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2022 Curtis Cup: Team USA retains cup
“To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands.”
That’s the essence of the Curtis Cup, donated over a century ago by sisters Margaret and Harriot Curtis. All one had to witness was the first-tee exit by Caley McGinty and Rachel Kuehn. After hitting the fairway with their drives, the opponents chatted all two hundred-fifty yards to their approach shots. If that wasn’t enough, how about Rachel Heck and Megha Ganne, teammates, signing autographs for little fans just seconds before they were introduced? The Curtis sisters are smiling from their place in the afterlife. The tradition they established in 1905 is alive and well, on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Singles Matches
Needing only a point and half to retain the cup, following two days of partner matches, Team USA had every right to be confident heading into day three. If you missed how we arrived at this point, you can check out day one and check out day two coverage by clicking those links. Team GBI would not go away quietly, but they needed more horsepower than they brought to Merion.
The Sunday Singles were originally slated to begin around two pm, to take advantage of some primer afternoon television coverage. A wretched weather report compelled a move to a 7:30 start, but at that hour, the rain and the lightning were still in the neighborhood. After three postponements, the first match teed off at 11:15, and to their credit, the 16 ladies sped around the course in record time.
The Blowouts
Rose Zhang and Emilia Migliaccio won their matches on the 13th green, while Emily Price earned the sole GBI point on the 15th green. Zhang led off the day for the Red, White, and Blue, and delivered a series of jabs and uppercuts to Louise Duncan of the Blue and White. Duncan made birdie at the first, but Zhang matched it. The world number one played three-under par golf through 13 holes, and never allowed Duncan to win a single hole. In match six, a similar thing took place. Emilia Migliaccio of the host squad won six holes from, and lost none to, the visitors’ Annabell Fuller. Nearly as precise as Zhang, Migliaccio stood minus-two when the match ended. Team GBI needed Team USA to encounter its share of difficulty, but it did not come to pass.
The bright spot for the losing side was the one match that Team USA didn’t want to lose. Amari Avery came in to the final day with a spotless, 4-0 record. Only three other golfers in the history of the matches had gone 5-0, and none had done so as rookies. Avery came out tentative, and Emily Price was the last golfer she needed to face with that sort of game. Price was two-under par through their 15 holes, and that was enough to deny Avery a fifth point on the week.
The nail-biters
One match ended on the home green, while four others concluded on the penultimate hole. Latanna Stone fought back from a two-hole deficit with six to play. Her opponent, Charlotte Heath, had suffered her share of heartbreak over the previous two days. Despite Stone’s rally, the pair reached the 18th tee all square. Heath made par, but it wasn’t enough. Stone drained a birdie putt at the end of Hogan’s Alley, and won the match outright for the home squad.
Of the four matches that ended at the 17th green, only Megha Ganne won the hole to jump from one up to 2 & 1. Ganne’s par on the extraordinary par-three hole took down a determined Amelia Williamson. Earlier in the day, matches two, three, and four ended on the same putting surface. Rachel Kuehn, Rachel Heck, and Jensen Castle all brought down their opponents (Caley McGinty, Lauren Walsh, and Hannah Darling, respectively) at the green submerged in the famous Merion quarry.
Top Ten Moments of the Week
For the second consecutive, stateside match, Team USA was much stronger than Team GBI. Unlike Quaker Ridge in 2018, Team GBI put up a better fight, and deserved a closer result than 15.5-4.5. Beyond the actual golf, there were a number of memorable moments that I’ll take away from Merion. In no particular order, they were
- Amy Morton’s smile. Morton is one of the USGA staffers, and she greeted us every day with a smile. She was always available to shuttle the pundits to the bus stop or the feed bag. Thank you, Amy!
- Julia Pine’s calm. Pine is the director of communications for the USGA, and she never failed to send results, perspective, and the occasional reference from Greek mythology. Like Morton, she supported the journalists and allowed us ease in doing our jobs
- The Pizza Moment. Simply put, Hannah Darling raced from the 16th tee to the media center for a pit stop and a slice of pizza. She raced back to the fairway, in time to hit her team’s approach over the quarry AND make her partner (Annabell Fuller) jealous. During a post-round interview, Darling gave complete permission to make the Pizza Moment on the record
- The Food. Somehow, the USGA negotiated clubhouse access for the scribes. In a word: delicious. In another word: ample. Breakfast and lunch were a delight. There was no dinner, but the USGA staff took care of us. The aforementioned pizza, unlimited soft pretzels, I’ll never be the same
- The Volunteers. In 2009, when I attended the Walker Cup at Merion, media parking was across Cobb’s Creek from the 12th green. It was about a 100-yard stroll to the course. This year, we were re-assigned to nearby Haverford College. I took the bus each day but, in hindsight, could have walked over. Alas. The drivers were patient and gentle. The marshals were well-trained, with the proper amount of intensity. The servers and other staff were polite and gracious. Merion was the essence of a well-oiled machine
- The Swag. You get some freebies, in addition to the food, in the media center. I now have a deck of Curtis Cup trading cards, three Cup-logoed Taylor Made golf balls, and a bunch of pins. If you’ve ever been a kid, you never get over being a kid who loves free swag
- The walkabouts. They say that golf courses are never as flat as they appear on television. If Merion appears even remotely flat, it’s not. You have to respect ladies who walk 36 holes of matches for two days, bracketed by a practice round and a singles match. You have to request caddies who do the same, while carrying a fetching but heavy, golf bag. When you are off by yourself, for a morning or evening stroll with only a camera, it’s bliss
- The banter. As an infrequent resident of the media center, I try to keep a low profile. I listen to the wizened and grizzled reporters for whom this is their livelihood. They drop gems and pearls of wisdom like a bunny drops Easter eggs. I’m grateful to continue learning from them
- Wake Forest. In this particular Curtis Cup, 1 GBI and 2 USA team members attended (and played for) my college alma mater. Many fans had a connection to the school, and associate Women’s head coach Ryan Potter was resplendent in old gold and black. It was a great week to be a Deac.
- Hugh Wilson. Alive on this Earth for 46 years, Hugh Wilson laid down the Merion Golf Club’s two courses. His resume includes just three other courses, along with input on a few other, well-known tracts of golfing land. Wilson took only the land that he needed for the East course, and what he created is eternal. From the 1954 Curtis Cup to 2022, to the 2034 and 2046 Women’s Open championships, Merion will provide a venue for the finest female golfers of the day to shine and take their place in history.
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...
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