News

Morning 9: Got your Tour card? Good luck keeping it! | What shooting even par gets you on the PGA Tour | Tiger at the U.S. Open

Published

7 years ago

Sep 4, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected]; @benalberstadt on Instagram)

September 4, 2019

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans.

1. It’s hard out here

AP report…”The new PGA Tour season starts Sept. 12 at the Greenbrier, with six domestic events and one at the Mexican resort of Mayakoba, all of them offering full FedEx Cup points and an invitation to the Masters for the winner.”

“Optimism is never higher. The PGA Tour in September is right up there with Major League Baseball in March.”

“Now for the bad news: If the last three years are any indication, some 60 percent of the players who earned PGA Tour cards won’t be keeping them.”

“Of the 50 players who earned PGA Tour cards last year – either the regular season or the Finals series of what is now the Korn Ferry Tour – 31 failed to finish among the top 125 in the FedEx Cup to retain full status.”

Full piece.

2. The tale of Tom Lewis

AP report…”It was his first trip to Indiana. It was his first time competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. And it was enough for Lewis to shoot up to No. 2 in the three-tournament series to earn a PGA Tour card for a new season that starts in nine days.”

“There were several milestones on the way to PGA Tour membership, and forgive Lewis if he didn’t recognize the most recent, and perhaps the most important.”

“Six weeks ago at Royal Portrush, he closed with seven straight pars in severe wind and rain for a 1-under 70 in the final round of the British Open. He moved up 18 spots into a tie for 11th, his best finish ever in a major.”

Full piece.

3. Steph’s tournament

Golfweek’s staff…”The foundation run by Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha, will host an inaugural charity golf event on Sept. 16 along with PGA Reach, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, to benefit children in the Bay Area and beyond to provide them opportunities to play the game and lead healthy, active lives.”

“The Stephen Curry Charity Classic presented by Workday seeks to raise $1 million, according to a release Tuesday from the PGA of America. Curry will host 50 two-person teams comprised of partners and donors at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, where the PGA Championship will be played next summer. The day will feature a skills challenge followed by an 18-hole scramble.”

Full piece.

4. Woods cheers on Nadal

Heather Tucker at USA Today…”Golfer Tiger Woods was among the celebrities spotted watching Rafael Nadal as he defeated Marin Cilic in a round of 16 match.”

“Woods and Nadal are friends and both are among the most successful and recognizable athletes in the world. They also both belong to the Nike family and it’s been reported that Nadal isn’t a bad golfer.”

“It would probably be much better if Tiger don’t see my swing,” Nadal joked.

Full piece.

5. …and returns to watch Serena

Golf Channel team…”One night after watching Rafa Nadal defeat Marin Cilic in his U.S. Open’s Round of 16, Tiger Woods was back at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, this time watching Serena Williams cruise in her quarterfinal match against China’s Qiang Wang.”

“Williams won in straight sets (6-1, 6-0), with Woods once again letting fist pumps fly.”

See the pictures here.

6. Ton o’ Solheim ticket sales

Kirsty McIntosh at The Courier…”The Solheim Cup has become the UK’s best attended women’s golf event – more than a week before the first players tee off.”

“Almost 80,000 tickets have already been sold for the seven-day event, which is being held at Gleneagles.”

“When the competition was held in Germany four years ago, the attendance was just short of the same figure.”

Full piece.

7. If you shot even par…

Always a fun experiment…This time, it’s Golf Digest’s Ryan Herrington running the numbers and mining the results to see how you’d do as a PGA Tour pro shooting even par in ~30 starts…

A bit of his research…”As you can see, shooting even par on the PGA Tour isn’t a bad thing-a golfer would keep his tour card by ranking 118th on the FedEx Cup points list and be able to boast that he cleared a million bucks in one year-but it isn’t going to turn anybody into a household name. The problem here, however, is that the data is skewed because even par at the PGA Championship left you in seventh place. The next best finish for the tour pro who shot even par in every round of every event was a 21st at the WGC-HSCB Champions. The PGA Championship becomes a bit of an outlier. Additionally, no golfer could play in two tournaments in the same week.”

Full piece.

8. The 50 newest PGA Tour members

Priority ranking, and the full list at PGA Tour.com.

9. Reed’s ride

As you may have seen on social media, Patrick Reed showed off his “Masters 911 GT2RS.”

Golfweek’s Forecaddie with the details…”Reed commissioned the car after his 2018 Masters win with dreams of driving the pricey Porsche up Magnolia Lane in his green jacket. However, delivery of the complete custom car was delayed and that glorious dream of excess was squelched. After all, there were still final details to work out.”

“Working with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, Reed outfitted the 911 in green with yellow accoutrements galore, including the seat belts, seat stitching and brake calipers. The Man Out Front hears Reed considered painting the car Masters green – Pantone 342 for those keeping score at home – but told folks he didn’t think it would look right and settled on a British Racing Green. The Forecaddie thinks it may be the best move Reed has made in years.”

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

2 hours 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

3 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