News
Tour Rundown: A Monday qualifier wins, major winner No. 1, and more
In case golf fans found themselves looking past the first week in April, in anticipation of the year’s first men’s major championship, golfers around the globe made certain that all eyes remained focused on the goings-on this weekend. Something that had never before happened, happened. Make that two things. A third thing that hadn’t occurred since 2010, once again took place. For the weekend’s winners, April 6th and 7th were dates that they won’t soon forget. For the rest of us, the triumphs were well worth our time and attention. Have a look at all the events in this week’s Tour Rundown.
Conners becomes first Monday qualifier since Atwal to win on PGA Tour at Valero Open
I won’t lie: I picked Corey Conners to win today, in a random-someone’s Twitter poll. You’ll have to take my word for it. Conners wasn’t the 1st or the 2nd choice in the poll, but I had a hunch. A bit more than a year since giving up a 54-hole lead at Valspar, Conners made Canada proud as he surged ahead of 3rd-round leader Si Woo Kim, then held off Charlie Hoffman, Ryan Moore, and others for the win. He became the first Monday qualifier since Arjun Atwal at Greensboro, way back in 2010. The path wasn’t easy for the former US Amateur runner-up. He opened Sunday with four birdies in 5 holes, then bogeyed 6 through 9. Huh? Just as quickly, he returned to his early form, running in 6 birdies on the inward half, to close in 30 and win by 2. Kim got lost early, with a double bogey at the 3rd hole. He had far too few of the chirping numbers to mount a challenge, and closed with 72 for a 4th-place tie. Hoffman did nothing wrong on Sunday, with zero bogies on his card, but five birdies were 2 too few to catch Conners. Hoffman certainly buoyed his spirits for Augusta National next week. As for Conners, he’s headed back to Augusta for the first time as a pro, and for the first time as a PGA Tour winner.
Another birdie.
Another hole closer to his first win on TOUR.
Another priceless reaction from the Mrs. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/bsB1Ei5PEH— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2019
ANA Inspiration opens major championship season with 1st for Ko
Jin Young Ko had the commentators bubbling about her swing all week. They called it one for the ages, or one that will stand up for all time. One commentator threatened to quit if the young Korean professional ever made alterations to her back-and-through. With the pile of praise, it’s a fortunate thing that Ko made the putts and won her first major, at age 23. No one came at her all day, as -2 on Sunday was good enough for -10 on the week and a 3-shot win over Mi Hyang Lee. Holding off a challenge is one matter, but holding onto oneself is another. Ko had her share of stumbles on Sunday, with 3 bogeys to go with her 5 birdies. She never looked to be deep in trouble at any stage, but when bogeys at 13 and 15 sounded a call of hope to the competition. Ko returned birdies at 16 and 18 to clinch win #2 of the season, and #4 of her young career.
Jin Young Ko led the field in birdies and greens in regulation at the @ANAinspiration, a recipe for Major success.
During her final round, Ko birdied two of her final three holes to lock up her victory.
HIGHLIGHTS ?? pic.twitter.com/Zh1qcGRs4J
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 8, 2019
Bangabandhu Cup to unflappable Kaewkanjana
Sodom Kaewkanjana had a bit of a cushion after 54 holes of this week’s Asian Tour event. Midway through the back nine, as Ajeetesh Sandhu was working his way through a straight-fire round of 65, Kaewkanjana had one of those hiccups that champions overcome. He bogeyed three consecutive holes to lose his lead to Sandhu. When hope seemed lost, Sodom recovered from the holes 13-15 lapse with birdies at 16 and 17. With the latter, he made up 2 strokes on Ajeetesh, who bogeyed the par-five hole. Just like that Sodom had turned a 2-shot deficit into the single-stroke margin of victory he would claim, but not without a last bit of drama, as seen below. The win was the first ever for the rookie, so here’s to making an early splash!
A rookie debut which Sadom Kaewkanjana ???????? will remember for a very long time ????
Relive his winning moment ????#BangabandhuCupGolf pic.twitter.com/XZerLCmGlO
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) April 6, 2019
Augusta National Women’s Amateur honored by top amateur’s Saturday performance
Jennifer Kupcho has done quite well over the last year. She claimed the individual title at last spring’s NCAA championship, and served as a rock on the USA’s triumphant, 2018 Curtis Cup team. This week, she added to that run with a victory for all time. On Wednesday, Kupcho was honored to hit the first-ever tee shot at the ANWA. On Saturday, having survived a great challenge from Mexico’s Maria Fassi, the pride of Wake Forest University hit the last shot of the week as well. The birdie putt at 18 gave her a 4-shot margin of victory over the runner-up, a differential that seemed very unlikely only four holes prior. Ten holes prior, in fact, when Kupcho suffered a 4-hole migraine. The Colorado native regained her vision and her composure, and made eagle at 13 to forge a tie with Fassi. The Arkansas Razorback bounced back with her 5th birdie of the day, at hole 14, to retake the solo lead. As happens so often at Augusta, the closing nine on the final day reveals the champion. Kupcho ripped another approach into 15, two-putting for birdie from just off the back edge. She birdied 16 as Fassi made bogey, establishing a two-shot lead. The 18th hole provided another 2-shot differential, with Kupcho at -10, and Fassi in 2nd at -6.
With an eagle on No. 13 @jenniferkupcho is tied for the lead during the final round at #ANWAgolf pic.twitter.com/u7e3OK050r
— Augusta National Women's Amateur (@anwagolf) April 6, 2019
Jordan Mixed Open slips from Maclaren to Huizing
In a year when unique formats and new events are taking hold, the Jordan Mixed Open offered three tours competing against each other, playing from three sets of tees, but only one champion. England’s Meghan Maclaren held the lead into round three, after opening with a pair of 65s. On her heels was a Challenge Tour golfer named Daan Huizing, from The Netherlands, and Staysure (senior) golfer from Argentina, Jose Coceres. Maclaren couldn’t hold her lead, closing with 72 and finishing at -14. Coceres represented the senior set well, finishing in a tie for 4th at -11. The spoils of victory went to Huizing, who closed with 5 birdies for 68 on Saturday, for -16 and the 2-shot margin of victory. Maclaren was in top shape with 9 to play, but opened bogey-double on the home nine. Unable to make anything but pars coming in, her challenge came up just shy.
WATCH: The thrilling conclusion to the #JordanMixedOpen#WeShareTheSameDrive pic.twitter.com/wubKs38SMc
— Staysure Tour (@StaysureTour) April 6, 2019
- LIKE5
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
News
Morning 9: Rory: I’m not joining LIV | Masters ratings | Nelly: We just need a stage
|
- LIKE1
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
- LIKE9
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP1
- OB0
- SHANK0
News
Morning 9: Aberg: I want to be No. 1 | Rory’s management blasts ‘fake news’ reports
|
- LIKE1
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
-
19th Hole7 days ago
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole5 days ago
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole6 days ago
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Addiction, spinal fusion, and scam artists – Everything Anthony Kim revealed in candid interview with David Feherty