News

Morning 9: Casey was right | U.S. nabs Walker Cup | Should golf be fun?

Published

7 years ago

Sep 9, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

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

September 9, 2019

Good Monday morning, golf fans.

1. The man to beat, indeed (One of Casey’s wedges shot earlier this year pictured in the featured image)

Golfweek’s Bill Speros on Paul Casey’s pre-round proclamation…”Paul Casey warned anyone who would listen entering the final round of the European Open that he was the player to beat on Sunday.”

“Casey delivered on his warning with a 6-under 66 to scratch out a one-shot victory at 14-under over Matthias Schwab, Robert MacIntyre and Bernd Ritthammer on Hamburg, Germany’s par-72 Green Eagle Golf Course.”

“Casey, 42, earned his 14th European Tour victory and his first since winning the KLM Open in 2014.”

“The Englishman Casey – ranked No. 17 in the world before the long-awaited victory – called himself “dangerous” after finishing the third round just one shot back of MacIntyre and Ritthammer.”

Full piece.

2. U.S takes first Walker Cup since ’07

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine with the details of the Stars & Stripes’ impressive triumph…”For the first time in 12 years, the Americans are Walker Cup champions on foreign soil.”

“Vanderbilt senior John Augenstein earned the clinching point Sunday afternoon at Royal Liverpool with a 4-and-3 victory over Tom Plumb as the U.S. took eight of the 10 matches in the final singles session, erasing a one-point deficit after three sessions and turning it into a decisive 15.5-10.5 victory.”

“Great Britain and Ireland, which had won two straight home Walker Cups after the Americans captured the Cup in 2007 at Royal County Down, earned just 3 ½ points on the final day.”

Full piece.

3. The cost of televising the cup

Geoff Shackelford commenting and quoting Ryan Herrington…”As most have figured out by now, the 2019 Walker Cup can only be seen on social media or via late night highlight shows after getting extensive Fox Sports coverage in 2017.”

“Ryan Herrington reached out to the R&A to find out how their deal with Sky and Golf Channel eluded the Walker Cup and also provides background on prior event coverage. He got this statement regarding the creation of a world feed ala other R&A championships:”

“Delivering high quality, live coverage from an event such as the Walker Cup is a complex and increasingly costly exercise. We decided for this year’s match to concentrate our resources on producing compelling highlights packages for our broadcast partners and high-quality content, including highlights, player interviews and behind the scenes footage, from our social and digital media channels. We have a responsibility to spread our investment across nearly 20 amateur events throughout the year and we believe we have achieved the right balance for this match.”

Full piece.

4. Can we agree?

An interesting angle from Eamon Lynch…”Courses are the currency of golf, yet the reality is that most of them are of no value.”

“To be fair, every course is loved by someone. They anchor communities, commerce, childhood memories, friendships. But from the standpoint of architectural merit, most are products of the Xerox school of golf course design, exhibiting only a faded sameness that you’ve seen previously, and in sharper focus.”

“Great golf courses are living works of art, so it’s fitting that notions of what constitutes greatness are as subjective as in any other art-form. What is loved by me, may be loathed by thee. Courses – and opinions thereof – are the one thing all golfers share, and the best of them are reminders that the real charm of this game has nothing to do with the PGA Tour or its stars. It lies in the land we walk (or, more often these days, drive).”

“Every golfer I know maintains a wish list of courses they hope one day to play. For most of us, it exists only in the mind, fetched out for grill room fantasies. For at least one friend of mine, it is a spreadsheet tended with the wistful care of a Victorian love letter. Checking off the contents of this list is a lifetime’s quest.”

Full piece.

5. Gotta read the fine print…

A golfer made a hole-in-one he thought won him 5 grand. Woo hoo? More like boohoo.

Golfweek’s Bill Speros…“A discounted round and the lack of a $5 fee prevented Minnesota golfer Matt Dorgan from cashing in a $10,000 prize after making a hole-in-one.”

“Dorgan fired the ace using an 8-iron on the par-3, 16th hole at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo in August.”

“…Dorgan then learned that the course’s $10,000 hole-in-one prize offered through Swing King was on the same hole that he aced – and that the special moment was video taped.”

“Swing King manages hole-in-one contests at golf courses nationwide and shoots video of each attempt.”

“…It turns out Dorgan played with an employee of the course and got a discounted green fee. Only full-fee players are eligible for the contest. The contest also requires a $5 entry fee, which Dorgan did not pay.”

Full piece.

6. Turning pro

Golfweek’s Alistair Tait…”Five members of the 2019 U.S. Walker Cup team are turning professional following their victory at Royal Liverpool.”

“Akshay Bhatia, Brandon Wu, Steven Fisk, Alex Smalley and Isaiah Salinda head to the paid ranks to try to follow in the footsteps of former U.S. Walker Cup stars like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and scores of others who become PGA Tour stars.”

“Just two Great Britain & Ireland players are turning pro: Scotland’s Euan Walker and Englishman Tom Sloman. Harry Hall will try his hand at stage one of the European Tour Qualifying School as an amateur. The Englishman can maintain that status if he fails to advance.”

Full piece.

7. Should we stop expecting golf to be fun?

That’s the contention from legendary club designer and industry figure Barney Adams.

Here’s what he thinks. “Industry ads aimed at promoting participation have the same theme, “Play Golf Because It’s Fun.” I disagree with the presentation, but admittedly it takes explanation. Fun is considered, light, enjoyable among other adjectives. Golf hasn’t been around for centuries evoking a unique passion because it’s “fun.” It’s hard and frustrating yet we come back sometimes-even ignoring weather we wouldn’t otherwise be outside in.”

“Why?…Because it’s rewarding! Not on the whole, that’s reserved for the very few who are excellent players. “Rewarding” for the masses will be a well-played hole, even a singular shot. We are rewarded in small victories, not mastery.”

Full piece.

8. What to do with Arnie’s armory?

Golfweek’s Roxanna Scott...With 19,000 pieces of memorabilia from Arnold Palmer’s career in addition to thousands of his clubs sitting in storage, it’s only natural to wonder what will become of Arnie’s prized possessions on what would have been his 90th birthday.

That’s a lingering question as his family, friends and those who run his businesses and foundation gather at Bay Hill in Orlando and in Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to celebrate his life Tuesday. Palmer died Sept. 25, 2016, at the age of 87.

“It’s definitely part of our strategy to find the best ways to showcase his memorabilia and to tell his story and continue to inspire people and to keep the legacy strong,” said Jon Podany, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises and president of the Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation.

Full piece.

9. Major winners’ WITBs

With no PGA Tour action this week, we rounded up the major winners’ bags.

Check out the gear Tiger won the Masters with, Brooks Koepka used at Bethpage, Gary Woodland bested the field at Pebble, and Shane Lowry secured the Claret jug with.

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

3 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