News

Super Sunday Hangover

Published

14 years ago

Feb 7, 2012

Dennis de Jesus Jr.

By Dennis de Jesus

Special to GolfWRX

What a game. Coming from behind and capitalizing on your opponents mistakes. Staying cool under pressure, proving the naysayers wrong. Elevating your game to an elite level and winning in front of millions of family and friends.

Now let’s take a poll – how many of you read that and realized I was referring to Kyle Stanley? Yup, that’s right Kyle Stanley. Amidst the hoopla and spectacle that was Superbowl 46 and what was an excellent championship game, I believe many sports fans missed out on an opportunity to witness the amazing final round of the Waste Management Open, a tournament where a young talent like Kyle Stanley not only proved his resilience, but also showcased the fantastic fanfare and drama that is TPC Scottsdale.

Makes you wonder: why not give special exception and have the final round of the Waste Management Open on a Saturday?

The Waste Management Open (formerly the FBR) has traditionally fallen on Superbowl weekend and the final round culminates on the same afternoon as the “big game”. Unfortunately for the PGA Tour, sharing the spotlight with the highest rated sporting event every year doesn’t make the golf tournament all that important. It’s true that the final putt of the tournament is scheduled to go down before kickoff, but chances are many a sports fan are already many beers in at home or at the local sports bar with friends. They are prepping flavorful nachos, grilling juicy sliders or eating hot wings and even if they are watching TV, they are likely watching the countless hours of Super Bowl pregame hype and analysis from every angle imaginable (interviewing Eli Manning’s middle school gym teacher seems so pointless, doesn’t it?)

Meanwhile back in Arizona, the story of Kyle Stanley was turning its page in a setting that the Tour needs to promote heavily because of the unique atmosphere it creates. TPC Scottsdale is one of the most memorable courses on the tour, with its 20,000-plus seating capacity on the par 3 16th being the pride of the desert course. This fan friendly hole caters to the raucous celebration of a successful tee shot, but also the discourse of boos that follow a missed tee shot. The fans are also encouraged to cheer and chant at players prior to their tee shot, ranging from the traditional college school chants to the more amusing “ultra fan” chants – those that only real attentive fans would understand (Kevin Stadler got a “mini-walrus” chant for his tee shot troubles, a tongue in cheek homage to his father Craig).

The third round set a single round attendance record, bringing in more than 173,00 people, a number the the Tour should be proud of considering that the field had only seven of the world’s top 20 players entered the tournament. But what really sets this tournament apart from any other is how interactive the players are with the fans, even during tournament play. They actually embrace the chaos that surrounds the 16th hole and will engage with the fans, often bearing gifts and high fives as they make their way to the green. In case you missed it, Ben Crane and Bubba Watson made the 16th hole their personal karaoke stage as they chimed in a verse of their YouTube viral video hit “Oh Oh Oh”. I’d love to tell you that it was impromptu, but honestly there is nothing spontaneous about a mic stand already setup on the tee box and a conveniently located helmet which Ben Crane fashioned for the passionate and appreciative crowd.

The crowd ate it up. The play by play booth ate it up. It was a fun SportsCenter type spectacle that gave the players some personality and easily made them more likable. And the Tour should capitalize on this. Sunday attendance dropped off about 30 percent, which falls in line with other Sundays of the tournament, a Sunday which is in direct competition to the Super Bowl. No other tournament sees such a sharp drop off from its Saturday round to its Sunday round. TPC Scottsdale is easily one of the most spectator friendly courses on the tour, both live and on TV, and having a final round on a Saturday would ensure that the right amount of fan camaraderie coupled with the drama of a final round would better promote the game, the players and more importantly the personality of the tour.

There are times when the sanctity and etiquette of golf should be respected and honored, but for the rest of us looking at golf as too old school in traditions, TPC Scottsdale is a clear example that golf can be just as enjoyable as a big football game and is willing to embrace a fan base that is honest yet respectful, brash but considerate. The tournament itself has been called “Mardi Gras on Grass” and “The Cactus Bowl,” and considering these labels are being used for a golf event, and not a frat house party, that is high praise for the casual fan potentially looking at golf as entertainment.

The Tour shouldn’t have to pit its most fan friendly event on the tour schedule to compete with the biggest sporting event of the year. And even if it has to, the Tour should work with tournament organizers and consider holding the final round on the Saturday to capitalize on viewership and push the “Party on 16” atmosphere as a way to demonstrate how young and fresh the tour can be while building its young and upcoming stars on the wild and dramatic stage of TPC Scottsdale. In a time where the Tour is trying to build a fan base not dependent on aging mainstays like Woods and Mickelson, it is so important to take advantage of popular non-major events like the Waste Management Phoenix Open to really push the fact that “these guys are good”.

Click here for more discussion in the forums.

Read more from Dennis de Jesus at www.dennisdejesusjr.com.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

1 hour 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

2 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.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

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