News
Tour Rundown: Michelle Wie, Phil Mickelson end victory droughts
It had been four long years since her last victory for Michelle Wie. In 2014, she won the US Open and could understandably have expected more victories and major titles in the coming years. It wasn’t to be. That streak ended this week.
Phil Mickelson, unfathomably, had gone five years since his 2013 win at the British Open. Despite many close calls, Lefty was unable to pull the string. Fortunately for his adoring public, he is back atop the podium. A big week for ending dry spells. Let’s run it all down in this week’s Tour Rundown.
WGC Mexico Championship ends Mickelson’s five-year slump
Part of the hilarity of golf is that accuracy matters little when putting is on fire. Phil Mickelson came to Mexico in 2017, visited every acre of the golf course, and still finished tied for seventh, four shots removed from the lead. With little fanfare, Mickelson bided his time at Chapultepec golf club in 2018, then pounced near the end. He birdied the 7oth hole to tie Justin Thomas atop the leaderboard, then dispatched the wunderkind with a par at the 17th hole for tour win number 43.
How Mickelson snuck in for the win
Lefty averaged one bogey per round. Thomas had six eagles, but he also had six bogeys. No one else in the field was able to minimize bogeys like the eventual winner. Mickelson’s late heroics included birdies at 15 and 16 to tie at the top, a par at the last (not so easy a feat, as we shall soon read) and then what should have been a birdie on the playoff hole, but somehow stayed out. All in all, Phil the Thrill was somehow destined to win this week in Mexico.
How the rest were bested
In a tweet, Justin Thomas showered props on the champion, while confessing that he was fortunate to even have a shot. His bogey on the playoff hole took the shine off the week, but maintained his ranking as current best in the world. To begin, the star of the week finally crashed to Earth on Sunday. After playing 13-under par golf through three rounds, and leading for two of them, unheralded Shubhankar Sharma bogeyed four of his final six holes to tie for ninth. Next in the gutted department was Tyrrell Hatton. Tied with Mickelson and Thomas on the 18th tee, Hatton bogeyed to drop to a tie for 3rd with Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello. The Spaniard had birdied the last to get to this point, and oh, what Hatton would have given for that magic. Note to Thomas Bjorn: pair Hatton and Cabrera in Ryder Cup in France.
Phil curls it in!
THREE tied at 16 under @WGCMexico! #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/fNggbTa4hL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 4, 2018
HSBC Women’s World Championship to Wie in 11th hour
A 35-foot putt for the win, from just off the 72nd green, is a PR dream scenario. Michelle Wie had it and made it, and that’s how the East was won.
How Wiesy made it look easy, kinda sorta
First came Danielle Kang, looking invincible through 36 holes. Next were the Korda sisters, with Nelly in the lead and Jessica in the hunt, after 54 holes were complete. In the end, Michelle Wie stood tallest and hoisted the winner’s trophy. A Sunday 65 is never refused, and the 2014 US Open titleist turned in a clean card of seven birdies and 11 pars to outdistance a quartet of runners-up by that one, slim stroke. The HSBC was Wie’s fifth LPGA tour title and first since that Pinehurst Open, four years ago.
How close the others came
Jenny Shin had a 65 of her own on Sunday, but it included a bogey at the worst time: hole 72. The miscue cost her the lead, then a playoff after Wie’s heroics. Nelly Korda also had a chance to tie on the last green, but her wee putt for birdie was never on line, and never threatened the hole. Brooke Henderson started fierce, with four birds in eight holes, but made no more until the last, to reach -16 after a 67. Danielle Kang, along with Korda, had to feel the greatest frustration. Kang had birdies at two and four… and 16 pars for 70. Korda had two birdies and one bogey for 71. Alas, it wasn’t their day.
Take another look ????—>@themichellewie’s winning putt at the HSBC Women’s World Championship! #HWWC ???? pic.twitter.com/eM362H5i7J
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 4, 2018
Stricker claims Cologard Classic for 1st Champions Tour triumph
OK, we thought that 4 years was a long time…then we winced at a five-year dry spell. What about Steve Stricker, who hadn’t won since the 2012 Tournament of Champions. Well, he finally did, and it was his 1st trophy on the Champions Tour. Stricker finished two shots clear of a trio of runners-up at Tucson.
