News
Tour Rundown: 3M Open to the young, Paratore nearly perfect, Wu wobbles and McGreevy wins
The European Tour began a six-week UK swing, at the Close House Golf Club. The PGA Tour rolled up on Minnesota, while the Korn Ferry Tour sashayed into Missouri. With the LPGA and Champions tours on the cusp of their own restarts next week, professional golf has made a cautious return to competition. Youth made a statement at two of our three events this week, while a heartwarming win for the grinders happened on the big circuit. Have a glance at this week’s Tour Rundown, the last one for July of 2020.
3M Open goes from the young to the older as Thompson succeeds Wolff as titleholder
A long time ago, Michael Thompson played golf at Tulane University, transferred to Alabama when Hurricane Katrina forced the closure of Tulane’s program, reached the number-one ranking in amateur golf, and was low amateur when Tiger Woods last won the U.S. Open. Since then, he has lived the life of a journeyman professional golfer. His first win came in 2013, at the Honda Classic—although he nearly won the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic. On Sunday, Thompson held off a slew of late chargers to capture win number two, at the ripe young age of 35.
Thompson and Richy Werenski walked in lock step all week. Never separated by more than a stroke over the first 54 holes, they held the third-round lead at 15-under par. On Sunday, each struggled for part of the front nine. Thompson was able to rebound from his third-hole bogey with two birdies closer to the turn. Werenski had the opposite result. He bounced back from his bogey at the third with a birdie at seven, but gave the stroke back immediately with bogeys at eight and nine. Werenski would play the inward half in minus three, and finish in a tie for third with eight other golfers.
The 2019 edition of the 3M Open was abuzz with Matthew Wolff’s out-of-nowhere win for the young’uns. Thompson contrasted perfectly with the young Californian. He had been on tours for well over a decade, with a modicum of success. Like Wolff, Thompson’s run at the title came out of the blue, and like Wolff, he was able to hold on down the stretch, as golfers made a run at the top. Charles Howell, Emiliano Grillo, and Robby Shelton each posted a Sunday round of 65 or lower but were only able to climb as high as the aforementioned third-place clump. Adam Long gave the best chase. He closed with 64, the second-lowest round of day four, to move to 17 under par. Playing six groups behind Thompson, Long had no margin for error. He amassed eight birdies on the day, but his lone miscue came late, at the 17th.
Long played his tee shot at the par 3 to the front of the green, where a back hole location was his goal. His birdie attempt raced 12 feet past, and he was unable to convert the par effort. In truth, he had to believe at that moment that he needed to make every putt, to have a chance at the title. The runner-up finish was his second of 2020. Thompson played error-free golf from the fourth hole on. He added birdies at 10, 16 and 18, and finished on 19-under par, after a Sunday 67. The victory gained him an exemption into the PGA Championship, in what will be his first major start since 2013.
Paratore nearly perfect in British Masters triumph
Renato Paratore earned a second European Tour victory this weekend at the Close House Golf Club, near Newcastle. The 23-year old Italian golfer featured for 62 holes before making his first bogey at the English course. So as not to let it be lonely, he made another two holes later, at the 11th. That was it, as the Rome native completed a three-shot victory over Rasmus Højgaard by playing one-under golf over the closing seven holes.
Paratore began the week a shot behind David Law, turning in an opening 65 over the Scott Macpherson layout. His Friday 66 brought him to the top, and there he was to remain through the trophy ceremony. Over the undulating layout, Paratore exhibited no weaknesses as he reached a total of minus-18 after round four. Even the runner-up, Højgaard, lost ground on Sunday to the man from the seven hills. Paratore was best in show for greens in regulation and, once on the shortest grass, made no mistakes.
British Masters 2020 was a masterful performance from a golfer who follows a lineage laid down by Costantino Rocca, and continued by the Molinari brothers. Without doubt, Paratore will be cast as the next can’t-miss prospect. If he can avoid such buffoonery, his career should be long and bear greater fruit.
A winner from back in the pack at the Price Cutter as Wu wobbles
Brandon Wu stockpiled 17 birdies and one eagle over three rounds at the Price Cutter Charity Championship. On Sunday, the magic left the wand and the former Stanford golfer faded away, to a 9th-place tie. His departure left the title chase wide open, and the run to the top was a busy one. Playing alongside Wu, José de Jesús Rodríguez sought his first Korn Ferry tour win since 2018, and he nearly played well enough to earn it. After a bogey at the par-five opener, where he slashed around the deep rough for a bit, Rodríguez stalked six birdies on the day. He finished at minus-five on Sunday, good for a total of 20-under par but, alas, runner-up in the event.
Runner-up to whom? Max McGreevy, of course, and why not? McGreevy played his college golf at Oklahoma, and earned a third-place tie earlier this year at the KF Tour’s Panama Championship. On Sunday in Springfield, Missouri, McGreevy roasted the Highland Springs country club course for six birdies and one eagle. He started six groups behind the leaders, but found his groove early and never stepped off the accelerator. McGreevy never looked as if bogey was in the picture; he hit 12 of 14 driving fairways, and 17 of 18 greens in round four. His closing 64 was the third-low round of the day, topped only by a 62 and a 63. The win was McGreevy’s first-ever in a four-round tournament.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship
GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.
While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.
Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Michael Block – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Patrick Reed – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cam Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Josh Speight – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Takumi Kanaya – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kyle Mendoza – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Adrian Meronk – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jordan Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jeremy Wells – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jared Jones – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Somers – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Larkin Gross – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tracy Phillips – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jon Rahm – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Keita Nakajima – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kazuma Kobori – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- David Puig – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Ryan Van Velzen – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brad Marek – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rich Beem WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Phil Mickelson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Matt Dobyns – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Lucas Herbert – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jason Dufner – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Daly – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Taylor Gooch – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dean Burmester – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dustin Johnson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
Pullout Albums
- Ping putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Bettinardi covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cameron putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Max Homa – Titleist 2 wood – 2024 PGA Championship
- Scotty Cameron experimental putter shaft by UST – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – new Ping putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s new Cameron putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s Cobra bag and Aerojet driver – 2024 PGA Championship
- Super Stroke grip – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tiger Woods – 2024 PGA Championship
- Michael Block’s new TaylorMade “Proto” 7-iron, from address – 2024 PGA Championship
- Odyssey putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
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News
Morning 9: Is it Rory’s time? | Stricker WDs | Why Valhalla is a great major venue
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News
Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls
This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)
This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.
LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms
There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.
This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.
Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.
Take a look back at hole No. 1… @rosezhang is living life on the edge ? pic.twitter.com/o6z6SK7TRA
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte
Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.
Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.
HOLE-OUT EAGLE FOR RORY!!!
He now leads by SIX! pic.twitter.com/UE49lwfwNC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week
It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.
The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.
Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.
Leader by SIX!
@ChrisGotterup | @MyrtleBeachC pic.twitter.com/TVdA6ZPYc4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie
Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.
In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again. Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.
Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.
At the @RegionsTrad, all champions receive a green bike.
Doug Barron decided to take a victory lap ? pic.twitter.com/bEzENMjZwv
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 13, 2024
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