Tour News
Monday Tour Mash: Brooks’ breakout, Ko is new No. 1
For those of you who lost money on squares last night, consider picking an up-and-coming golfer in next season’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. The biggest party in golf also happens to identify the best talent in golf: J.B. Holmes, Mark Wilson, Kyle Stanley and Kevin Stadler made Scottsdale a coming-out party for wins.
Add the name Brooks Koepka to the list.
A 51-feet bomb for eagle on Sunday’s 15th hole propelled the former Florida State golfer to his second major victory in three months. In November, Koepka won the Turkish Airlines Open on the European Tour. Koepka eschewed the U.S. minor circuits for a continent-trotting time on the European tours.
[quote_box_center]“I didn’t think I would work my way up this quickly, but playing the Challenge and European tours led to this,” Koepka said. “And especially the failures I have had. I look at Frys two years ago. I can’t tell you how much I learned from that. The failures I think are what really held me.”[/quote_box_center]
After winning four times on the Challenge Tour, Koepka graduated to the main tour, where he triumphed in Turkey last Thanksgiving.
A stroke off the 15-under total of the victor were Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson and Ryan Palmer. Each had their chances, but none of the three was able to match Koepka’s 3-under final nine.
Jon Rahm, a Spanish amateur by way of Arizona State’s varsity squad, made an effort at repeating Phil Mickelson’s 1991 victory on tour. With four back-nine birdies, Rahm reached 12-under and a tie for fifth.
Story of the Week: Let’s be candid. No one thought Tiger would challenge. Did we think he would shoot 82? No, but that’s not the story of the week. Brooks Koepka was the worst-kept secret in professional golf last year. All Europe knew how well he was playing, yet it was a challenge to procure a stateside sponsor’s exemption. Despite this being his first PGA Tour victory, Koepka was far from a long shot in Scottsdale.
NYCe, but not for Lydia (LPGA Tour)
For 70 holes of the inaugural Coates Golf Championship, Lydia Ko had victory and the world No. 1 ranking in her newly contact-lensed sights. Also awaiting her was the pithy cheer of her father, that she revealed on Friday.
[quote_box_center]”Dad, the only crowd voice I can hear is you saying like, ‘Nice, Lydia,”’ she said. “I can always spot it. It’s a voice I always hear.”[/quote_box_center]
One of them was not to be. An untimely double-bogey on the penultimate hole dropped her a stroke behind Na Yeon Choi (known on tour as NYC) into a tie for second. Victory No. 1 of the year, unlike Ko’s new No. 1 world ranking, will have to wait until next week.
Na Yeon played marvelous weekend golf, playing the final 36 holes in 10-under. Coates was her first triumph since her breakout season in 2012. For Na Yeon Choi, the win means she can keep her 4G.
[quote_box_center]“I was thinking [of getting my] cell phone changed to a 2G so I can’t check all my email, can’t check any internet,” she said. [/quote_box_center]
Evidently, the pressure put on her to win after a 2013 U.S. Open victory had increased to a breaking point. NYC will arrive on Paradise Island in the Bahammas in a much more relaxed state of mind for this week’s Pure Silk Classic.
Story of the Week: Despite Ko’s ascent to the top ranking, it is Choi’s admission that the pressures of her homeland nearly wore her down. Top 10? Not good enough. Second place? Not good enough. First or bust.
Breaking the Runner’s-Up Duck (European Tour)
Rory McIlroy hadn’t won a golf tournament since the 2014 PGA Championship, and he hadn’t ever played a sub-70, final round at Dubai. McIlroy couldn’t ensure the latter, but he did stop the quacking he had heard since the 2014 PGA Championship.
[quote_box_center]”I’d definitely like to break the runner’s up duck the right way than the wrong way,” McIlroy said. “We’ll see.”[/quote_box_center]
Par-saving putts on Nos. 12 and 17 moved the momentum forward and the world’s top-ranked golfer played conservative golf into the house to earn a three-stroke win over Alex Noren. Unfortunately for the lad from Northern Ireland, while the rest of the tour moves on to Malaysia for its National Open, the fun is over for a while for Rory, as he travels next week to Dublin to testify in his case against former manager Horizon Sports Management.
Let’s see, where would he rather be?Dublin…Malaysia…Dublin…definitely Malaysia.
Story of the Week: Alexander Noren’s return from injury to earn a second-place finish.
Goggin Clears Field in Panama Claro (Web.Com Tour)
Matthew Goggin didn’t fret when Harold Varner III took a one-stroke lead after nine holes of the final round in Panama. The Aussie knew what awaited the field, as evidenced by four previous Web.com victories and two on the equivalent circuit in Europe, the Challenge Tour.
While Varner gave the lead away with four bogeys on the inward nine, ultimately finishing in second place, Goggin played steady golf over the final nine holes, with one birdie enough for a four-stroke victory in the first event of the 2015 Web.com season.
Goggin began the day four shots back of Hao tong Li, the overnight leader. Li had earned a tour card with his first-place finish on last year’s PGA Tour China circuit. The young man from Hunan was unable to birdie a single hole on Sunday and his six bogeys dropped him from first to eleventh place.
The tour moves one country south, onto mainland South America, for this week’s Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship, also presented by Claro (which, incidentally, means “clear” in Spanish.)
Story of the Week: Tie between Varne, an African-American golfer and Li, a legitimate golfing talent from China.
Kel Nagle Passes
Kel Nagle died last week at the age of 94. Nagle served five years in the Australian military, thus coming to professional golf a bit later than most. In 1960, Nagle stunned the golfing world by defeating Arnold Palmer at the British Open championship at St. Andrews.
Palmer had won the first two major titles of the year and was expected to head to the PGA Championship with a chance to win the Grand Slam.
Kel Nagle won three PGA Seniors championships and two World Cup (then called the Canada Cup) titles in partnership with countryman Peter Thompson. He counted the 1964 Canadian Open as his only other PGA Tour title.
In 2007, Nagle was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, one of only five Aussies to receive that recognition.
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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
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence 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
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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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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