How Stricker stayed the course
Let’s remember who we’re talking about here. Stricker was most improved golfer on the PGA Tour two years in succession. The guy knows how to deal with periods of fallow. He probably doesn’t like them, but if Vegas were to give odds on golfers tenacious enough to come back, Stricker would be an easy bet. The Wisconsonian began Sunday 1 shot back of Tommy Tolles. When Tolles backed up, the door opened for all comers. Stricker combined position with poise and edged past the field to claim the cup.
How the pretenders lined up behind Stricker
Fellow cheesehead Jerry Kelly was Stricker’s biggest threat, but he had too much turf to make up in round three. Kelly’s opening salvo of 70-72 was kinda weak, but his 8-birdie 65 on Sunday tied the low round of the week. He jumped up 21 spots into the week’s 2nd spot. Tied with JK were 1st-round leader Scott Dunlap and 2016 US Senior Open champion Gene Sauers. Dunlap opened with one of those 65s, but could not return to the 60s the final 2 days. 69 on either day would have meant a playoff for the Floridian nee Pennsylvanian. As for Sauers, he needed birdie at the last to tie Stricker, but closed instead with bogey to drop out of 2nd alone.
It's a stuff show for @stevestricker.
He's your solo leader at the Cologuard @TucsonClassic with 3 holes to play. pic.twitter.com/3IWYGMdd5V
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 4, 2018
Coetzee claims 2nd Tshwane Open by 2 strokes
George Coetzee will welcome the European Tour to South Africa every week, thank you very much. The Pretoria native, who played the Pretoria country club course with great frequency as a youth, won his 2nd co-sanctioned event there in four years. Coetzee took the lead on Friday and refused to offer it up to anyone else.
How Coetzee turned home cooking into another title
It wasn’t easy. The 54-hole leader bogeyed two consecutive holes, early on Sunday, to offer hope to his closest pursuer, Sam Horsfield. Coetzee found his focus two holes later, making his first birdie of the day at the sixth hole. He followed it with six more birdies, against a bogey at the 16th, for 67 on the day. The victory was his ninth on the South African tour, and his fourth on Europe’s premier golf tour.
How Horsfield mounted his comeback
After Friday, it was Coetzee’s event to lose, and he never gave real hope to the field. Although Horsfield drew within a shot on Sunday, he had too much real estate to overcome. Despite opening 68-69, the Englishman found himself far behind Coetzee’s 67-64 start. Horsfield had Saturday’s low round of 64, and he would have needed another 64 to put pressure on the eventual winner. Still, Horsfield had to be satisfied with an early-season, solo 2nd place, one ahead of Finland’s Miko Korhonen. The Fin took the lead over the round’s first seven holes, as he stood -15 while Coetzee was edging backward. Korhonen could not keep up the torrid pace, and ended the day on -15.
3? ahead with 3? to play#TshwaneOpen2018 pic.twitter.com/DpOvq0NG83
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 4, 2018
New Zealand Open to Nisbet by 2
It was going to take a monumental comeback by anyone in the field, to erase Terry Pilkadaris’ 54-hole lead at the New Zealand Open. The Aussie stood at 190 strokes through three rounds, a massive 23-strokes under par. Incredibly, after summoning 25 birdies over the 1st three rounds, Pilkadaris was able to uncover one solitary bird on day four. This treachery opened the door to the field, and Daniel Nisbet stepped through.
How Nisbet caught the rabbit
After Pilkadaris’ sublime 62 on Saturday, the tournament appeared over. However, the leader’s 70 was overtaken by another 62, this time from countryman Daniel Nisbet. The Queenslander started well, at three under through 9 holes, to take the lead in the chase for runner-up spot. A back nine of one eagle and four consecutive birdies (holes 14-17) brought Nisbet home in 30 strokes. What had become a two-horse race was decided when neither golfer birdied the final green.
How Pilkadaris lost the magic wand
A golfer who marks down 17 pars and one birdie, is usually the toast of the town. In Pilkadaris’ case, the day could not have been more frustrating. Putt after putt stayed out of the hole, as his closest competitor drained one effort after another. All that was left to do was shrug and move on to the next event, consoled somehow by a runner-up finish.
Daniel Nisbet opens with a par but finds his first birdie of the day at the 2nd.
