News
Tour Rundown: WGC to new world No. 1, Werenski, Kang, and more
Six tournaments in one week! We can all be forgiven for thinking (for just a moment) that things are as they were. The world’s golf tours have taken an uber-conservative route to the restart, and the extreme effort has allowed competition to continue. From England to Ohio, from Tennessee to Michigan, from Nebraska to California, golf was played, champions lifted trophies, and most of the competitors walked away thinking what if and if only. That’s our game, and here’s the rundown of this week’s six-pack. Check out these abs!
World Golf Championship #2 to Thomas
Justin Thomas did that thing over the closing holes at Memphis that great champions do: he broke away. World Golf Championships have the perquisites that make contenders sweat. Daniel Berger, Tom Lewis, even the four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, sweated away a chance at victory on Sunday at TPC-Crosswinds. Not Thomas. His three-stroke victory was his second in a WGC event, following a 2018 triumph at the Bridgestone at Firestone. The victory was Thomas’ second of the campaign, his first since the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Brendon Todd was the 3rd-round leader, with visions of a third title in the wraparound season in his view. Five bogies and zero birdies on Sunday dashed his hopes. Tom Lewis, an unheralded Englishman, threw his hat in the ring when he reached 11-under par at the 15th. A missed wee putt for birdie on 16 was his undoing but, just in case, he proceeded to three-putt the 17th to drop another shot. He ultimately ended in a tie for 2nd with three others. Next came Berger, who also reached -11, but needed one more over the closing two holes. Berger made bogey at the watery 18th, and glance at victory went elsewhere. He tied for 2nd, as well.
Finally, it was mighty Koepka, who stood on the 16th tee with the lead. He bombed driver right…into the trees. Five shots later, he had an unthinkable bogey on an easy par five hole. He responded with grit, making birdie at the par-four 17th. Needing one more shot, the Florida man bit too much water off his tee ball, and splashed away his hopes. Guess what? Yep, tie for 2nd, along with the ageless Phil Mickelson.
As for Thomas, birdies at 16 and 17 not only brought him tour victory number 13, but also stamped him as one of the favorites for the upcoming PGA Championship, in San Francisco. The 2017 winner of the event would doubtless love another major title, and TPC Harding Park should fit his game well.
Barracuda title to…not Merritt?
Moved away in 2020 from the uber-dramatic Montreux course, to the oxymoronic Old Greenwood course in high California, the Barracuda Championship listened in as a miced-up Troy Merritt made an attempt to become the first to win a PGA Tour event while on full audio. Chasing him down was Austria’s Matthias Schwab, who reached 38 points on the week, helped immensely by a 14 points in the final round. Oh, didn’t we mention that Barracuda week means modified Stableford? Here’s a primer:
Par equals zero points. Birdie gets you two points. Eagle counts for five, and a double eagle/albatross is worth a whopping eight points. Going the other way, bogey is minus one point, and anything worse deducts three points from your tally. For one week all season, the higher the reckoning, the better. Got it? Gooood.
Back to the action. Aaron Wise came in early with 19 points on Sunday. He moved inside the top ten, thanks to that effort. More importantly, he let the field know that a high score was on the course, waiting for the taking. Remember Schwab from before? He stood at 38, until he made bogey at the last, dropping into a tie at 37 points with Argentina’s Fabián Gómez. It was left to Miced-Up Merritt to close the door on a third tour win.
Richy Werenski had other ideas. While Merritt made 10 pars to close his round at 38 points, the former Georgia Tech golfer blazed through the back nine. Birdies at 12 and 14 were followed by a preposterous pitch at 15, that barely cleared a bunker, then rolled into the hole for an eagle 2 and five points. With victory in his sight, Werenski buried a 12-feet putt at the last for one more birdie, jumping to 39 points, to claim his first PGA Tour title.
Just my opinion, but why would you move a tournament predicated on low scoring, to a course where the final four holes averaged over par (that means negative point values)? Double Eagle was always in the mix, at the 18th at Montreux. Werenski was the exception to the norm in 2020. Here’s hoping that it’s one and done for this course. #MoreMontreux
DriveOn signals LPGA’s return and a win for Kang
Speaking of geography lessons, is there ever a better one than the LPGA? The flags of the top six finishers this week were USA, France, Australia, Japan, England and Scotland. Three of those flags began the day in a tie for the lead at five deep, but just one was able to add two more strokes and finish atop the pyramid at seven under par. Here name? Danielle Kang, and what better place to earn tour victory number four, than the recently-restored Inverness Club, site of previous major championships.
