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Morning 9: The champ X2 | Spieth says he’s close | Reflections on a first golf shot

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7 years ago

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By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

March 24, 2019

Good Monday morning, golf fans.
1. The Champ X2
BBC Report on Paul Casey’s second paintbrush trophy in a row.
  • …”Casey, 41, led by one overnight but dropped three shots on the opening nine as a pack of players applied pressure.”
  • “The Englishman was level with Jason Kokrak at eight under on the 18th hole but the American made bogey, meaning Casey needed par to win.”
  • “He found a bunker off the tee but hit the green and two-putted for a first win since taking last year’s title.”
  • “It feels cool,” said Casey, who made bogey on 17 to briefly fall back to eight under alongside Kokrak. “It was messy but this course was so difficult and I did make errors. Looking at 72 holes, it was hard work.”
SCORES: 1. Casey -8…T2. Oosthuizen, Kokrak -7…T4. Watson, Im -6…T6. Rahm, Armour, D. Johnson -5…T9. McCarthy, Cook, Stallings, Donald -4
2. Stuck in neutral
Ultimately, Dustin Johnson would only have needed a 1-under final round to win at Innisbrook. Unfortunately, the world No. 1 never got anything going in Florida, Sunday.
  • Golf Channel’s Will Gray…”After cruising through the first 54 holes of the Valspar Championship seemingly without breaking a sweat, Dustin Johnson seemed like the man to beat. But keeping the Copperhead Course at bay for four straight days proved to be too tall of a task, even for the world No. 1.”
  • “Johnson struggled during the final round amid swirling winds and on crispy greens, shooting a 3-over 74 that dropped him into a tie for sixth. Pars were dearly sought for all the leaders down the stretch, but for Johnson the birdies were non-existent. Unable to capitalize on high-percentage opportunities on the par-5s or curl in a putt elsewhere, Johnson failed to make a single final-round birdie for the first time since Sunday of the 2017 WGC HSBC-Champions – when he blew a six-shot lead and finished runner-up to Justin Rose.”
  • “I felt like I had a tough time judging the wind today for some reason,” Johnson said. “It kept switching directions a lot. I felt like I hit a lot of good shots that didn’t end up in good spots.”

Full piece.

3. Hend thunders to victory
EuropeanTour.com report…”Scott Hend claimed his third European Tour title in dramatic circumstances as he beat Nacho Elvira at the first play-off hole to win the weather affected Maybank Championship.”
  • “The 45-year-old began the fourth round three shots behind overnight leader Elvira but went in front courtesy of five birdies on the front nine and remained ahead by one stroke as the final group arrived at the 18th tee.”

Full piece.

And a bit from Reuters on the closing dramatics…”Hend was leading Elvira by a single stroke with the leading pair on the final fairway when torrential rain started falling on the Saujana Golf and Country Club.”
  • “The first crack of thunder came as Elvira hit his approach shot to the 18th green and, with lightning flashing around them, the players were forced off the course before either could attempt a putt.”
  • “They returned after a delay of 100 minutes and Elvira nailed his birdie putt from 30 feet for a two-under-par 70 to tie the scores at 15-under 273 and force the playoff.”
  • “Hend looked in trouble when he landed in a greenside bunker on the first playoff hole but it was his turn to celebrate minutes later when he landed a four-footer after his opponent’s birdie putt had stopped just short of the hole.”
SCORES: 1. Hend -15…2. Elvira -15…3. Janewattananond -13…4. Veerman -12…T5. Fisher, Kieffer -11
4. (Jin Young Ko) outlasts Korda

AP Report…”Jin Young Ko rallied to win the Founders Cup on Sunday for her third LPGA Tour victory, closing with a 7-under 65 for a one-stroke victory over four players.”

  • “The 23-year-old South Korean player birdied Nos. 14-16 and parred the final two to finish at 22-under 266 at Desert Ridge. She won when third-round leader Yu Liu missed a 15-foot par putt on the par-4 18th.”

Full piece. 

