Tour News
5 Things We Learned from Day 2 of the U.S. Open
We’re halfway home at the 117th U.S. Open, the first of its kind in the American midwest, and all that we know is what we don’t know. We don’t know why certain names have played the enviable shots they’ve managed, and we don’t understand how others were incapable of the same execution… and have checked out of their hotels.
The story is half told, and the climax yet awaits. For now, let’s focus on 5 things we learned from Day 2 of the 2017 U.S. Open.
1. Paul Casey, Super Chill
This 3-iron laser sets up a birdie and share of the #USOpen lead for @Paul_Casey. https://t.co/tLvfaywUsT
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2017
If someone intimated that a contender would play a four-hole stretch in bogey-par-triple bogey-bogey, dropping five strokes to par, and still be tied for the lead at day’s end, you’d certainly consider him daft. And yet, that’s the story of Paul Casey, late bloomer.
Casey nearly matched Adam Hadwin’s six-birdie run with five of his own, but we’ll get to that in a bit. After birdie on his second hole of the day, the wretched stretch followed, and Casey stood 4-over par on the day, 2-under over the long haul. As mentioned yesterday with Sergio Garcia, those with great patience exhibit it at the most appropriate moment. Casey calmly made par on No. 7, and then he ran the table with a quintet of birdies.
With six pars to close his back nine, Casey joined Brian Harman, Tommy Fleetwood, and Brooks Koepka at 7-under, one shot clear of Jamie Lovemark. After a mid-career crisis in the late 2000s, Casey has rediscovered his massive talent and appears poised to claim a spot in the pantheon of Tiger-era major champions.
2. Happy Birthday, Champ!
And around we go!
Amateur @CameronChamp54 finishes 36 holes at 5 under. #USOpen https://t.co/e35xrVy9kF
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2017
Cameron Champ celebrated his birthday on Thursday with a 2-under 70. It was his first major championship, and the rising senior at Texas A&M impressed the golfers with his game — and the muscle crowd with his prodigious length off the tee. Friday came and went, and Champ is not only still around for the weekend, but he’s inside the top-10 after 36 holes.
Champ had five birdies and two bogeys over the course of his second go-round at Erin Hills. Although he hit fewer fairways and greens in Round 2, he played the pro game and scrambled his way to an even better score. If he hasn’t celebrated his special day yet, he has some time tonight thanks to an afternoon tee time on Saturday.
3. On, Wisconsin!
You think @SteveStricker wants to play the weekend in front of his home crowd? #USOpen https://t.co/a0rRfbae8X
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2017
Odds are that favorite sons of Wisconsin Steve Stricker and Jordan Niebrugge will not return from 1-over after 36 holes to claim the 2017 U.S. Open trophy. The fact that both fellows passed the halfway test and will be around for the weekend is a heart-warming story line, perhaps found only here in “5 Things We Learned.”
Niebrugge was an unexpected member of the 2013 U.S. Walker Cup side, and he returned to the team in 2015. Since then, he has endured the grind of the young professional. Two late birdies on Friday (Nos. 16 and 17) brought the Mequon native inside the cut line.
Stricker, the wizened Tour winner, was not accorded the exemption that many felt he deserved; he earned his spot in the field over 36 holes in early June. Unlike his younger counterpart, the PGA Tour veteran was well inside the cut line until two bogeys on his inward half made things dicey. Fortunately for Edgerton and Madison, Stricker parred out and on he plays.
4. The Major Lurkers Club Has Convened at Erin Hills
A 7-under 65 in Round 2 helped Hideki Matsuyama erase a 2-over 74 from Round 1 and earned him Friday's @Lexus Performance of the Day. pic.twitter.com/5JlrbXkyE1
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2017
These fellows own not one major professional title, but their names make the headlines during nearly every playing. Charley Hoffman, J.B. Holmes, Marc Leishman are among them. These are professional golfers with success at every level of the game. From national squads to amateur and collegiate (and even Tour) triumphs, they have earned every recognition save one: major champion.
What will it take for Hideki Matsuyama, Bill Haas, Bernd Wiesberger and others to enter the ranks of major championship winners? That recipe has no script. It might be a critical par save on Thursday, a long birdie putt on Friday, a fortuitous pairing on Saturday, or a gut-wrenching final nine holes on Sunday. These and others will figure this weekend, but will they win? Stay tuned.
5. What To Do, What To Do, in Wisconsin This Weekend?
Way to finish your round ???? @Knohles. #USOpen https://t.co/88Qfpbb3HT
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2017
We bid farewell to a number of pre-tournament favorites (Justin Rose, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott) and recent major champions (Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day) as the cut falls at 1-over. On a golf course with linksy, dunesy, parksy qualities and characteristics, what might be the culprit? Who knows!
The same twists of fate that allowed Xander Schauffele to shoot 66-73 and stand inside the top-10; Chez Reavie to fire a 65 on Day 2, a full 10 strokes lower than his Thursday effort; and Tyler Light to birdie three of his final seven holes (and bogey two others) and sneak inside the top-68, conspired to send the aforementioned luminaries away.
As they say, rub o’ the green.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.
We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.
General Albums
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)
WITB Albums
- Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Pullout Albums
- New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Cognizant Classic
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Cognizant Classic —FKA the Honda Classic.
The first leg of the PGA Tour’s traditional “Florida swing,” the Cognizant Classic continues to be contested at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, host course of the 1983 Ryder Cup and 1987 PGA Championship. The course is known for its famed “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch of holes that take their name from Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus, who redesigned the course in 2002.
The Bear Trap includes No. 15 (a par 3), No. 16 (a par 4), and No. 17 (a par 4). All three holes involve water and have led to several big numbers from Tour players over the years.
Check out an assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums below.
We’ll continue to update the galleries as more photos flow in from Florida!
General Albums
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #3
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #4
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Tuesday #1
WITB Albums
- Brandt Snedeker – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Max Greyserman – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Eric Cole – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Carl Yuan – WITb – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Russell Henley – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Justin Suh – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Shane Lowry – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Taylor Montgomery – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) – WITB – – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Sam Ryder – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Maverick McNealy – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Tua Tagovailoa mini WITB (NFL QB, Miami Dolphins) – 2024 Cognizant Classic
Pullout Albums
- New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- LA Golf new insert putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Swag covers – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jacob Bridgeman’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Bud Cauley’s custom Cameron putters – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Ryo Hisatsune’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Chris Kirk – new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters
- Alejandro Tosti’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Joohyung Tom Kim’s “new” center-shafted Scotty Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tom
Jun 17, 2017 at 11:18 am
USGA knows how to take top golfers (many not all) out of their element
Old Putter
Jun 17, 2017 at 6:41 am
5(b)…
Darren Clark looks like the morning after a homeless stays in a hotel room
Old Putter
Jun 17, 2017 at 6:42 am
*homeless man
Shi Suk Dik
Jun 17, 2017 at 2:43 am
I hope wind blow on day 3 and 4, this US Open not so interesting course play too easy
Gorden
Jun 16, 2017 at 11:19 pm
But again we are reminded of just how good Tiger Woods was, 85% of the time Tiger teed it up he had a chance to win….the best in the world today, they have a chance of winning about 15% of the time they tee it up….notice how the best now last about a year in top form…Tiger had over 15 years in top form tournament after tournament…
Ronald Montesano
Jun 17, 2017 at 7:56 am
Gorden, I considered leading with a line like that, before getting to the first thing we learned. We either knew how far ahead he was (with a likely insurmountable lead) or how many strokes he would undoubtedly make up to join the chase, and then he would win!