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Morning 9: Rahm battling swing thoughts | DP World Tour winner to play LIV | PGA Tour university changes?

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco and Matthew Vincenzi.
For comments: [email protected].
October 25, 2022

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as attention turns to the Bermuda Championship.

1. Closing in on No. 2

Via the Golf Channel Digital team…”Rory McIlroy earned his 23rd PGA Tour victory, reclaimed world No. 1 and pocketed nearly $2 million in winning the CJ Cup in South Carolina.”

  • “McIlroy crossed the $68 million mark in official career PGA Tour earnings, getting him closer to No. 2 on the all-time list. McIlroy is currently fourth, with Vijay Singh ($71,236,216) third and Jim Furyk ($71,507,269) second.”
  • “Tiger Woods is No. 1 with $120,895,206.”
Full piece.

2. Rahm “battling swing thoughts”

Golf Channel’s Max Schreiber with this item following Jon Rahm’s T4 finish at the CJ Cup…”Why wasn’t he confident with his swing this week?”

  • “I was battling swing thoughts,” Rahm said. “I don’t like to have too many swing thoughts on my approach and definitely thinking more than I would like on some of those shots out there today. I was able to still execute and play good golf, it’s just not an easy golf course out there. If I can shoot under par uncomfortably, manage a couple mistakes, I’d still have a chance to win.”
  • “How did Rahm manage his swing thoughts and almost pull out the victory?”
  • “It’s not really battling, I’m just uncomfortable,” he said. “I don’t want to start thinking about my swing mid-round because I can’t hit 10 balls to fix it, right? So I just try to play and hit the shots and execute. I did a really good job with some of them, it’s just not an easy golf course. Any other golf course that isn’t as slippery as this one I could have had a good chance, but here you have to be very precise.”
Full piece.

3. JYK on injury struggle

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“Jin Young Ko used four words and two emojis on Monday to caption a photograph on Instagram. Anyone looking for insight into the World No. 1’s frame of mind after last week’s withdrawal got the message loud and clear.”

  • “Accept, think, move on,” Ko wrote, followed by a twister emoji.
  • “The BMW Ladies Championship surely felt something like a raging storm for the World No. 1. Ko teed it up close to home in her first event in two months after taking time off to heal a nagging wrist injury.”
  • “The player who often wins tournaments after long breaks, instead posted the highest round of her LPGA career, an opening 80. Ko made a 10 on the closing par 5, whiffing a shot left-handed and mostly making a mess of the hole. She shot 79 on Friday and then withdrew.”
  • “Ko’s manager told Golfweek on Monday that she hasn’t yet fully recovered from the left wrist injury and is currently receiving treatment. She will do her best to be able to compete in better condition next month in Florida.”
Full piece.

4. DP World Tour winner making LIV return

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…“Less than two weeks after Adrian Otaegui claimed a historic victory in the DP World Tour’s Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, the Spaniard has been named in the field for the season-closing LIV Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral in Florida.”

  • “The 29-year-old last competed in LIV Golf’s inaugural season in Boston in early September, where he finished a disappointing 45th in the individual competition. It would have been easy to assume that would mark his final appearance after three outings, but that was before he showed the form of his life with a six-shot win in his homeland.”
Full piece.

5. #longevity

6. An overgrown Ross and a lawsuit in Asheville

Sarah Honosky, Asheville Citizen Times…”The city has filed a lawsuit against historic Municipal Golf Course’s former operator Pope Golf, alleging deteriorating course conditions, destruction of property and $340,830 in outstanding lease payments to the city.”

  • “The complaint was filed with Buncombe County Superior Court on Oct. 4, over three months after the city attorney’s office sent a letter to Keith Pope, CEO of Pope Golf, based in Sarasota, Florida, advising that the city intended to initiate litigation over the past due lease payments, some of which have been accumulating since 2016.”
Full piece.

7. Carnage!

8. Tour Report from Congaree

Among the many morsels Tursky served up from Congaree is this note on bomber Cam Young’s wild week of equipment changes…”Cam Young had quite a roller coaster of a week in equipment.”

  • “Prior to the event, Young switched into a new Titleist TSR2+ 14.5-degree 3-wood, and a TSR2 5-wood, each of which are equipped with incredibly stiff shafts. He also switched into a SuperStroke Traxion Flatso 2.0 putter grip on his custom Scotty Cameron putter. I asked him about all the changes on Wednesday, to which he replied:”
  • “Yeah, just some tinkering,” Young said in his press conference. “The 3-wood and 5-wood I just feel like I haven’t — I don’t hit the 3-wood very often. I had a 4-wood and I just didn’t hit it that often, so we were just looking to change the setup a little bit to give me some more options. I didn’t play great last week, but those changes we made in those clubs I think worked out really nicely. I kind of like the way that they worked for me in the tournament. And the putter grip is just, I’m always tinkering with something, just trying something new.”
  • “If all the changes weren’t enough, there was more gear news from Young during The CJ Cup.”
  • “As the story goes, Young felt like something was off with his driver head on Friday, so he borrowed a driver from Webb Simpson for Saturday’s round. It was a Titleist TSi3 9.5-degree head, and Young switched out the shaft for his gamer Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70 TX shaft.”
Full Piece.

9. PGA Tour university changes on the way?

Golf Channel report…”More changes could be coming to PGA Tour University, the program created to provide top college graduates with a pathway to the PGA Tour by giving them status on developmental tours under the Tour’s umbrella.”

  • “If greenlighted, the updates would be the program’s most significant yet and for the first time offer direct access to the PGA Tour.”
  • “Tour members were notified Monday via their monthly green sheet that two proposals have been sent to the Tour’s policy board for approval.”
  • “One proposition would see the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour U’s Velocity Global Ranking at the conclusion of the NCAA Championship receive a PGA Tour card. Another would offer Tour status, post-nationals, to underclassmen who meet certain elite benchmarks at the amateur and college levels.”
  • “The policy board is set to review the two proposals in early November. If approved, the first change would go into effect immediately, meaning that the No. 1 player in the final ranking following the 2023 NCAA Championship will have PGA Tour status from June 2023 through the end of the 2022-23 season.”
Full Piece.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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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.

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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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