SCORES: 1. Ko -22…T2. Korda, Korda, Ciganda, Liu -21…T6. Feng, Thomas -19…T8. Henderson, L. Ko -18…T10. Kerr, S.Y. Kim, H.J. Kim -17
5. Spieth says he’s close
Per Steve DiMeglio…
  • Jordan Spieth: “The toughest part is if everything looks good, but to me it doesn’t feel good,” the winner of 11 PGA Tour titles said after missing the cut in The Players Championship. “On the driving range, everything is top-notch. But it’s about finding that last piece. It’s very close.”
  • Also…:In 2017, he was the best iron player on the PGA Tour; now he’s ranked 129th. In 2016, he was the second-best on the Tour in putting; now he’s 78th. He’s 188th in strokes gained: off the tee. He’s 124th around the green.”
  • “It’s a work in progress from my long irons to my woods,” Spieth said. “As far as the full swing goes, it’s just going to require more repetitions. It was really good on the range, didn’t really miss a shot, but the same mistakes I was making earlier in the year, I was making on the golf course. I probably had one out of every two shots was good with the long clubs.”

Full piece.

6. Justine dials Leadbetter
Golf Channel’s Will Gray reports Justine Reed placed an emergency phone call to the best teacher within arm’s length of Innisbrook after her husband’s opening round at the Valspar. That man: David Leadbetter, who had never met Reed prior to Friday morning.
  • “Just trying to get a fresh perspective on the swing,” Reed said. “I feel like the club’s in a way better position now than it’s been, ever. I’m just hitting a couple loose shots that are kind of costing me some finishes I feel like I should be having.”
  • Leadbetter said this: “I just got a call from his wife, from Justine, who said, ‘Hey, listen, would you be prepared to just have a little look at Patrick. He’s struggling at the moment, he’s sort of lost a little bit. Could you do that for us?'” Leadbetter said. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’m here, sure I’ll do it. Absolutely.'”
  • Reed said, regarding his wife placing the call: “The great thing is we’re basically on the same wavelength, her and I,” Reed said. “Because of that, before I even finished my [opening] round I didn’t even have to tell her that, hey, is there any way we can get someone in to just take a peek.”
Reed maintained he will continue to work with his current coach, Kevin Kirk.
7. Reflections on a first shot
Golf.com’s “43-year-old non-golfing skeptic” Will Leith reflects on his first lesson, and first shot, under teacher John Tattersall.
  • “…He lets me take a couple of practice swings, but my form is all over the place, and why wouldn’t it be? There’s no ball there, and I’m too early in the process to take a practice swing all that seriously. Not only do I look like I’m about to fall over, I almost send the club flying across the room. Tattersall sighs: “Okay. Let’s put an actual ball down there and see what happens.””
  • “He tees one up, and I pause: “Is it okay if I destroy the tee?””
  • “I stare at the ball. I stare at the arrow. It is time. I pull the club back, and then sharply back down, and try not to shut my eyes. I swing. To my relief, the ball isn’t still in front of me.”
8. Longevity a concern?
Not the lack of longevity, mind you, but rather the abundance…
From Eamon Lynch’s reflection on the phenomenon of Furkys and Sings contending on the PGA Tour…
  • “We view PGA Tour Champions players remaining competitive on the PGA Tour as a positive,” says Miller Brady, the recently-appointed President of the senior tour. “The ability to compete after turning 50 shines a light on just how great these guys are and provides a glimpse into what we know is an exciting PGA Tour Champions product.”
  • “Brady is correct, up to a point….An over-50 player who is competitive on the PGA Tour will only drive interest in the Champions tour if he’s actually playing out there too. Mickelson might face subtle pressure to support the senior circuit with occasional appearances, but he has no urgency to seek safe harbor among his greying contemporaries. Unlike, for example, Ernie Els, who has logged just one top-10 finish on the regular Tour since 2015. Els turns 50 in October.”
9. Rose on riches
An interesting tidbit from Justin Rose in an otherwise very sponsor apperance-y (on behalf of the name on the front of his hat) appearance.
  • Per Brian Sozzi at Yahoo Finance, Rose said…”You can talk to many people and get many different answers and get yourself confused – there is always someone with a great system, someone up 10% in a month,” he said. “Just try not to get push and pulled around and trust the people around you.”
  • On his wealth, Rose is thinking about the future, too. “If you listen to my wife, it’s all going to charity and the kids will start from scratch,” he said. “Obviously there is an element of truth to that, but clearly we want to work out ways so they are taken care of.”

Related Topics:

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

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Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

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Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

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3 days ago

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Jun 1, 2026

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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

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

  • Driver: Ping 440 LST
  • Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
  • Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
  • Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
  • Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
  • Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
  • Putter: Ping PLD Anser

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