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Tour Rundown: Rose returns to winner’s circle and plenty more

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3 years ago

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It was a four-event week, as January and February shook hands. The PGA, DP World, Korn Ferry, and Asian tours celebrated tournaments from California to Panama to the Middle East.

PGA Tour: Rose wins 11th title on tour at Carmel

The world forgets how good Justin Rose was a decade ago. He won a US Open and an Olympic gold medal, and narrowly lost out on a green Augusta jacket. His last win came in 2019, just before the pandemic touched down on planet Earth. Rose has been saddle with equipment rumors, suggesting that his talent was compromised beyond his control. Whatever.

This week, Rose was the King of Carmel. He toured the Monterey peninsula like a chieftain. The Englishman was the only golfer to post four rounds in the 60s, including an ace on Friday at Spyglass Hill’s 15th hole. Rose saved his best for the weekend-plus. On Saturday-Sunday, Rose signed for a third-round 65 at Monterey Peninsula, and followed that up with a Sunday-Monday 66 at Pebble Beach.

A resurgent Brendon Todd gave Rose some chase, but his final-days 65 was just one better than Rose’s tally. Todd finished in a second-place tie with Brandon Wu, who posted a 66 of his own in the final round. Will this victory give Rose the propulsion needed to once again contend in major championships on the final nine holes? We think that he has one or two more runs in him.

DP World Tour: Gavins claims second tour title at Ras Al Khaimah

Elation for one is heartbreak for another. Zander Lombard looked to be confident, if not completely in control, of this week’s DP World Tour event in the United Arab Emirates. He opened with bogey on Sunday, but more than countered with eagle, two holes later. Something wasn’t quite right with the swing, thought, and three more bogeys sneaked in, sandwiching a birdie at seven. It added up to a plus-one on the outward half, a far cry from the stuff of 69-68-63 over the first three days.

Sensing an opening were  Sweden’s Alexander Björk and England’s Daniel Gavins. Each one leapt to the top of the leader board, with Gavins holding a one-shot advantage as the two traversed the watery 18th. Gavins struggled to a double-bogey seven, which dropped him from 19-under to 17-deep. Drive in the water, never over the land. Re-tee, makfind water again, make a bomb of a putt (26-feet) for double, to avoid triple bogey. Surely all hope was lost, he must have thought. Then came Björk, who erred too far on the side of caution. Rough to rough to green, with a chance at birdie to reach 18-under and, perhaps, steal a title. Putt from 33 feet too bold, and second putt, too askew. Three putts led to six, and second place was his.

Behind them came Lombard, with one last shot at a playoff. Two mighty strikes left him 23 feet beyond the hole, with a putt for eagle and a playoff. The putt leaked away low, to the right side, and he settled for birdie, and a tie with Björk for runner-up. Lombard’s pursuit of a first DP World Tour title marches on, while Galvin breathes deeply and accepts trophy number two.

Korn Ferry Tour: Playoff decides Panama Classic in favor of next-gen pro

It was a rough, final day at the Club de Golf de Pánama for third-round leaders Christopher Petefish and Brett Drewitt. Seeking to replicate their best rounds of the week, the pair instead struggled to equal their worst ones. Petefish fired his second 74 of the week when it mattered most, while Drewitt closed with 73. The pair dropped seven places and barely preserved top-ten finishes.

With the leading duo out of the running, space opened for a trio of surging talents to stake a claim to the title. Two of the challengers have grandfather Masters champions, while the third was a standout at Southern Methodist University. Mac Meissner began the day at one-under par, posted 68, and moved to three-under on the week. Sam Saunders, grandson of four-time Masters winner Arnold Palmer, started Sunday at even par, but posted three-under to join Meissner atop the list. Finally, Pierceson Coody, grandson of 1971 Masters titlehlder Charles Coody, signed for the low round of the day (66) to move from one-over to, you guessed it, three-deep.

The trio went off to a playoff hole, and the overtime session was brief. Coody struck with a birdie at the par-four closing hole to dispatch his foes. Coody’s approach to the hole released some twenty feet, finishing within a foot of the hole. The victory was his second on the Korn Ferry Tour, and situated him well for promotion to the PGA Tour in the near future.

Asian Tour: Ancer holds off Young for PIFSI title

The Asian Tour will spend its first three, calendar weeks of 2023 in the Middle East, before venturing east to New Zealand. This week, the tour was at the Royal Greens Club, and it turned quickly into a two-man battle. Abraham Ancer began the week with 63, while Cameron Young was close behind, at 65, When Young posted another 65 on day two, he inched closer to Ancer, who gave up little ground with 66. They reversed once again on Saturday, with 64 for Ancer and another 65 for Young. By this stage, no one was within five shots of second, so only a 59 on Sunday would overtake both leaders.

Ancer made three birdies and a bogey on day-four’s outward nine, while Young crept close with four birds and a bogey. For all the world, there was no telling who would outpace the other, with a single shot separating them, with nine holes to play. Ancer did the unthinkable: nine consecutive pars, to close with 68 and 19-under par. Could it be good enough? It seemed that way, when Young went bogey-par-double, from the 13th to the 15th holes. Four in arrears, Young never gave up. He made birdie at 16 and 18 to pull back to two shots, but Ancer never wavered, and earned a first title in 2023.

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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.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

4 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

Published

4 weeks ago

on

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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