He is now -19 and five shots behind Terry Pilkadaris #NZOpen99 pic.twitter.com/wx6gx3OIuM
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) March 4, 2018
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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News
Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board
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News
Tour Rundown: Six-pack of tourneys follows Masters
Brazil and Texas were kindred souls this week, at least when it came to weather. Both regions experienced torrential delays, and three tournaments were held up. The LPGA, PGA Tour Americas, and PGA Tour Champions were compelled to reduce play or work extra holes into Sunday. As if that weren’t enough, South Carolina and the PGA Tour fell victim to nature’s wrath, with lightning postponing the conclusion of the event to Monday.
The year’s first women’s major championship was celebrated in Texas. The Chevron is gaining a bit of tradition in its second year after relocation. This year’s event culminated in the continued coronation of the game’s current best. The Korn Ferry Tour saw a top-twenty performance from a 15-year old amateur, while the second event of the week on the big tour found a winner in the Dominican Republic. Six events is more than a handful, so let’s get right to it, with this week’s (delayed) Tour Rundown.
LPGA @ Chevron Championship: Korda corrals second major title
The winter of 2022-2023 seems so distant for current Nelly Korda. A mysterious ailment sapped all of her energy, just as the world appeared to have finally emerged from the pandemic. We never quite secured the complete information that we desired, but no one can say that any of us deserved to know more than Nelly wished to share. One thing is for certain: Nelly Korda has returned to top form, and the world number one golfer is at least one level above anyone else on tour.
Korda began her 2024 campaign with a January victory in the Drive One Championship. In her next start, in March, she continued her assault on the record books, with a win at the Se Ri Pak. She won again the following week, at the Ford, then defeated Leona Maguire in the final match at the T-Mobile Match Play, for a fourth consecutive victory. Would the increased hype around a major championship have an impact on her game? Well, no.
Korda began play at the Chevron Championship with a score of 68. She trailed Lauren Coughlin by two after 18 holes, but caught her with a second-round 69. Coughlin would ultimately tie for third spot with Brooke Henderson. Henderson played with Korda on day four, but the middle third of the round was her undoing. Making a late move was Maja Stark. House Stark closed with birdies at 17 and 18 to reach 11 under par. Both Korda and Strak played the final three days in identical numbers: 69 each day.
Korda held a firm hand on the tournament over the course of the final day. She stood minus-four for the round through ten holes, before a bit of sloppy play made things competitive again. Bogeys at 11 and 15 opened the door a wee bit for Stark. Korda was equal to the test, however, and closed stylishly with birdie at 18.
Safely around the green on the 72nd hole
Watch @NellyKorda‘s historic finish now on NBC! pic.twitter.com/1zaAYtbaCz
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour 1 @ RBC: Scottie, so hottie!
Nelly isn’t the only golfer on fire, although Scottie Scheffler still has a ways to go to match her. Scheffler proved this week that he has a game for all courses. After winning comfortably at lengthy Augusta National, Scheffler shifted gears and game to the wee Sea Pines course, and won again. That’s two weeks in a row for the man from New Jersey/Texas, so let’s learn how he did it.
Scheffler totaled 69 on day one, and found himself six shots behind leader J.T. Poston. Scheffler revealed that his teacher, Randy Smith, would tell him that he didn’t need to be the best 15 year-old; just the best 25 year-old. It was easy, then, to play the long game and consider all 72 holes, instead of just 18. Scheffler improved to 65 on Friday, and then went even lower on Saturday. His 63 moved him to the top of the board, and caused the golfverse to wonder if Scheffler would win for a second consecutive week.
Sunday saw all the chasers fall away. Scores between 70 and 72 from Patrick Rodgers, Collin Morikawa, and Sepp Straka meant that others would need to seize the day, if Scheffler were to do more than coast. Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas each moved inside the top five with fourth-round 65s, but no one ever got close enough to the world number one. The win was Scheffler’s 10th on tour, and made him the betting favorite for next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Scottie Scheffler can save par from just about anywhere.
Including the water ?
(Presented by @CDWCorp) pic.twitter.com/RUqL2sBrr9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2024
PGA Tour 2 @ Corales Puntacana: Baton Boy claims 8th Tour triumph
If you’ve ever seen Billy Horschel toss a club, you know that he doesn’t do so in anger. More likely is a calculated, soaring arc, paired with a look of fractured disbelief, followed by a quick catch of the cudgel. Ergo, Baton Boy. This week on the island of Hispaniola, the native of Grant, Florida, outworked and outhustled everyone else on Sunday. Horschel gathered seven birdies and an eagle, on the way to a 63 and a 23-under par total.
