Tour News
Caddy Races banned from WM Phoenix Open
And they’re off!
No, really, they’re off. In “you’re gonna poke someone’s eye out” motherly fashion, the PGA Tour has banned the caddy races.
The Waste Management Phoenix Open has been donned “The Greatest Show on Grass.” The climax of the show occurs at the par-3 No. 16, which resembles more of a fraternity tailgate party than a golf event. It’s standing room only with 20,000-plus sports fans packed into stadium seating and skyboxes surrounding the 162-yard hole. They spend the day drinking beers, making bets and cheering on the competitors.
In recent years, fans began gambling on which players’ caddy will reach the putting surface first. This led to caddies, lugging 45-plus pound golf bags, running from the elevated teeing area through grass and desert sand to the green trying to beat their fellow loopers. It was a scene unlike any other.
In a game built upon reverence and respect, it’s fun to see grown men acting like kids. However, the adolescent behavior from the spectators, players and caddies caused an unsettled feeling in the not-so-pleased, over-protective parents.
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A caddy, who was in the lead in one of the 2013 races, tripped over a grass hill and took a tumble. The golf bag and clubs flipped over his body, and the two other caddies sprinted past him. Rowdy fans cheered and jeered as the caddy somersaulted.
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The PGA Tour, however, apparently wasn’t amused and has prohibited the contest.
The tournament host itself showed nothing but support for the comical tradition. It even developed an app where the fans can guess which caddy would prevail in each group. The fan with the most correct guesses would earn tickets to the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The caddy races have been outlawed, but you can bet the 20,000 inebriated fans will come up with another juvenile game to gamble on.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Troy
Aug 16, 2013 at 12:55 am
Come on PGA, Loosen the top button and breathe. For a sport that is diminishing and tends to put TV viewers asleep on Sunday afternoons; you might be taking away the one venue that some non die hard golf fans enjoy. Put down the fine China and 100 year aged bottle. Grab a few bud lights and some buddies and go have fun!
Kevin
Aug 15, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Cmon PGA… let the caddies decide. God forbid we get any fun traditions happening in USA golf other than a green jacket…
Rich
Aug 14, 2013 at 11:02 am
let’em run for Fun!
Randy
Aug 14, 2013 at 8:57 am
Sounds like somebody’s momma is worried that her waddle marsmewwo could get hurt and no one would be there to tiss his boo boo. Or her boy lost and its not fair that some one can run faster. Talk about WUSSIFYING something fun ya panzies.
Jhm
Aug 13, 2013 at 11:10 pm
So they give out (few) penalties for slow play, and now they outlaw fast play….
Seriously, “mashed potatoes” is a far worse issue.
Brenden Grant
Aug 13, 2013 at 5:36 pm
Hey: i just think the tour is like the rest of society today in that they are being very protective so they won’t have to pay out for medical or law suite if a caddie or two get’s injured. It should be do it at your own rist policy. Thanks
ndog
Aug 13, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Smart move PGA! Piss off an angry mob!
J
Aug 13, 2013 at 9:16 am
Yea! Great idea!
Get rid of fun.
Kudos PGA… All the screaming on tee boxes and your focused on getting rid of a simple foot race….
DB
Aug 13, 2013 at 10:03 am
Agreed J. The WM is that one event all year that is completely different. Having been there once it is more like a rock concert more than a golf tournament. That being said I think there are alot of players that love playing in it. Not a fan of banning the caddie races. I guess the PGA tour’s philosophy is if you can’t beat um join um. Instead of fighting the anchoring ban, they ban caddie races. Time to grow a backbone. They are the biggest presence in the game, not the USGA or PGA of america. Grow the game! Pull the stick’s out of your…
Arthur J
Aug 13, 2013 at 8:34 am
As per the comment above, in a rather more serious tone, the Tour does need to sort out all the shouting milliseconds after impact.
Get the focus right.
P.s. reading in the news on the East side of the pond that the PGA Tour are seriously looking to take over in Europe – personally I think this is a great idea (even as a European) and would be interested in any GolfWRX insider knowledge on the subject?
We have so many great courses, players and fans willing to support events over here where more big names are present, I think it can only be a good thing. A bit like creating a World Golf Super Tour, getting rid of some ho-hum events in the States and making most Tour weeks equivalent to WGC or Major fields.
Danny
Aug 13, 2013 at 7:51 am
This is a slippery slope. Next thing we know they are going to try to ban Baba Booooey!!!
KB
Aug 13, 2013 at 8:31 am
Lord I hope so.