News

5 things we learned Friday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic

Published

6 years ago

Jul 4, 2020

One day away from the 4th of July, the Rocket Mortgage Classic bid farewell to 80 golfers as the 36-hole cut was made. Coming down the round’s home stretch, the important action didn’t take place at the top of the leader board. The cut fluctuated between -4 and -5 for a long time. At 5:56 EST, 16 golfers were tied for 55th spot at -5, while another 15 sat on -4, in a tie for 71st position. At that juncture, the majority of minus-fives had signed scorecards; it wasn’t a question of movement out, but of movement in. -4 wasn’t getting in, which meant that defending champion Nate Lashley was down the road. Joining him were stalwarts like Jason Day, Vijay Singh, Bubba Watson, and Patrick Reed. In the end, it was 71 golfers who moved on to the weekend. There’s more! Join us now for five things we learned on Friday at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

5. Doc Redman finally played … poorly?

Kinda like the Madden jinx, or the Sports Illustrated Cover jinx, I mighta put the voodoo on Doc Redman. Prior to July 3rd, old Doc had never shot higher than 68 at the Detroit Golf Club. Even though it was just five rounds (last year and Thursday) it was a laudable streak. On day two, Redman had four bogies on his card. That’s an inconceivable number, given his previous play over 90 holes. The former Clemson golfer played off the 10th tee to start the day, and had a pair of birdies in his first four holes. He missed the 16th green and made bogey, then three-whacked the 18th green to return to even on the day. His second nine wasn’t much better. Four birdies got him to four-under, but bogies at one and nine brought him back to minus-two on the day. At the first, his second consecutive three-putt from 50 feet had to grind his gears. At the ninth, a yipped five-feet putt for par ended a day to be forgotten. Despite the struggle, Redman sits at nine-under par, just three behind the leaders.

4. The leaders: Simpson and Kirk

They have this in common: each has won since the quarantine restart. Webb Simpson won at Harbor Town in June, a day after Kirk won on the Korn Ferry Tour in Florida. Each posted eight birdies on day two, but a final-hole bogey dropped Kirk out of the solo lead. Kirk has played decently from tee to green, but has saved his daily bacon with his flat stick. In contrast, Simpson has been hoganesque with the full swing, but has struggled rolling the ball. Seem like decent guys, but they won’t win. Sorry, lads.

3. The 6-pack in third

The knock on the RMC this year is strength of field. Seems a fair number of golfers who played the first three weeks of post-quarantine golf, decided to take Detroit off. Can’t imagine that they were tired. Four weeks in a row is commonplace on tour. Won’t try to determine their motives, but shame on them and bully to those who arrived at Detroit Golf Club, ready to compete. The 6-pack in a third-place tie is a mixed bag. On the first shelf, you have proven tour winners Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Wolff, and Ryan Armour. Next come Seamus Power, Mark Hubbard, and Richy Werenski. Those fellows won in college and the amateur game, as well as minor tour victories. The top-shelf titles have eluded them thus far. Of the six, only one is an olympian (Power), so we’re going to go all in on him a bit later. Would it surprise if the winner emerges from this half-dozen? Not in the slightest.

2. Kisner

Like Bono, or Cher. Maybe not. Kevin Kisner, of the trio of first-round leaders, played the best golf on Friday. Palmetto Man had five birdies on the day, and also holed from 160 yards on the sixth for eagle. He somehow found four abandoned bogies and scooped them up, taking them home to the scoring tent, Lord knows why. Kisner’s appearance on the 2017 USA Presidents Cup side was thought to be his first of a string of international caps. It turned out to be his only one. The game he exhibited from 2016 to 2018 was world-class. Since then, he has fallen off. Perhaps he begins a comeback of sorts this week.

1. Predictions are in

Power to the people: Seamus Power claims his first tour title, in a playoff. Kevin Kisner loses in extra holes.

The old switcheroo: In an odd twist of fate, Kirk putts poorly and Simpson putts well…to save pars. Neither breaks 70 on Saturday and both fall toward 10th spot, heading into Sunday.

Guy we’re most enthused about: Matthew Wolff. Anyone need to know why? Good.

Guy we’re least enthused about: #BigBangTheory aka Bryson aka thebadone23. Guy is always in the mix, hitting inconceivable drives, yet finding ways to give shots back. Starting to get old, B.

Could come from middle of pack and win: HV3. Fresh off hosting an AJGA tournament, the golf gods give his due to Harold Varner, last in the line of Harold Varners.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

1 hour 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

2 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