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Five Things we Learned: Friday at the PGA Championship
The PGA Championship might be the greatest gift to golf and major events. At the US Open and the Masters, we read articles about how the field is essentially whittled down to a select twenty, and no one else should have a shot at the title. Inevitably, this happens. What about the other 130 golfers in the field? Why should their chances be reduced? Doesn’t that make it a boring affair? Hardly. When it comes to the Open Championship, it’s a similar but different notion. Winners come from out of the blue, but the Royal and Ancient is not nearly as dismissive as the American viewing public (alongside some of the working journalists). The winner is the Champion Golfer of the Year, and he is welcomed into the shrine of winners, with no baggage nor criticism. That’s how Brian Harman, Francesco Molinari, Paul Lawrie, and Tom Lehman won major titles since 1980. Even farther out in the rings of golfing Saturn, that’s how Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton went back-to-back in the early 2002s, and how Ian Baker-Finch, Bill Rogers, Kel Nagle, and Max Faulkner, among many, claimed a solitary major title.
It’s time to stop the bullying. First and foremost, the PGA Championship is a major title. If there’s a flaw in golf’s hierarchy, it’s the restriction of major titles to four. Adding the Australian Open and one more wouldn’t diminish what golfers have done over the years. The LPGA has more than four, as does the PGA Tour Champions. A winner will emerge from this year’s crowded field, and he will be a worthy winner. For this week, at the very least, he will be the PGA Professional of the Year, and he will have earned the right to be welcomed into the fold of the many course and club professionals, who toil daily to support the game that we the viewers, we the fans, we the golfers, play as often as possible. Long live the PPOTY!
OK, back to this gig. It’s Friday evening, and it’s time for a Five Things We Learned on Friday at the PGA Championship. In case you missed Thursday’s action, we’ll leave you with those highlights. Then, we’ll get down to business.
First, take my caddie, and I’ll take the lead…almost
John Maxwell Homa was just what Charlotte, Quail Hollow, and the PGA of America needed on Friday morning. He played the inward nine first, and absolutely electrified the in-person and on-screen fans with a 30 over his first half-round. Highlight of the day was the 300+ flight of his tee ball on 14. Homa’s strike settled within 12 inches of the hole, guaranteeing eagle. It was never on line to be an albatross, but a hole in one on a par-four hole would have been something! Homa came home in one-under figures on the front (his second) nine, lowering the week’s low from Vegas’ 65 to 64. He would be matched later in the day, but Homa and his new caddie found themselves inside the top five, guaranteed a 2:25 tee time with a pretty strong compatriot.
Second, sometimes it’s all about the rake place at the rake time
With two rounds in, Jhonattan Vegas is still the leader, and international players still feature prominently (the top four hail from Venezuela, Korea, England, and France) in the competition. Vegas stood on the 36th tee Friday with a four-shot advantage. After bogey at the second hole, he had scratched four birdies from the greens to reach ten-under par for the week.
Vegas reached the 17th tee, played a less-than-flush tee ball, and watched it do what you see in the video below. Might he have gotten up and down from the bunker? Perhaps. Holed a long putt or chip? Perhaps. His rake shot will be remembered for the memes that it will produce: I didn’t read that much rake in the putt, for example. Luck has a way of evening out, and Vegas found a double bogey without finding the creek that protects the left flank of the hole. His approach never turned, and found sand. His recovery had to be played gently, and it came out too gentle. A chip and two putts later, Vegas was still your clubhouse leader, still with a multi-shot advantage, and perhaps, a bit of grounding as the weekend loomed.
Third, welcome back to the Si-Woo Kid!
We all remember 21-year-old Si Woo Kim, who shocked the world in 2017 with a Players Championship win. Kim performed his mandatory military service after becoming the Sawgrass sensation, then returned to professional golf. In addition to his Wyndham (that he won the prior season), Kim added American Express and Sony Open titles, but has yet to join the ranks of major champions. Mid-May of 2025 might be his week.
Like Max Home, Si Woo had a 30 of his own on the front nine. Like Homa, Kim signed for a 64 on day two, matching the low round of the week. Unlike Homa, Kim actually dunked a tee shot for an ace on day two. It wasn’t quite as long as Homa’s hole, but an ace is an ace, and Kim rode his perfect strike on hole six to an afternoon tee time in Saturday’s final pairing. Major status might finally beckon to the great Korean golfer.
Fourth, these are some names among the chasers
For all those looking for the next Tiger, stop praying for a Scheffler win every week. If he earns it, wonderful. He’ll have his hands full, despite following a 69 with 68, to reach the weekend at five-under par. Scheffler is tied for fifth spot, three back of the leader. No doubt he has eyes on the heavy Wannamaker trophy, but he’s not alone.
There is greatness and potential in Robert MacIntyre, Matthieu Pavon, Denny McCarty, Garrick Higgo, and others among the pursuing pack. There is opportunity for glory and disaster along the emerald fairways of Quail Hollow. Most importantly, there are sixteen golfers between -4 and -8, and another eleven at minus-three. Without a dominant leader, the 107th playing of the PGA Championship is anyone’s game. If that’s not enough to get you excited for Saturday, remember that Masters champion Rory McIlroy is only a 62 away from minus-eight. That would get him in contention for Sunday.
Fifth, guys we’ll miss and predictions we’ll make
Not everyone made the cut on Friday evening. We shall miss the likes of Shane Lowry, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, and Min Woo Lee, all whom missed by three shots or fewer. The green mile of closing holes is daunting, and fellows like Akshay Bhatia, a home-state Carolinian, testified to that. Bhatia was minus-three on the 14th tee. Two doubles and one single later, he was not five shots back of the leader; he was out of the tournament.
Time to make some lurker predictions. Four of our six lurker picks reached the weekend, but we’ll eschew their names for six new lurkers. Here goes nothing, friends!
- -4 Denny McCarthy. He’s a great putter, so if he can find the greens, he can make putts.
- -3 Taylor Pendrith. Nick Taylor broke the Canadian Open curse. It’s time for Taylor to end the major one.
- -2 Viktor Hovland. How good can this guy get? He had a close call in 2023. Time for redemption.
- -1 Beau Hossler. This far back, you need a birdie machine. Hossler can light it up when he’s on. Today!
- 0 Stephan Jaeger. He was a dark-horse prediction by many. He bounces back on Saturday with 63.
- +1 Bud Cauley. Another comeback story. He has a 60 in him. Minus-eleven on major Saturday? Aye.
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...
