Tour News
LPGA Safeway Classic recap: A Sixth first
By Vince Robitaille
GolfWRX Staff Writer
Parity is an overused term in the contemporary golfing thesaurus.
The PGA Tour has been left without a clear-cut alpha male since Tigergate – a case could be made that Luke Donald filled the spot left vacant in 2011, although without inspiring much fear into his opponents or by-standing creatures amidst the golfing ecosystem. The LPGA’s prime predator, Yani Tseng, also has been dormant for the better part of the summer.
Parity though? Not quite. Golf – outside of soccer – is the sporting world’s paramount oligarchy. Mika Miyazato’s victory at Pumpkin Ridge on Sunday abounds in such a direction.
The Other Miyazato finally getting it done – not that Mika hadn’t obtained top results in recent memory as her four top-5 finishes in her last seven outings exemplify – meant that no fewer than six players have recorded their first “W” as LPGA members in 2012. Now, one could point out that such an important number of first-time champions, even across a full season, showcases how level the field is.
Of those six players, however, one had previously held the U.S. Women’s Open crown, one is a past Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year with previous runner-up finishes and a great Solheim Cup showing last fall, and the others were former amateur standouts. Arguably, of the group, Jessika Korda represented the best argument for parity, her professional struggles in 2011 prompting some to think that her meltdown in the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship were a good indicator of what her career would become.
Lang and Feng, despite their low points around the turn of the decade, were trending significantly upwards in 2011 with multiple top-10’s. There is congestion at the top, no doubt about that, but it’s a tightly knit pack that doesn’t allow for many intruders to run away with one on any given Sunday.
In a whole other class of overdue – especially after her second places at the Wegmans LPGA Championship and Walmart NW Arkansas Championship – Miyazato made her intentions clear quite early in the fourth edition of this three-day event, grabbing a share of the lead at 7-under 65 with a lap around the course that included 17 greens in regulations. Her co-leader by way of an over-achieving flat stick during the first round, sliding down the leaderboard as three lost strokes on 17th and 18th did her in, Miyazato’s blemish-free 68 on moving day left her sitting atop the leaderboard with an eagle-worth of cushion. Oddly enough, her closest pursuer was none other than So Yeon Ryu, last week’s champion and, most importantly, one of the aforementioned six.
Despite a pair of good runs, the final round’s most stress-charged moment came on the 72nd hole and was only brought by the eventual Rolex First-Time Winner herself. With her approach barely missing the putting surface, the now World No.10 found herself facing a tricky situation that could be negotiated in three strokes to win in regulation. After striking the ball a touch too high on the face and almost double-hitting it, the ball landed what appeared to be a tad short. Fortunately enough, the abrupt slope that led to the hole – and a greenside water hazard – enabled Miyazato’s nearly disastrous stroke to trickle within kicking distance of the cup and the wire-to-wire victory.
In a losing cause, two golfers that have enjoyed success up North in the past – namely Brittany Lincicome and Michelle Wie – have shown signs of vigor – recording their best respective results of the year – at an opportune moment as the LPGA Tour heads back to Canada for its Open this week. The question is: will any of them be able to maneuver around a wet Vancouver Golf Club?
Click here for more discussion in the LPGA/Ladies golf talk” forum.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship
GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.
While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Michael Block – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Patrick Reed – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cam Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Josh Speight – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Takumi Kanaya – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kyle Mendoza – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Adrian Meronk – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jordan Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jeremy Wells – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jared Jones – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Somers – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Larkin Gross – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tracy Phillips – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jon Rahm – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Keita Nakajima – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kazuma Kobori – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- David Puig – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Ryan Van Velzen – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brad Marek – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rich Beem WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Phil Mickelson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Matt Dobyns – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Lucas Herbert – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jason Dufner – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Daly – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Taylor Gooch – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dean Burmester – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dustin Johnson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
Pullout Albums
- Ping putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Bettinardi covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cameron putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Max Homa – Titleist 2 wood – 2024 PGA Championship
- Scotty Cameron experimental putter shaft by UST – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – new Ping putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s new Cameron putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s Cobra bag and Aerojet driver – 2024 PGA Championship
- Super Stroke grip – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tiger Woods – 2024 PGA Championship
- Michael Block’s new TaylorMade “Proto” 7-iron, from address – 2024 PGA Championship
- Odyssey putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
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News
Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.
From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.
General Albums
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Monday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matthieu Pavon – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Keegan Bradley – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Webb Simpson – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Emiliano Grillo – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Taylor Pendrith – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Kevin Tway – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Pullout Albums
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rory McIlroy – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Eric Cole’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matt Kuchar’s custom Bettinardi – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Justin Thomas – driver change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler – putter change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s new custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Tommy Fleetwood testing a TaylorMade Spider Tour X (with custom neck) – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Cobra Darkspeed Volition driver – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Troy Vayanos
Aug 22, 2012 at 3:25 pm
The LPGA tour is moving along very similar to the mens PGA tour. Many 1st time winners on both tours which suggests a very level playing field.
Looking at the points difference in the rankings as well and there is very little between the top half a dozen players on both tours.