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Tour Rundown: Genesis Invitational claimed by Niemann | LECOM trophy resides with a familiar face

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Three of the world’s larger tours (LPGA, Asian, and DP World) took much of February off. Fortunately, four PGA Tour circuits (Main, Korn Ferry, Champions, and Latinoamérica) kept the competitive fires on full ignite during the month of love. Los Angeles, Sarasota, Naples, and Mazatlán hosted respective championships that featured tense resolutions. Although margins of victory ranged from one to three shots, each event was in doubt until the final flag was replaced. Golf has returned to center stage on the professional sport viewing spectrum, so enjoy a four-tour rundown with us on this penultimate February weekend for 2022.

PGA Tour: Genesis Invitational claimed by Niemann

The young Chilean,  Joaquín Niemann, held off a final-round charge by Collin Morikawa and an untested youngster named Cameron Young who wouldn’t go away. The veteran of the 2019 Presidents Cup International side and holder of one PGA Tour victory, Niemann has been saddled with expectations, and selected as storied a venue as possible to record his second title. Committing the near-sacrilege of a 63-63 opening 36 holes, Niemann was never separated from the field by more than five strokes.

On Friday, Young recorded a 62 to keep the Chilean in sight. Neither golfer could separate from the other on Saturday, and they were joined by an in-form Viktor Hovland in Sunday’s final pairing. Young closed to within two shots of Niemann with a birdie at the first, but with little margin for error, the Wake Forest alumnus could not recapture the fireworks of round two. He ultimately tied for second spot, equal to the best finish of his emerging PGA Tour career. It was not Hovland who emerged as Sunday’s comeback threat, but Morikawa.

The current Champion Golfer of the Year holed a pitch for eagle at number ten to join the chase in earnest, then posted birdies at 16 and 17 to reach 17-under par. Niemann would not go yield, and a spectacular eagle of his own at the 11th hole gave enough margin (six shots) to cushion the blow of back-to-back bogeys at 14 and 15. In the end, Niemann won by two over Morikawa and Young. The weight of expectations were eased for now, although talk will doubtless turn to when will he win a major for the young South American.

Korn Ferry Tour: LECOM trophy resides with a familiar face

Byeong “Ben” An featured in an article last fall on five surprising PGA Tour card losses. An was a climber for much of his career, but hit a plateau in the last four years, culminating in his assignment to the Korn Ferry Tour for rehabilitation. Most of the developmental tour stops will be thrilled to have him along, but it won’t be for long. On Sunday, An remained patient and came away with Korn Ferry tour win number one, by a single stroke.

Michael Gellerman, the 54-hole leader, contracted a case of the wilds on Sunday and tossed two doubles and three singles into the bogey column. The worst was at 18, where he stood tied with An for first place. Gellerman’s approach shot found the green, but his putter betrayed him. Four putts later, he had tumbled to a tie for 6th, all in the space of about forty feet. An knew how Gellerman felt, to a degree. His 72nd-hole bogey had given Gellerman hope.

Gellerman’s shocking finish elevated four golfers into a tie for 2nd. Among the quartet, Scott Harrington had the biggest pit in his stomach. Bogeys at 15 and 17 had dropped him from -18 to a stroke away from An. Seonghyeon Kim made a 16-spot move on day four, posting 66 to tie Harrington, Ben Griffin and MJ Daffue for the silver medal.

PGA Tour Champions: Chubb Classic sees Langer’s 43rd extra-age win

No one turns the engine like Bernhard Langer. The senior legend began the week with a 64, held onto the lead with 68 on Saturday, then withstood charges by a variety of pretenders to earn a 43rd career title on the PGA Tour Champions. Bogey at the first hole on Sunday gave hope to Robert Karlsson, Tim Petrovic, and others. The unflappable Langer regrouped and rallied his way to five birdies over the next 15 holes, to regain the lead.

During this same time period, Karlsson and Petrovic had fired and fallen back. Langer closed bogey-birdie to reach 16-under par on the week. His margin of victory over Petrovic was three shots, with Retief Goosen another shot back at -12. With this prime title, Langer moved within two trophies of Hale Irwin, the all-time leading winner on the elder circuit. Will there be a changing of the guard in 2022? We’re not betting against it.

PGA Tour Latinoamérica: Estrella del Mar welcomes journeyman to podium

Them old timers love to say how Saturday is moving day. Well, not on PGATourLA! Domingo es el día de la mudanza, according to this writer. Down Mazatlán way, a bunch of golfers made mid-60s moves on Sunday to take a run at the leaders. Overnight leaders Armando Favela and Anthony Paolucci ran out of birdies over the final 18 holes, and dropped into a tie for 6th position. The third member of the 54-hole lead club was a little more fortunate, but hold on just a minute. First, the runners-up.

Mitchell Meissner of the USA and Chile’s Cristobal del Solar posted 65 and 67, respectively, to jump up to 20-under par. They surpassed nearly everyone in the field, with Meissner moving up seven spots, versus three for del Solar. Nearly everyone, remember. At the end of day four, the same guy as Thursday stood atop the field. His name? Matt Ryan.

Ryan opened with 63 on Thursday to take a two-shot advantage. His 70 on Friday dropped him behind halfway leader Paolucci, but his Saturday 66 returned him to the top. On Sunday, Ryan was flawless over ten holes, posting seven-under to assume a healthy lead. Bogey at 11 and 14 weakened the knees just a bit, but he closed in style, making birdie at 16 to assure a three-shot win. At age 35, the victory was the lefthander’s first on a professional tour, buoying the hopes of journeymen professionals everywhere.

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.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

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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

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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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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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