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Tour Rundown: No shortage of fall drama
As American football steams through its fifth weekend. professional golf continues to capture our attention. Thanks to a well-balanced equation for tour championships, the brass ring for the world’s tours spreads across a rainbow of weeks. This first weekend in October saw the arrival of the Korn Ferry tour championship, along with the awarding of a spate of PGA Tour cards for 2025. The DP World Tour returned to St. Andrews for the Dunhill Links. The annual pilgrimage to the home of golf presents the auld toon’s various courses in unique lights. The PGA Tour Champions visited Jacksonville, Florida, for the Furyk & Friends event, while the PGA Tour itself passed through the 20th state for the yearly “I’m going to” Jackson, Mississippi tourney at the city’s eponymous country club.
? ALBATROSS ?@NicoColsaerts makes an albatross at the 16th at Kingsbarns! #dunhilllinks pic.twitter.com/augYNri4kF
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 5, 2024
PGA Tour @ Sanderson Farms: Yu keeps Hossler from winner’s stand
Beau Hossler has done so much during his years on the PGA Tour, that you would think that a victory would have fallen to him at some point. The Californian-born, UTexas-educated golfer has lost twice in playoffs. In 2018, he fell to Ian Poulter in Houston. Now Wiki can add a loss to Kevin Yu, in Mississippi.
For a time, it seemed that neither golfer would figure in the outcome. Keith Mitchell was motoring along through 12 holes, until he forgot how to make a birdie. Five consecutive pars were followed by an excruciating bogey at the last. That miscue kept him out of the playoff, restricting him to a T3 finish with Lucas Glover.
Away did Yu and Hossler fly, to the 18th tee for another go-round. Yu found fairway, while Hossler diverted to the left exit, compelling a lay-up for his second. He pitched to three feet, but never had a chance to make that putt. Yu played his approach to inside six feet, then drained the birdie putt for a walk-off win.
A dart when he needed it most ?@KevinGolfYu has a good look at birdie on the first playoff hole. pic.twitter.com/0glyWvNhDb
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 6, 2024
DP World Tour @ Dunhill Links: Hatton at home of golf
Nicolas Colsaerts hasn’t won in quite some time, and it shows. The Belgian Bomber last hoisted a tour trophy in 2019. Stretches without a sound verdict will play with one’s psyche. Case in point: Colsaerts poured in an approach to the 16th for an Albatross two on the par-five hole, followed it with a birdie, then closed with a double bogey, in round three. Welcome back to the chase, everyone.
The six at the last dropped the tall man a shot behind Tyrrell Hatton. The duo would match 70s in round four, and Hatton would make a delicate up-and-down for birdie at Home, to clinch victory. Hatton did everything in his power to give the tournament away. His double bogey-bogey run at holes 13 and 14 returned three shots to the field. On a long day, when lost holes from previous days were made up, Hatton had enough gas in the tank to make a trio of pars coming home, prior to etching that delightful birdie into the graveyard of greens.
Up and down for victory ?@TyrrellHatton is the Alfred Dunhill Links Champion for a record third time! #dunhilllinks pic.twitter.com/RHNfnuvj4y
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 6, 2024
Korn Fery Tour @ Tour Championship:
In case you weren’t aware of just how busy a week it was at the French Lick Resort, check Twitter/X. You won’t find a bit of footage of Braden Thornberry, the fellow who won the title and a tour card. Thornberry was an afterthought until he wasn’t. He entered the week 51st on the money list, and was the only competitor to move inside the top 30 and earn a PGA Tour card.
It’s a shame, really, as no other tour offers promotion cards at its Tour Championship. Thornberry had the temerity to record a 72nd-hole birdie, to seal a perfect, six-under 66. He reached nine-under par, relegating Alistair Docherty, Doc Redman, and Brian Campbell to a tie for runner-up linen. In January of 2025, Thornberry will join his fellow graduates for a year of grad school, on the PGA Tour.
Kaito on a mission ?
Back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 and he is rolling! pic.twitter.com/x5o9xZ2qbR
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) October 4, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Furyk & Friends: It’s Rocco, baby!
Why is it that some players find a way to un-win a tournament? Bob Estes has done this since his PGA Tour days. Estes contends with regularity, yet the loving cups of victory somehow find their way into another’s embrace. Guess what? It happened again in North Florida.
Rocco Mediate is owed a bit by the gods of golf. There is no way that Tiger Woods, on one leg, beats him at Torrey Pines in the 2008 US Open, yet it happened. This week at Timuquana, Mediate was his grinning, impish self. He matched Estes shot for shot through 54 holes of regulation, despite doing his best Hatton impression. Bogeys at 15 and 18 were offset by a birdie at 17.
In the playoff hole, Mediate found the fairway, while Estes landed on sand. His bunker recovery failed to reach the green, and his pitch was not close enough to matter. Mediate reached the putting surface in regulation, took two putts, and recorded par. Estes was adrift with his par putt, and a first Tour Champions title since 2019 (and fifth overall) reached Mediate’s embrace.
The art behind the craft.@RoccoMediate played this beautifully @FurykAndFriends.
He leads by three with four to play! pic.twitter.com/GsfGtXgkC0
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 6, 2024
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...
