17-18 would have you estimate his back-nine tally at two or three under. Try five deep on for size. Birdies at 13, 14, and 16 were joined by his second eagle of the day, also at a par five. Quixotically, Smith made par on arguably the easiest long hole of them all, the 18th. Alas, nine-under was not to be, but the effort gave him a one-shot advantage headed toward Friday.

Chasing Smith are the aforementioned Cantlay, Rahm, and Daniel Berger. Each posted 66 on the day. One shot farther distant is the under-heralded trio of Erik van Rooyen, Kevin Na, and Sungjae Im. Day two promises baskets of birdies, and at least 10 eagles (my prediction.) Let’s go!

Friday: Wait for it

When he was young, our son Anthony played fullback in soccer. He would purposely allow the attacker to get past him, just for the thrill of chasing the poor guy down with superior speed. I had a sense of deja vu on Friday when Cameron Smith, he of the one-shot lead through 18, began with bogey-bogey in round two. From that point on, the Aussie chased down those who had eclipsed him, regaining the lead at nightfall. Smith played 11-under golf through the final 16 holes of his round, posting one eagle (hole #5 for the second consecutive day) and nine birdies, including the last four holes. His round of 64 was a shot improvement over day one, and secured a three-shot advantage, heading into the weekend.

Imagine how Daniel Berger felt. He posted 7 under while paired with Smith and lost two shots worth of ground. Imagine how Jon Rahm felt. He outdueled his partner, Patrick Cantlay, by one shot, and signed a scorecard for a second consecutive 66 and also lost ground. Smith was too good for a second consecutive day. On Saturday, Rahm will dance with Smith, while Cantlay will partner Berger. Nothing suggests that any of the four will go away, so it might take a 63 from someone to establish control headed into Sunday’s final round.

Saturday: Not throwing away my shot

For the first time in 48 hours, Cameron Smith does not hold the solo lead at Kapalua. In an event where shooting five-under par loses you six positions, one expects a mid-60s round from the leader. Smith did not disappoint, posting a second-consecutive round of 64, to reach 26-under par through 54 holes. The only trouble for Smith came from things out of his control. Blame Matt Jones, who got things started with a 10-under 62, jumping him up to a tie for 4th position. Blame Justin Thomas, who bested Jones by one and set a course record with his 61. Thomas won’t win (74 on Thursday took care of that ) but he won’t go away.

Most importantly, blame Jon Rahm. The only US Open champion from Spain matched Thomas’ course record with a 61 of his own. He made up three shots on Smith on day three, and joined the Aussie on the top rung of the ladder (it’s a wide ladder.) The Iberian actually made a bogey in his record-setting round, on the 4th hole. His four-birdie, one-eagle finish over the closing five holes made up for that stumble, and cast him as the favorite heading into Sunday.

As for Smith, he’ll have to climb to another echelon to dispatch the great Basque on day four. Smith has the game, but he’ll need that intangible, inexplicable something that elevates only a select few to the rank of closer. Smith didn’t throw away his shot, nor did Rahm, and that’s why this is now a two-man tournament.

Sunday: One last time

65-64-64-65. Simply symmetrical. As symmetrical as the mullet and the 70s ‘stache are unkempt. You know where I’m going with this line of thinking. so hats off to Cameron Smith, the first qualifier for the 2023 Tournament of Champions. Smith and Jon Rahm went head to head and toe to toe for one last time this week. Rahm didn’t need a reprise of his Saturday 61; a 64 would have won the tournament for the burly Basque. There was a 61 lurking at Kapalua on Sunday, and it almost stole the show. I’m getting ahead of myself, so whoa, Nelly (not Korda.)

Cameron Smith birdied four holes on each side of the Coore and Crenshaw 18 at Kapalua. For the second consecutive day, he made zero bogeys. That’s hard to beat, but it can be done. Matt Jones nearly did it on Sunday, but he ran out of holes. Jones had 62 on Saturday AND IMPROVED on Sunday to 61. He had two eagles in the space of three holes on the inward half, tied the course record, and moved all the way from 4th to … 3rd. OK, that last bit doesn’t sound so impressive, but when you consider that he made up four shots on the leader and came from the B flight to challenge for the club championship, it does.

Rahm? Hard to follow up a course record with another low round. The defending US Open champion had his chances, but a meh outward nine of minus-two put him in a must-challenge situation. Rahm had five birdies on the back nine, but needed six or seven to have a chance. Still, last pairing for both weekend rounds and a just-miss is a solid opener for Rahm. And Smith? Well, he did what he hadn’t previously done: hold a lead for a long, long time, and hold off a major champion. Don’t be surprised if you see the Mullet King hoist a few more trophies this season.

  • Featured image via PGATour.com on Twitter. 

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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.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. chris

    Jan 10, 2022 at 10:16 am

    „The Mullet King“
    That is premium :-))

    Reply Report comment

  2. Don

    Jan 9, 2022 at 10:14 pm

    Good for you, Cam. Now keep your mouth shut about the USA.

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

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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