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Ian Poulter Captures Matchplay Championship

“It’s been a long time coming. Five or six years of hard work, coming over to change my residency, to be living in America, to finally win over here … it means everything. And it’s just so pleasing to be able to finally say now I’m a winner on the PGA Tour.” The words of Ian Poulter after smacking Paul Casey around the yard in the 36 hole World Match Play Championship final. Finally playing as well as he dresses, Mr. Poulter capped off his week in style, winning the all England final 4 and 2 in a match that really wasn’t that close. For Mr. Casey this is the second thumping in as many years he’s endured in the finals of this event.

Published

16 years ago

Feb 23, 2010

Eric Schuster

“It’s been a long time coming. Five or six years of hard work, coming over to change my residency, to be living in America, to finally win over here … it means everything. And it’s just so pleasing to be able to finally say now I’m a winner on the PGA Tour.” The words of Ian Poulter after smacking Paul Casey around the yard in the 36 hole World Match Play Championship final. Finally playing as well as he dresses, Mr. Poulter capped off his week in style, winning the all England final 4 and 2 in a match that really wasn't that close. For Mr. Casey this is the second thumping in as many years he's endured in the finals of this event.

Despite the fact he's won 8 times in Europe and owns a 5-2 Ryder Cup record Mr. Poulter is more famously know for his mouth and his fashion sense. Remember when he intimated he was on a level with one Tiger Woods when he was playing well? Hmmm. At least as brash as some of the clothes he designs and wears. “For me it’s a business, and one that I’m very passionate about,”Mr. Poulter said. “And I take pride and care on how I present myself on the golf course. And a lot of people haven’t really seen it that way over the last few years.” Indeed they haven't, the Union Jack pants created a minor ruckus as I recall, but then I haven't heard him refered to as the "Peacock of the Fairways" as Doug Sanders was known in his prime. Style is good on the golf course, as is having a great short game.

I always find it difficult to get terribly excited about this event most years, given that this is an Olympic year made it even harder. Despite the fact more TV time is taken up with commercials or Bob Costas there is still something oddly fascinating about curling during prime time. While match play has been the mainstay of amateur golf for as long as golf has been played, it's not television friendly. In an age where we all have an attention span lasting as long as it takes to hurtle down a ramp on really long skis, fly into the air down a mountain, and land upright, match play takes forever and three days to be played. Most of that time is consumed with walking from shot to shot. No Virginia it's not a hockey game, its a prescription for insomnia.

The excitement for the week, at least in the golf world, was Tiger Woods' public statement on Friday. For those not familiar with 12 step recovery programs, making amends is a big part of the recovery process. What Mr. Woods accomplished Friday was making his public amends to those people who only know him from his very public life. Nervous and unsettled only made the delivery that much more believable. That was the real TW ,not the corporate logo but the person himself for perhaps the first time in years in front of the cameras without the armor that golf provides him. It took a lot of courage to stand up and make a public apology. He didn't have to, after all the guy can isolate himself as well as anyone in the world because he has the cash to hire several regiments of protection, but he did and I applaud him for taking a step on the way to recovery.

Ernie Els made the news with his comments that Mr. Woods was selfish for holding his public apology session during the World Match Play Championship. Shut up Ernie! The guy made you richer than you ever imagined and you feel the need to bash him as selfish? Why, because he draws more attention than you? Get over yourself. We've all witnessed the most spectacular crash and burn ever, from king of the world to sleazy tabloid idol and you need to smack him again? Maybe I'm a tad sensitive because I am all too familiar with failings that have been called those of a moral degenerate among others things. I know the illness and disease of addiction and the devastation brought into the life of the individual and their family. It's pain, discomfort, a lot of soul searching, but treatable over time. Cut the man some slack, and be grateful it's not you in his position.

News

5 Things we Learned: Thursday at the U.S.. Women’s Open

Published

8 hours ago

Jun 5, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Gone are the days when the U.S. Women’s Open was held at Scenic Hills or Churchill Valley. Fine courses that they are (or were, as Churchill Valley went bankrupt a decade ago) there is something to be said for the venue. Not all Women’s Open playings need to take place on Men’s Open venues, but some should. This week in Los Angeles, the Women’s Open visits Riviera Country Club for the first time. Down the road, we will visit Inverness, Oakmont, Interlachen, Oak Hill, Chicago Golf, and Merion. That is quite the murderer’s row (1927 Yankees reference) of golf clubs.

What can we expect from the 2026 tournament? Greatness and uncertainty. Unlike the PGA Tour, which visits Riviera each February, the LPGA does not, so the women will not have nearly the body of work over the George C. Thomas layout. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe they’ll play #10 smarter than the men do. Maybe they’ll figure some things out that their male counterparts can not. For today, we’ll try to find five things to learn, and share them with you.

