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Tour Rundown: Back to back for Boutier | Bryson’s brilliance | Glover victorious

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3 years ago

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August arrived with pre-Fall fanfare. The ladies tours merged in Scotland for the Scottish Open, a wonderful prelude to this week’s Open Championship. The PGA Tour concluded its regular season in North Carolina, and one of the game’s big names missed the playoffs by one shot. Korn Ferry headed west to Utah, where a familiar name closed fast for a long-awaited win. North of the border, PGA Tour Canada was welcomed to Windsor, and in West Virginia, a 58 for the win was recorded on the LIV tour. It was an entertaining first weekend for the year’s eighth month, and as such, deserves no additional delay. Let’s run down all the wins and near-misses in this week’s Tour Rundown. Let Maja’s magic be your inspiration for this week.

LPGA/LET @ Scottish Open: Back to back for Boutier

Celine Boutier will look back on 2023 as a year when she figured something out. True, the year’s not over yet, but with wins in consecutive weeks at Evian and Dundonald, the French golfer is playing, no, winning at a level above her competition. I don’t know if that makes her the favorite (if there is such a thing) in this week’s Open Championship, but I certainly expect much from her at Walton Heath.

Boutier was that golfer this week, the one who held the wheel firm through all four rounds. She was patient while others lit fireworks, awaiting her moment. Hinako Shibuno opened with 64-68, and looked to be the week’s champion at the halfway point. The Japanese champion fell away with 77-72 over the weekend, all the way to 16th place. Maja Stark held second at 134 through 36 holes, but had her difficulties over the final two rounds. She managed a tie for fourth position, Charging to the wire were Hyo Joo Kim and Ruoning Yan. Their weekends of 134 and 133, respectively, brought them into 2nd and 3rd places, just shy of the champion’s pace.

Boutier took control on Saturday. Her 66 included eight birdies on the day, against a pair of bogeys. The previous week’s winner gained strokes at 17 and 18 in round three, to add a bit more distance between herself and the field. She would need those two shots to hold off Kim, who made a tournament of things when it looked like Boutier’s week. The French champion stumbled a bit coming home on Sunday, with bogeys at 14 and 16. A birdie at 17 gave her breathing room, and she collected her fifth LPGA and fifth LET titles amid a champagne shower.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: A win for Glover and a near-miss for JT 

Greensboro’s PGA Tour event has been a mainstay on the circuit for decades. Its position as the final event before FedEx Cup playoffs makes it even more valuable for those golfers hoping to reach the bonus events at Memphis, Chicago, and Atlanta. The Sedgefield Country Club course is not everyone’s favorite joint, but if you love Donald Ross and traditional architecture, you’ll get along just fine with the old dame. Eyes this week were on Justin Thomas, mired in the worst patch of golf of his tour career. Thomas was on the outside, looking in, at this week’s Top-70 affair at the St. Jude. He needed a big week and he almost got one. His tie for 12th was one agonizing shot away from overtaking Ben Griffin for the last playoff position.

With that out of the way, we move to the top of the board. Billy Horschel took the 54-hole lead with rounds of 62-63 on Friday-Saturday. The Florida Gator has been adrift in his own sea of uncertainty, and Greensboro looked to be a welcoming port. After lighting the course with rockets for 36 holes, Horschel failed to post birdie until the final hole. His 72 dropped him to t4, a welcome yet bittersweet finish.

It was left to Russell Henley, who always plays well at Sedgefield, and Lucas Glover, who hails from just over the NC/SC border, to settle matters. Henley was charging toward the lead when a mid-afternoon shower delayed the conclusion of the tournament. When the golfers returned to the course, the Georgia Bulldog promptly posted birdie-bogey-bogey-bogey to fall into a 2nd-place tie with Byeong Hun An. It was Glover who rocked steady, closing with pars as Henley faltered, to claim his fifth PGA Tour title, and first since John Deere in 2021.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Sloan snaps streak of nine years

Roger Sloan is a name that true aficionados of tour golf recognize. He has moved from circuit to circuit during his 15+ years of professional golf. On occasion, Sloan has made his way to the PGA Tour, but it is spaces like Korn Ferry and PGA Tour Canada where he has made his mark. This week, out of literal nowhere, Sloan surged and surged until there was no one left in front of him.

Kevin Dougherty had the lead and the commentator admiration, heading into Sunday. Dougherty’s 67-61-65 start had him one shot ahead of Danny Walker. On Sunday, Neither Dougherty nor Walker had the recipe for birdies, and each signed for 70. Dougherty finished T3 with Roberto Díaz, while Walker claimed solo fifth spot. Making a big move on Sunday was Christopher Petefish. Well outside the magical Top 30 (recipients of PGA tour cards for next season), Petefish seized the lead with an eagle 3 at the 15th hole. He was unable to close with any fervor, however, and a trio of pars brought him to 23-under on the week.

Sloan played Sunday’s outward half in four-under par, but a pair of early, back-nine bogeys slowed his roll for a time. Fortunately for him, the leaders had faltered, and hope still lingered. Sloan stood two back of Petefish when he reached the 17th tee. Two holes later, he had a pair of birdies and no need for a playoff. Roger Sloan had ended a nine-year, one-month winless streak, and vaulted inside the top 30 on the season.

PGA Tour Canada @ Windsor Championship: Choi chases victory down

Both PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA Tour Canada award ten Korn Ferry Tour cards at the conclusion of their championships. Their abbreviated seasons lead to a great deal of movement each week. This week’s spotlight shines on Sam Choi. He entered round four within sight of the top spot, co-owned by Jeffrey Kang and Ryan Linton. Both leaders posted 69 on day four, which dropped them precisely one spot, into a six-way tie for second spot. They were joined at 22-under par by Cameron Sisk, Stuart Macdonald, Alex Scott, and Devon Bling.

Surging past the sextet was Choi, who found the golden stroke on Sunday. The Pepperdine alumnus turned in 32, thanks to four birdies. He added two more before a momentary hiccough at 14. A few deep breaths later, Choi added birdies at 15 and 18, to reach 64 on the day. By round’s end, he had reached 25 deep, three clear of his pursuers. The win vaulted Choi to second position in the Fortinet Cup, nearly assuring him of a Korn Ferry tour card for 2024. With his father as caddy, things don’t get much better.

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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

    Aug 7, 2023 at 11:22 am

    Really outdid yourself on the coverage of Bryson’s 58. and I quote:

    “and in West Virginia, a 58 for the win was recorded on the LIV tour.”

    You would think the main page for GolfWRX would have eaten up the content of his performance. Cool clubs in the bag, exciting final stretch performance for the win etc.

    Reply Report comment

    • Jbone

      Aug 7, 2023 at 1:29 pm

      Golf “journalists” have a mental illness when it comes to LIV and Bryson

      Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

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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

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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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