Tour News
Tour Mash: Olesen barely hangs on, and a walk-off eagle
The European and PGA Tour Champions completed their penultimate playoff events this week, while the Asian Swing on the LPGA Tour came to a close. The PGA Tour was just up the road from the Vegas strip, while Hong Kong hosted PGA Tour China. As the U.S. presidential season draws to a close, football ramps up, and basketball gets into swing, golf continues to contest meaningful events. But there was certainly no shortage of excitement on the links this weekend, so with no more delay, let’s mash it all together and serve it up.
Turkish Open Goes to Olesen, just barely
Some pundits will claim it’s hard to win with a large, final-round lead, while others will sustain that shooting four low scores in a row is tricky. In the end, it’s the same coin and Thorbjorn Olesen learned that lesson at Antalya. The sometimes-great Dane nearly lost all of a sizable, overnight lead when a pair of opponents got hot early.
First it was David Horsey, with 7 birdies in his first 15 holes, to reach 18-under par. Next came Bernd Wiesberger with a flock of birds from hole Nos. 6 through 9 to catch Olesen’s attention. As for the Dane, missed opportunities throughout a hum-drum, outward nine of even par had him smiling at the sky and scratching his head.
The turning point…
His lead was cut from seven to two with five holes to play. Then @ThorbjornOlesen did this. https://t.co/lp8RihKuYW
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 6, 2016
Nice putt, Rod
Francesco Molinari does a decent Smylie Kaufman impression. He had eight birdies and an eagle on Sunday for 61, but he didn’t win. Harris English performed an acrobatic feat that made nearby Cirque du Soleil jealous: four consecutive 67s. He didn’t win, either. When the PGA Tour comes to Las Vegas, crazy things happen. Here’s what really went down.
Rod Pampling came within a whisker of a 59 on Thursday. He held the lead through Friday evening, and was one stroke back of Lucas Glover, resurgent with a new putting stroke, on Saturday. Also in the mix was young Ryder Cupper Brooks Koepka.
Most likely to win was Koepka. He came close, finishing two back of the top spot, in solo second at 18-under. Second most likely to win was Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion. Having withstood major pressure before, Glover made bogey at the last to fall out of a second-place tie, into third at 17-under.
Atop the field stood the most unlikely of champions. The Aussie won twice in a three-year span on the PGA Tour…in the mid 2000s! It had been more than 10 years since he lifted a Tour trophy, but a 32-foot birdie putt at the last was the final dagger to the heart of his challengers.
Early celebration ????. pic.twitter.com/v10OSMC0nv
— Skratch (@Skratch) November 6, 2016
Related: What Pampling was thinking over his winning putt.
Toto Japan Classic LPGA Tour To Shanshan
2016 has been a year of streaky golfers on the LPGA Tour. Hana Jang and Lydia Ko were winners of early tournaments in close proximity, then Ariya Jutanugarn went on two mini-streaks of three consecutive and two straight wins mid-season. As the season draws to a close, it’s Shanshan Feng’s turn, so enjoy the ride!
Feng claimed her second tournament in two weeks at the Minori course of the Taiheiyo Club, in Ibarkabi. The final round offered the prospect of a shootout, with player of the year candidate Jutanugarn and perennial challenge Suzann Pettersen in close pursuit of Feng. Both golfers took a wrong turn early and finished outside the top five. It was left to others to take up the challenge, and familiar faces appeared.
Ha Na Jang posted six birdies on the way to a third consecutive 68, moving to 12-under for the week. Feng, meanwhile, played superb golf throughout the round, making zero bogeys and four birdies to reach 15-under. Then, things got a bit strange. After a poor drive, Feng had to play for the par-four green in three, but a poor first putt and a missed second, left 3 feet for the win. Feng made that final putt for career win No. 6.
Celebration is on. Congrats @shanshanfengCHN! pic.twitter.com/mXmu0rCs5u
— #CMEFinalStretch ???? (@LPGA) November 6, 2016
McCarron wins Dominion Charity Classic in extra time
There was a bit of the bizarre and more of the unexpected as Week 2 of the Schwab Cup playoffs wrapped up in the great commonwealth of Virginia. The bizarre was this: Not one player moved into or out of the top 36 for next week’s concluding event in Arizona. The odd was that money leaders Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jimenez, expected to challenge, were nowhere near the frying pan when it went over the fire.
So what did happen? Well, Tom Byrum made a run at the trophy by holding the lead through Rounds 1 and 2. He made six birdies on Day 3, but was hurt by three bogeys. Unable to achieve separation, the best Byrum could solidify was a playoff at 13-under. Joining him at that number was the reborn Scott McCarron.
With a clean card of 3 birdies and 0 bogeys, McCarron found his way to extra holes. Making quick work of the affair, Scott McCarron made four on the par-five 18th hole (where neither playoff participant had made birdie in regulation) to earn his second win of the campaign and move into second spot in the Schwab Cup playoffs.
We have a winner!@ScottMccarron beats Tom Byrum in a playoff to take the @DominionClassic. #SchwabPlayoffs ???? https://t.co/zVs5IZZmgI
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) November 6, 2016
Clearwater Bay Open on PGA Tour China won with playoff eagle
Alexander Kang did everything he thought necessary to win this week in Hong Kong. Four rounds in the 60s, including three-under on Day 4, seemed to be enough, but then came Daniel Nisbet. The Australian posted 65-64 on the weekend and reached 15-under par after just missing an eagle putt at the last. When Kang’s 12-foot putt for birdie on the par-five closer went astray, the two headed out for a sudden-victory playoff.
Kang had entered the final round with a healthy lead, but a wind miscalculation at the 12th led to a watery double bogey, his only sour hole of the day. In the playoff, he reached greenside in two at the par five and snuggled his pitch to six feet for birdie. Unfortunately for the young American, Nisbet had played the hole perfectly, striking two metals onto the putting surface, leaving a 10-foot putt for three and the win. The putt rolled true and the victory and the $32K prize went to the Australian.
Here’s a great recap of the playoff. Hats off to the videographer!
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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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