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Morning 9: Saso wins U.S. Open | Bobby Mac victorious in Canada | Hull’s eventful week

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Bobby Mac and Yuka Saso celebrate their respective victories from Sunday evening.

1. Saso, 22, wins 2nd U.S. Open

Golf Channel’s Mercer Baggs…”Yuka Saso overcame an early four-putt with brilliant shot-making and a back-nine 32 to win the U.S. Women’s Open.”

  • “Saso now has two career LPGA titles: both at this major. Having won at The Olympic Club in 2021, she added Lancaster Country Club to her grand list of conquered courses.”
  • “She’s the youngest player, at 22, to win two U.S. Women’s Open championships. She also joins Seri Pak and In Gee Chun, who won at Lancaster in 2015, as the only women to make majors their first two tour victories.”
  • “Saso closed in 2-under 68 to finish at 4 under, three shots clear of former AIG Women’s Open winner Hinako Shibuno (72). Ally Ewing, who matched the day’s best with a 66, and Andrea Lee, who finished with a frustrating 75, tied for third at even par.”
Full piece.

2 Bobby Mac!

Todd Kelly for Golfweek…”The Scottish lefty, seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, added his dad, Dougie, at the last minute as his caddie this week and the father/son duo proved to be a solid combo, as MacIntyre finished off his week north of the border by winning the 2024 RBC Canadian Open by one stroke over France’s Victor Perez.”

  • “Bobby Mac opened his week with a 64 and after back-to-back 66s, he held a four-shot lead after 54 holes, the fifth golfer to hold such a lead on the PGA Tour this season.”
  • “Canadian Mackenzie Hughes managed to grab a share of the lead on the front nine Sunday but MacIntyre zoomed back up by four at the turn and went on to a final-round 68 to finish 16 under to become the fifth player from Scotland to win on the PGA Tour since 1940. He joined fellow countrymen Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie, Martin Laird and Russell Knox.”
Full piece.

3. Charley’s eventful week

Kent Paisley for Golf Digest…”However, all of Hull’s professional accomplishments took a backseat to the attention she received for a seemingly innocuous moment at this week’s U.S. Women’s Open. A photo of the No. 8 player in the world signing an autograph at Lancaster Country Club while casually smoking went viral, drawing more eyeballs than most of her golfing career.”

  • “Just one cigarette, it lit up,” Hull joked
  • “Hull’s moment in the spotlight drew fans to her throughout the championship. Many shouted her name throughout the event, while one was bold enough to try and ask her out to dinner, going with the tried trope of “you dropped something” to hand Hull his number. Hull didn’t text him.”
Full piece.

4. Fill-in caddie

Kevin Prise for PGATour.com…”Paul Emerson doesn’t fancy himself a good golfer, but he’s a scratch “golf nut.” He attended Sunday’s final round as the RBC Canadian Open as a spectator, with an unexpected inside-the-ropes experience early in the day – two holes as a caddie.”

  • “Emerson, who hails from nearby Aurora, Ontario, was traversing the par-4 third hole at Hamilton Golf & Country Club when he realized that C.T. Pan’s caddie, Mike “Fluff” Cowan, had been injured and was unable to continue caddying. Pan’s playing partner Shane Lowry was carrying his own bag, and Lowry’s caddie Darren Reynolds was carrying Pan’s bag.”
  • “As Pan was walking Cowan over to a medic on the side of the fairway, Emerson asked Pan if he could lend a hand.”
Full piece.

5. Els wins on PGA Tour Champions

AP report…” Ernie Els won the Principal Charity Classic on Sunday for his fourth career PGA Tour Champions victory, closing with a 7-under 65 at Wakonda Club to beat defending champion Stephen Ames by two strokes.

  • “Tied with Rod Pampling for the second-round lead, Els eagled the par-5 15th and had five birdies in his bogey-free final round. The 54-year-old Hall of Famer from South Africa finished at 21-under 195 for his first victory since March 2023.”
  • “It’s very special,” Els said. “You know, I haven’t won for a while. I’ve had quite a few chances, but it gets tougher when you don’t get it over the line. So today was very, very competitive. A lot of players, a lot of great players. I just took my chance when it came.”
Full piece.

6. Winning WITB: Robert MacIntyre

Presented by 2nd Swing

Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

3-wood: Cobra Aerojet LS (14.5 degrees)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Rescue (19 degrees)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X

Irons: Titleist 620 CB (4-9)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F), SM9 (50-08F, 56-10S), WedgeWorks (60-08K)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Onyx (46, 50), Dynamic Gold S400 Onyx (56, 60)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord (woods), Grip Master (irons)

Full WITB.

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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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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