News

Morning 9: A check on golf participation | USGA downsizing | Bubba + CBD | What makes a good agent?

Published

7 years ago

May 2, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

May 2, 2019

Good Thursday morning, golf fans.

1. Golf participation…

Golfweek’s Roxanna Scott frames National Golf Day appropriately and en route to conveying the essentials from the industry’s annual day of self-reflection…

“Tiger Woods wasn’t in Washington for National Golf Day, but there was plenty of talk about the impact his fifth Masters victory has on the industry. According to the latest Golf Industry Report released by the National Golf Foundation, 74 million people watched or read about golf without playing in 2018, an increase of about 12 percent year over year. Part of the growth is “attributable to Woods,” the NGF says.”

“When you go beyond the hard-core golf enthusiast and you’re trying to capture the casual masses, it is Tiger. It is only Tiger,” says Patrick Rishe, director of the Sports Business Program at Washington University in St. Louis, when asked about the impact of Woods’ latest win at Augusta National.”

“It’s no secret that golf faces tough challenges – as demonstrated in the continued trend of course closures in the U.S. (198.5 18-hole equivalent courses closed last year while 12.5 of the same type of courses opened) and the competition the sport faces in trying to attract busy adults and teens who don’t have free time or the resources to play.”

“But a Tiger resurgence changes the conversation around the state of the game, sports economists say.”

Full piece.

2. USGA downsizing?

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard with the details of the governing body’s restructuring effort…

“The association confirmed Wednesday that 63 of its employees, roughly 15 percent of its workforce, were offered “voluntary retirement incentive” plans. According to a USGA spokesperson, the plan was offered to employees who were part of the association’s benefit plan which closed to new participants in 2008 and who were 55 or older.”

“As the USGA continues to evolve its organizational structure in an effort to drive greater impact and sustain a strong financial future, we have offered a voluntary retirement incentive plan to a segment of our staff,” the USGA said in a statement provided to GolfChannel.com. “It provides eligible employees with enhanced pension and retiree health benefits, with no obligation to participate.”

Full piece.

3. Leona likes the moonlight

BBC Sport report…”Ireland’s Leona Maguire carded a course record eight-under-par-64 in the first professional day-night tournament.”

The Dubai Moonlight Classic on the Ladies European Tour is being held on a Nick Faldo-designed Emirates Golf Club course featuring floodlights.

Each of the 56 players play at least nine holes of one of their opening two rounds in the 54-hole tournament under the new eco-friendly LED lights.

“Maguire sank a 25-foot birdie on the 18th under the lights to lead by two.”

“It seems like night golf suits me. I can’t really complain,” said world number 237 Maguire, who made nine birdies and one bogey.

Full piece.

4. PGA Professional Champ

Meanwhile, the PGA’s finest teed it up in the PGA Professional Championship with Bethpage berths on the line…

AP Report…”Alex Beach seized control with three straight birdies on the front nine and closed with a 3-under 69 to hold off Danny Balin and win the PGA Professional Championship on Wednesday.

“They were among 20 club pros who earned spots in the PGA Championship in two weeks at Bethpage Black.”

“Beach, an assistant pro at Westchester Country Club in New York, had a one-shot lead when he hit his approach from the left rough over the trees to a back pin, stopping it 7 feet away for birdie on the 15th hole. He closed with three solid pars at Belfair Country Club to finish at 10-under 277.”

Full piece.

5. What makes a good agent?

…protection, and of course, not starting fires are key, says Shane Ryan, using Carly Booth/her management as prism…

“In fact, that word encompasses a wide range of action, but a basic rule-so basic that it practically goes without saying-is that an agent can’t commit an unforced error. It can be difficult enough steering a client away from the various pitfalls that emerge when an athlete gains fame, money, and a huge platform, but to bring negative press onto your player through no (or little) fault of their own is a cardinal sin.”

“That’s what made the Booth case so interesting-without knowing the exact process that went into her controversial social media post, I would guess that the words were written by someone else, edited by someone else, and that if she vetted the statement at all, that vetting was perfunctory. At the very least, the geopolitical subject matter fell outside the wheelhouse of what a professional golfer can reasonably be expected to know. It is an agent’s job to anticipate criticism from events and messages that might seem innocuous, and when the agent is the one creating that negative fallout, it’s a problem.”

Full piece.

6. Bubba + CBD

Golf Digest’s Joel Beall writes…

Andy Levinson, executive director of the PGA Tour’s Anti-Doping Program, told Golf Digest’s Brittany Romano that his department has seen an increase of inquiries regarding its legality on the PGA Tour.

“CBD in its pure form is not prohibited,” Levinson told Golf Digest. “But the use of CBD in any of its currently available forms would be at a player’s own risk.” According to the advocacy group Marijuana Moment, the PGA Tour issued a warning to its players in early April that “CBD products (like all supplements) pose a risk to athletes because they have limited government regulation and may contain THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis that is prohibited.”

“Nevertheless, a number of players, including Scott Piercy and Champions member Scott McCarron, have endorsed or invested in CBD-related companies. On Wednesday, Bubba Watson became the highest-profile player to officially sign with a CBD company, announcing an endorsement with cbdMD.”

Full piece.

7. McIlroy making swing fixes…

Sean Martin at PGATour.com reports…

“The changes to McIlroy’s address have allowed him to “neutralize” his ball flight, i.e. curve it less. By getting more hinge in his hips, McIlroy was able to steepen his shoulder turn. That kept the club from getting too far behind him on the backswing.”

“I was relying a lot on timing,” he said. “I was relying a lot on upper-body rotation, sort of out of sync a little bit. … I was coming up out of my posture and falling back on my heels.”

“During some of his most successful seasons, McIlroy said his head dropped slightly during the backswing and rose at impact. The opposite had been happening recently.”

Full piece.

8. Balloons for back pain relief?

A stuff.co.nz report on one of J-Day’s tactics for back pain relief…

“I was explaining the other day that I was blowing into balloons,” Day said Wednesday after playing in the Wells Fargo’s pro-am. “Which is crazy, because I haven’t really trained at all this year because I’ve been so sore.”

Day, 31, who seems kind of embarrassed about the balloon therapy, explains that doing so helps get his rib cage, hips and shoulders aligned, thus alleviating pressure on his back. It’s a process that takes 20-to-30 minutes, twice a day.

“Blowing into balloons, that’s as far as I go,” he said of the therapy. “Long story short, I try to keep my rib cage down. My rib cage gets up and then it blocks my mid back and then I can’t really turn. So I get it from somewhere else and that’s why my back flares up.

Full piece.

9. Checking on Bethpage…

Golfweek’s David Dusek on the conditions at Bethpage ahead of the PGA in two weeks…

“At 8:30 Wednesday morning, the temperature at Bethpage State Park was 51 degrees and golfers were playing on the Green and Red Courses under cloudy skies. A chilly breeze fluttered the flags and water droplets clung to the blades of grass beside the fairways.”

“Surprisingly, the Black Course had been open to the public for two weeks before shutting down last Sunday.”

“According to Scott Reid, the PGA of America’s 2019 PGA Championship director, if the Black Course needed extra work or conditions were not ideal, course superintendent Andy Wilson and other tournament officials could have kept it closed to the public until after the tournament, but a mild winter allowed them to keep things on schedule.”

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

12 hours ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

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

2026 The Memorial – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

23 hours 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