The former Florida Gator zipped past the four golfers in front of him, and left the remaining field in the rear-view mirror. Horschel’s round was two shots better than anyone else, and moved him two shots ahead of third-round leader Wesley Bryan. One of the famed Bryan Brothers, Wes closed with birdie at the last to post a 68 that would have won the week on any other day.
Walking it in with a fist pump ?@BillyHo_Golf is 9-under on the day and leads by two @CoralesChamp. pic.twitter.com/N6rjL1GGGA
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 21, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ LeCom Suncoast: It’s Widing in extra holes
Miles Russell probably won’t have to serve detention for ditching class on Thursday and Friday. The high school freshman made his KFT debut, survived the 36-hole cut, and toyed with a top-ten finish. He ultimately tied for 20th at 14-under par, six shots behind the three co-leaders. My guess is that Epstein’s Mom will write him a note, and he’ll get a pass. By finishing top-25, Russell earned a spot in next week’s event. Yikes!
Back to the top of the board. Patrick Cover, Steven Fisk, and Tim Widing all found their way to the magic number of -20. Fisk made birdie at the last, after bogeys at 16 and 17. Cover had three bogeys on the back nine, but a birdie at 14 was enough to get him to overtime. Widing was plus-one on the day through four, but played interstellar golf over the final 14. Six birdies moved him from Russell-ville to extra time.
The trio scurried to the 18th tee, where Cover drove into a fairway bunker. He was unable to reach the green with his approach, made bogey, and exited the overtime session. Widing and Fisk returned to the final deck once more, and matters were resolved. Fisk was unable to convert a long par putt, and Widing (pronounced VEE-ding) tapped in for his first KFT title.
The feeling of relief when you know you won. ???
Tim Widing is now a champion on the #KornFerryTour. pic.twitter.com/K0vgiZ21UG
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Americas @ Brasil Open: Mr. Anderson finds a way
Golf is a funny game. Matthew Anderson held a lead with one round to play. He made six pars on Sunday, and sprinkled the rest of his card with birdies and bogeys. In complete contrast, Ollie Osborne played consistently on the day, posting four birdies and zero bogeys. Connor Godsey was not far off Osborne’s pace, with seven birdies and but two bogeys on the scorecard. So, of course, Matthew Anderson won by a stroke over Osborne and Godsey.
Not how, but how many, is another one of those platitudes that we all learn early on. Despite five bogeys through his first 14 holes, Anderson summoned the defiant grit to make birdie at the 71st and 72nd holes. After making deuce at the penultimat hole, Anderson’s swerving effort at the last looked as if it should miss low, but it had enough pace to stay inside the hole and fall for a closing four at the par-five finisher.
Birdie-birdie finish to secure the ?
Mississauga-native Matthew Anderson is your 69th ECP Brazil Open Champion. pic.twitter.com/ONE8hIUjeS
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Invited Celebrity: Broadhurst stands tall
What do you call a tournament that begins on Friday, takes Saturday off, and finishes on Sunday? Fortunate is one adjective to use. A weather system moved through Texas this weekend, and made a mess of things in Irving. After Thomas Bjorn signed for 64 on day one, rain and all things counter-productive moved through the Las Colinas resort, ensuring that Saturday would be nothing more than a rest day. When Sunday arrived, conditions had improved, and the game was on. Bjorn was unable to preserve his Friday magic, although he did record a 70 for -8. He finished in a third-place tie with Y.E. Yang.
David Toms, the 2001 PGA Championship victor, presented Sunday’s low round, and moved to 10-under par. Toms made one mistake on the day. He lived in the rough on the 9th hole, ultimately making bogey. The rest of the day was immaculate, as seven birdies came his way, resulting in a six-under par 65. Only one golfer was able to surpass Toms, and that was Paul Broadhurst.
Broadhurst nearly matched Toms for daily honors. His mistake came early, with bogey at the second. He bounced back with eagle at the third, and added three more birdies for 66 and 11-under par. Over his first three seasons on the Tour Champions, Broadhurst won five times, including two major titles. His fifth win came in 2018, making this win his first in six years. A long time coming, for sure, but well earned.
Looking at the hole is working for @PBroadhurstGolf ?
He leads by one after a clutch birdie on 15 @InvitedCC. pic.twitter.com/S0rhcVwaeE
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 21, 2024
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Scooter
Mar 6, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Thomas is also not ranked best in the world. That’s currently DJ
Kyle
Mar 5, 2018 at 2:51 pm
Thomas did not have 6 eagles.