News

Tour Rundown: Leishman holds off Rahm, Climactic series of errors at Dubai, Sagstrom, Wolfe

Published

6 years ago

Jan 27, 2020

A day of professional golf, that began with the promise of exciting finishes and worthy champions, joined the rest of the sporting world in its conclusion of mourning the loss of life. Kobe Bryant was never associated with golf, but the loss of life impacted the world of athletics as accidents always do. It compelled golf’s aficionados to recall lives and careers in our sport, cut short by tragedy, and reminded us of the promise of a new day, hopefully surrounded by those we love. With that in mind, please keep the Bryant and Altobelli families in your hearts and meditations, and join us in this week’s Tour Rundown.

Herbert and Bezuidenhout in climactic series of errors at Dubai

Both Lucas Herbert and Christian Bezuidenhout went to sleep on Sunday, knowing that they had tossed away a chance to win a golf tournament on the European Tour. One of them was fortunate enough to regroup and claim the title, but the knowledge that even the best professional golfers botch shots under pressure buoys the amateur in the constant pursuit of improvement. Bezuidenhout came to the unfortunately-ponded 18th hole at the Emirates Golf Club, thinking he needed birdie when par would have won the event in regulation. There will always be camps divided on knowing where you stand versus not knowing; in this case, a little knowledge would have gone a long way. CB got too cute with his approach, spun it back into the drink, and made bogey. In their two-hole playoff, Herbert stood uncomfortably over a 3-metal approach, after Bezuidenhout had laid up on the par-five closer, and chunk-blocked it into the water. It was the worst shot anyone has seen, under pressure, in a long time. Herbert narrated the strike himself, in similar fashion. And yet, the Aussie regrouped, stuffing his 4th to within 18 inches, to save par. Recalling his swimmer in regulation, Bezuidenhout was cautiously beyond the hole, and took two putts for par, and the pair moved on. Perhaps to speed play, a drop zone at 18 aided Herbert in his recovery. Instead of dropping in thick rough, he was given a perfect fairway lie for his 4th, and was able to spin it to a stop. On the second playoff hole, the long-striking LH reached the putting surface in two, and made birdie with two jabs of the flat stick. The South African Bezuidenhout was unable to match, and the tournament was Herbert’s first career title on the European Tour.

Leishman holds off quick-recovering Rahm for 5th PGA Tour title

On Sunday, Marc Leishman ran away with a tournament that Jon Rahm gave away, until Rahm re-entered the fray, forcing Leishman to close the deal. Rahm began the day with a 1-shot lead on Ryan Palmer. With the Texan headed south and east on day four, toward a closing 77 and a T21 finish, the tournament belonged to the Spaniard … until Rahm played the first 5 holes in 4 over par. Over the same few hours, Leishman opened with 5 birdies on the outward half, making up 9 shots and seizing the lead. Various other players (Brandt Snedeker, Rory McIlroy, Tom Hoge) dallied along the leader board, but this day’s story was about two golfers. As quickly as he disappeared, Rahm reappeared on the inward half. He closed with 4 birdies and 1 eagle over the closing, 6-hole stretch. Only a bogey at the 15th kept him from reaching 15 below par. Leishman added 2 more birdies after turning for home, but bogey at the penultimate trace brought him back to Rahm’s -14. In the manner of champions, the Aussie took aim at the hole and dropped his third within a yard, making an eighth birdie on the round, to claim his 5th tour title. Rahm had reached the 18th in 2 mighty strikes, but was unable to drop a long eagle putt to match Leishman’s total.

Sagstrom’s maiden LPGA title comes in Boca

Madelene Sagstrom, another in the line of tremendous Swedish golfers on the LPGA, claimed her first tour title with all the world’s pressure on her shoulders. After bolting from the pack to seize the 36-hole lead, Sagstrom fought past emotions and a collection of challengers, to win by a most slender margin. Sagstrom’s 2nd-round 62 was as stunning as it was unexpected. 9 birdies in the first 12 holes began the whispers of 59. 2 more birdies brought her close, but a bogey at 17 ended her chances. Still in complete control as Saturday closed, the 2017 Solheim Cup competitor posted 67 to establish a 2-shot lead over last week’s runner-up, Nasa Hataoka of Japan. Over Sunday’s opening 9 holes, the 2 golfers reversed course, with Hataoka taking the offensive, on the strength of an outward 33. Sagstrom was +2 through 7, before a birdie at the 8th restored her confidence. On the homeward half, it was Sagstrom who strengthened, with an inward 33. Hataoka could only manage 36, including bogey at the last with everything on the line.

It was the closing pair of holes that determined the champion. Sagstrom took on a 17-green hole location that, for all the world, appeared to be floating in a pond. She stuffed an iron to 3 feet and converted the birdie to tie the lead. At the 18th, the Swede had a 6-feet putt for par, and placed it center-cut, with authority. In total contrast, Hataoka decelerated badly on her 3-feet par putt, missed low, and finished runner-up for a 2nd time in 8 days.

Wolfe claims victory at 2nd Korn Ferry event of 2020

While Matthew Wolfe stokes the embers of PGA Tour fans, Jared Wolfe will happily repeat the success that saw him to victory at the Great Abaco Classic in Nassau. In the second of two Sunday-Wednesday events to open the 2020 season on the KFT, Wolfe earned victory as the only golfer to complete four rounds in the 60s. Wolfe didn’t run away with things, but he avoided disaster on day four, on his way to a closing 69. In contrast, his closest pursuer (Brandon Harkins, -14, 2nd place) had double bogeys at the 1st and 16th holes. Harkins also had 4 birdies, 1 eagle, and 2 bogeys on the day. Wolfe saved his best for last, closing with birdies on 3 of 4 concluding holes. The victory was Wolfe’s 1st on the Korn Ferry Tour, on the heels of 3 PGA Tour Latinoamerica wins. The tour moves to Panama this week, to open February in Central America.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

11 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