First, this ain’t your momma’s U.S. Open course

How do we know? Well, so far, only one previous champion currently sits inside the top thirty. That would be Minjee Lee, the 2022 winner at Southern (NC) Pines. Lee made par on her first nine holes, the inward side at Riviera. She dropped birdie putts on the first and ninth holes (ten and eighteen for her day) and tallied another seven pars, for 69. She sits three shots off Jennifer Kupcho’s opening 66. Don’t worry about Kupcho; we’ll get to her. After Lee, defending champion Maja Stark ranks T30 at even par, joined by three other, former winners.

What Minjee did, is the sort of thing that wins U.S. Open titles. She guided her ship safely past swells, and made a move when the waters calmed. The fewer the bogeys, the more likely Minjee figures in the outcome on Sunday evening in Pacific Palisades. Off the tee, Lee was unmatched. She hit 14 of 14 fairways. Her iron play was a bit loose in comparison. She putted for birdie on 12 of 18 holes, which meant that her recovery short game was on point. Lee was ten yards longer on measured driving holes than the field average, and was below the field average (a good thing) in putting.

Second, the amateurs beat a loud drum

Three of the world’s top amateur golfer posted 70, placing them four off the lead, in a tie for 14th place. Canada’s Aphrodite Deng, Spain’s Paula Francisco Llaño, and Colombia’s Maria José Marin, showed the professional world that their game is strong. Both Deng and Francisco Llaño collected five birdies on the day. Should they match that output on day two, and minimize the foozles, they’ll be the topic of conversation on Saturday morning. Marin, the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion and an NCAA team semifinalist last week, played a game similar to Minjee Lee: few mistakes and few taken risks.

The last amateur to post the low medal score for 72 holes was Jenny Chuasiriporn in 1998. She lost a playoff to Se Ri Pak, who matched her plus-six effort at Blackwolf Run. The last amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open was Catherine Lacoste in 1967. The amateurs are stronger than they’ve ever been, but the professionals have not allowed them to close the gap. A victory by one of the college set would be a cannon shot heard round the world. Could it happen? Absolutely. Is it likely? Not at all.

Third, let’s talk Kupcho

Jennifer Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She won three times on tour in 2022, including the Chevron, a major title. She won a fourth event in 2025, but has not established the winning credentials projected on her after 2022’s marvelous coming-out.

Kupcho hails from Colorado, and spent four years in the Carolina Piedmont, at Wake Forest Universtiy. Neither of those locales cries out I’ll be at home at Riviera, but here we are, after a seven-birdie performance. Kupcho posted birdie on each of her first three holes, and added four more (against two bogeys) to assume a one-shot advantage over Korea’s Sei Young Kim.

Kupcho drove the ball decently, approached moderately well, but putted lights out on Thursday. Her 26 putts were tied for best in show on day one. There might just be something about the putting surfaces at Riviera that aligns with Kupcho’s vibe. If that is the case, just get the ball on the green, anywhere, and let the flatstick do the lifting.

Fourth, how young is Sei Young?

Sei (pronounced “So”) Young Kim won a dozen times from 2015 to 2020. She took time off from winning until 2025, shen she captured a thirteenth LPGA title. Like Kupcho, Kim has hardware from one major event, the 2020 Women’s PGA Championship. How to explain the five years away from victory? No idea. When Sei Young was in contention during the prime of her career, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

What to expect over the next three days at Riviera? Anyone’s guess. It might be the 2015-2020 Sei Young, or it could be the 2021-2025 version. Kim began her day with birdies at 10 and 11, then settled into a stretch of pars before her solitary bogey at the 4th (her 13th) hole. Kim regained her composure and reeled in three birdies to close the front nine. Her four-under performance trails Kupcho alone, and there is a real chance that Sei Young will produce a second score in the 60s and take a bit of control of the tournament.

Fifth, we’re giddy for Gaby

Although I cannot place my finger on why, it seems that each year, Gaby Lopez pops up on the U.S. Open leaderboard. She hasn’t figure out how to remain in contention, but here we are, in 2026, and Lopez is once again in the mix. The three-time champion on the LPGA circuit had a stunning first nine holes, turning in minus-five. She reached six deep at her tenth hole, but then gave three shots back coming home. Which Gaby will show up on Friday, and for how long? If back-nine Gaby can somehow channel front-nine Gaby, all outcomes are within reach. If the loose play continues, Lopez’ wiki page will add one more T41 to her majors column.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

2 days ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

4 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

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.

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WITB Albums