News

GolfWRX Morning 9: Tom Watson on the distance debate | Why don’t Canadians win the Canadian Open?

Published

8 years ago

Jul 27, 2018

In case you’ve missed it, or you prefer to read on site rather than in your email, we’re including it here. Check out today’s Morning 9 below.

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By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

July 27, 2018

Good Friday morning, golf fans. .

1. Watson: make the ball bigger

Tom Watson, British Open maestro that he is, had some interesting things to say ahead of the Senior Open this week.

Via John Huggan at Golf Digest…”The biggest change in the [professional] game has been the golf ball. You can say players swing faster because they work out and they are stronger. Yeah, that’s an element. But when they changed the golf ball in 2001 it was 29 yards different. Let’s say you hit drives on 14 holes, that’s over 400 extra yards. Add the extra distance you get with the irons and that’s maybe another 100 yards. So the course is 500 yards shorter.”

“And the solution? It is actually one that has been used before. Thirty-five years or so after the world of golf outside the United States switched from the 1.62 inch diameter ball to one 0.06 inches bigger-and so lost maybe 20 yards from drives as a result-Watson and Feherty approve of a repeat.”

“You could have one ball for the pros and let the amateurs play with anything they want,” Watson said. “Or you could play one ball in major amateur championships, as well as the professional tours. Yeah, we could do that. But I like Feherty’s response to it. I was talking to David at the Masters. He said: ‘Just make the ball bigger. That will make up the difference in distance.'”

2. Robert on the rocks

AP Report..“Robert Garrigus made a birdie after a rock saved his ball from water and had a one-stroke lead at 9-under 63 on Thursday when play in the RBC Canadian Open was suspended because of dangerous weather.”

“Hit it right in the middle of the water, and it hit a rock and bounced over the thing,” Garrigus said about the break on the par-5 13th…The American wasn’t as fortunate on Nos. 10 and 17 at rain-softened Glen Abbey.”

“Could have been 59 there if a couple putts didn’t lip out,” Garrigus said.

He made five straight birdies on Nos. 2-6, and birdied four of the last six holes — three of them par 5s.”

3. Why hasn’t a Canadian won the Canadian Open since ’54? Who knows.

Cameron Morfit says the answer to the question is unclear.

“As for Canada, though, it’s complicated. Patrick Oswald Fletcher was the last Canadian to win the Canadian Open in 1954, making him the first from the Great White North to win the tournament since 1914 and, ahem, not exactly opening the floodgates. Yes, Oswald acted alone. (Sorry.) Mike Weir nearly won in ’04, but Canada wept as Singh drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, then beat Weir in a playoff.”

“It’s going to end at some point,” Weir said of the streak when it reached its 60-year anniversary in 2014. “… It would be nice to get the streak over so we don’t have to talk about it.”

“On the plus side, there are 21 Canadians in the field this week. They are led by favorite son Weir and Adam Hadwin, who won the Valspar Championship last year and comes to Glen Abbey at a respectable 61st in the FedExCup. All four Monday qualifiers this week were Canadian.”

4. Reed vs. the camera crew

“I’m not going [hitting the ball] until y’all get the heck out of here,” Patrick Reed told a camera crew during the first round of the European Tour’s Porsche European Open in Germany.

Standing over his ball at Green Eagle’s 10th hole, the Golf Channel’s Instagram post shows Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain motioning to someone and gesturing.

“You’re rattling change in your pocket. That’s why I’m pointing at you for,” Kerrain says forcefully.

Reed eventually says, “He lost privileges by going like that [rattling it in his pocket] with change],” before sending the crew further away.

See the video here.

5. Tiger in for the Bridgestone

Not like he was ever going to say no if he qualified…

Via Golf Digest…”a computing error was discovered, which bumped the 14-time major winner to No. 50 in the world rankings, thus earning an invite to Firestone.”

“On Thursday, Woods and his team officially committed to the tournament’s final stop in Northeast Ohio, which begins next week.”

“The Firestone confines have been friendly to Woods throughout his career. The 42-year-old has eight wins at the tournament, along with a runner-up finish and a total of 12 top-10 finishes in 15 starts. Alas, next week marks Tiger’s last chance to add to the trophy case from the Akron event, as the championship is moving to Memphis in 2019.”

6. How to totally lose your golf game

Funny stuff from Tony at Hooked on Golf

“No matter how bad you play golf, it can always get worse. You can quote me on that. Here is the special Hooked on Golf Blog top 10 list to help you ruin what little golf game you have left”

Play in a corporate or charity scramble. Please NEVER invite me to these.
Take a lesson.
Practice on mats. You can’t miss a shot. Seriously!
Listen to the advice you got from the hack on the driving range wearing no shirt
Buy the same golf clubs as the latest PGA Tour winner. WITB – What’s in the bag?
Buy golf training aids on ebay. I recommend a $5 golf club stand a.k.a. tomato stand.
Play in a group of bad golfers.
Over-activate your glutes.
Spend all your time practicing golf trick shots and posting them on your social networks, instead of practicing how to play golf.
Play by the rules, if you actually know them.

7. JD: 69

Via Golf Channel…”It was looking a lot like 1995 on Thursday at the Old Course – at least for a few hours.”

“John Daly, who won the ’95 Open Championship at St. Andrews, got off to a brilliant start in Round 1 of The Senior Open. After a bogey at the second, he made birdie at the par-4 third and then made eagle-3 at the par-5 fifth. He continued that run with birdies on Nos. 6 and 7, and then added another at the par-3 11th.”

“Daly was at 5 under par and challenging for the lead. But the inward nine proved more difficult as players turned into a stiff wind. Daly bogeyed the 12th and 15th holes and parred in for a 3-under 69. He finished the day four shots off the lead, held by Kirk Triplett.”

8. Joh yeah

The eternally entertaining Tiffany Joh took a four-shot lead after a stunning opening-round 62 at the Ladies Scottish Open.

She made nine birdies. “I pretty much kept it in play and putted amazing,” Joh told the Ladies European Tour website. “I didn’t feel like I hit it particularly well, but I left it in the right places and had a hot putter.”

9. Club Pro Guy on tour?

Stephen Hennesey at Golf Digest with the news…”One-handed rakes, punch-out club twirls and Mexican drug cartel run-ins appear like they’re coming to the Web.com Tour’s Kansas City event in a few weeks. The tour announced on Wednesday that they have extended a special exemption into next week’s KC Golf Classic’s Monday qualifier to the Club Pro Guy, one of the best follows in golf social media.”

“Any golfer on social media likely follows the Club Pro Guy, a hilarious parody account run anonymously but has accumulated 60,000 followers for his dead-on humor about all things golf. The former Mexican mini-tour star has appeared on the Golf Channel a handful of times, in the pages of Golf Digest and on podcasts like No Laying Up and the Tour Junkies.”

“But every time, he’s managed to keep his identity unknown-with the Golf Channel blurring out his face. If Club Pro Guy does, in fact, take up the Web.com Tour on this offer, he’ll be showing his face in public. And we’re sure folks will share it on social media, knowing the fascination there is among CPG’s fan base.”

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