News

THE PLAYERS – Chasing Glory & Big Cash

Published

15 years ago

May 11, 2011

By Scott MacLeod, Via Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

THE PLAYERS have arrived. The PGA Tour will continue to maintain that this is the “5th Major” but it is better thought of as a significant event on the PGA Tour schedule. It takes far more than a quality field, a distinctive golf course, and capital letters in your title to be any more than that, no matter how you package and promote it.

A near $10 million dollar purse ($9.5, in fact) gets the interest of every player in the field, with $1.710 million of that going to the winner.

Tim Clark was the big winner in 2010, making him the only player besides Craig Perks in 2002 to make THE PLAYERS his first PGA Tour victory. Prior to his breakthrough at TPC Sawgrass last year, Clark had amassed 39 career top 10s on the PGA TOUR without a victory, second only to Bobby Wadkins’ 50.

Clark was spectacular in his pursuit of THE PLAYERS title. Over the final 26 holes of the tournament he did not make a single bogey and make the largest 36-hole charge in the history of the event. He capped that with an 8-foot par putt on the final hole to shoot 67 on Sunday to beat Robert Allenby by a single stroke. His scores of 66-67 on the weekend was the best total since Fred Couples shot 132 to win in 1996.

Clark is back to defend but it may be largely a ceremonial appearance as he is still recovering from an elbow injury. He did play at the Masters after an 11-week break but missed the cut. One classy move by him this week was to have the Champions Flag at TPC Sawgrass changed to the Spanish one is respect of Seve Ballesteros, who passed this past weekend.

Also making a return of sorts this week is Tiger Woods who missed the Wells Fargo Championship with a couple lower body injuries. Woods only played three rounds (70-71-71) in the 2010 PLAYERS; he was forced to withdraw with a neck injury after the third round. A lot of eyes will be on him this week as it also marks the 10th anniversary of his triumph in 2001 that was punctuated by a 60-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole in the final round. Woods has never missed the cut in 13-career appearances at THE PLAYERS.

As always, the field is outstanding with all the current major champions Charl Schwartzel (2011 Masters); Graeme McDowell (2010 U.S. Open); Louis Oosthuizen (2010 British Open) and Martin Kaymer (2010 PGA Championship), here to contend.

The FedEx Cup Points leader, Bubba Watson, will try and improve his Sawgrass record. The plate with the most PGA Tour wins since last year’s championship (3) has made four appearances in this tournament with a tie for 37th in 2009 his best showing. He missed the cut in 2007, 2008, and 2010. In 10 career rounds at TPC Sawgrass, Watson has broken par just twice, firing a opening round 5-under 67 in 2009 and a 71 in the first round last year.

In addition to these players, Italy’s Matteo Manassero will become the youngest player ever to compete at THE PLAYERS when he tees it up this week at the age of 18 years, 23 days on Thursday. He qualified for THE PLAYERS by virtue of his standing in the Official World Golf Ranking (No. 33). Manassero surpasses Rory McIlroy, who set the record in 2009 at the age of 20 when he made his first start at THE PLAYERS.

So who am I picking this week as the potential winner? I’ll take an entire country in fact and go with a player from Australia. Twelve Aussies are qualified for the field, only the United States has more players. Three Australians, Adam Scott (2004), Steve Elkington (1991 and 1997) and Greg Norman (1994), have combined to win four titles at THE PLAYERS. I think they will be joined by countryman Robert Allenby this week if he can get his outing in order. His surgical ball striking ability is ideally suited to the Stadium Course and he has what it takes to move up one notch higher from his 2nd place finish in 2010.

Similar things can be said of Luke Donald, my back-up pick of the week, who is poised for a big win and don’t be surprised to see a Molonari on the leaderboard come Sunday, both Francesco (No. 19) and Edoardo (No. 29) qualified for THE PLAYERS through the Official World Golf Ranking. The duo will become the ninth set of brothers to compete in THE PLAYERS in the same year and the first since David and Kevin Sutherland in 2000.

THE PLAYERS

Dates: May 9-15, 2011

Where: THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Par/Yards: 36-36—72 / 7,215

Field: 145

Defending Champion: Tim Clark

Purse: $9,500,000; Winner’s Share: $1,710,000

Format: 72-hole stroke play

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Canada’s Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

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