Kang, Celine Boutier of France, and Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England fashioned a strong final group on Sunday. After 10 holes, Kang stood three-under on the day, and held that advantage over Shadoff, and a four-shot margin against Boutier. Then, things got complicated. The Englishwoman went away in a stunning, three-hole stretch. Bogies at 13 and 14, followed by a double at 15, dropped her to solo fifth and frustration. Next came Boutier, who made birdies at 11, 12, and 14, just as Kang stumbled with bogey at 13. Just like that, Boutier and Kang were tied once more.
And just like that, part two: Boutier dropped a shot at 15. Kang once more had the lead. Pars all around over the closing triumvirate of holes meant that Boutier would have to wait longer for her first stateside victory. As for Kang, the title was her first since October, and perhaps, a portent of things to come as the season begins to heat up. Australia’s Min Jee Lee closed with 70, and moved from sixth spot to third. Japan’s Yui Kawamoto finished fourth alone.
It almost got away but didn’t is Horsfield’s song at European Tour’s Hero Open
You can’t really say that Sam Horsfield looked like the winner this week, but neither can you say that he didn’t. Horsfield was always in the mix, after opening 68-63 to own the halfway lead. Each of those rounds was punctuated by an eagle, and he certainly appeared comfortable on the Forest of Arden course. Next came the doubts of Saturday, when the Englishman made three bogies and a double on his inward half, to give nearly all of his sizable lead away. What could Sunday possibly bring? That’s when the interest level rose.
Horsfield came out as a man on a mission, with five birdies against one bogey, over the first ten holes. The closing eight were a holding pattern, as he added one more of each, to finish on 68 for the day, and 19-under on the week. Playing partner Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark could not keep pace, and dropped to a tie for sixth. The man on even more of a mission than Horsfield, was Belgium’s Thomas Detry. The 27-year old piled 9 birdies onto his card on day four, yet came up one shot shy of the top. Detry’s problem was not the material in the book, but the cover. He bogeyed 1 and he bogeyed 18. While the former served to ignite his desire, the later doused the flame of victory, and kept him from earning European Tour victory the first.
Oh what might have been is theme for PBC on Korn Ferry Tour
If it’s Sunday on the Korn Ferry Tour, Taylor Pendrith is lurking, somewhere. For the fourth time this season, the Ontario native cavorted with victory, only to come up shy of the final dance. Pendrith has four top-three finishes on the season, and currently sits in second spot on the tour money list. He won’t receive a promotion to the PGA Tour in the fall, but he certainly gained enough of a taste for victory to eventually break through this year.
If not Pendrith, then who? Answer: Seth Reeves. The Georgia Tech alum went haywire on Sunday, signing for 64 and winning in the most unlikely manner. How unlikely? Consider that Reeves stood at 74 on Thursday evening, and had dreams of … simply making the cut. He did that on Friday, with 67, then came back on Saturday with 66, to move inside the top 30. Certainly a decent week, but not the stuff of dreams. After opening par-par-bogey, Reeves could be forgiven for considering an early flight to the next destination. At that unlikely moment, destiny intervened. Birdies at four, six and seven aroused his interest, and another pair at 10 and 11 served to caffeinate his day. Third-round leader Ryan Ruffels was struggling, and no one had risen up to seize control.
What did Reeves do next? How does eagle at 15, followed by birdie at 18 sound? Finishing on -11, Reeves had to wait and see if his tally would be matched or exceeded. Five golfers came to the last with a chance to tie him. Pendrith made par. The aforementioned Ruffels, wobbling from bogies at 16 and 17, made par. Australia’s Nick Voke and China’s Carl Yuan also made par, as did Tyson Alexander. And just like that, Seth Reeves had his first Korn Ferry tour title, and a load of confidence nearly equal to Pendrith.
The Ally Challenge sees a winning debut on the Champions Tour
Many thought that Ernie Els would be the fellow to debut with victory on the 2020 Champions Tour. The Big Easy came close, but it was Jim Furyk, in August of this year, who achieved the rare distinction. The 2003 US Open titleist went toe to toe with Retief Goosen and Brett Quigley, and came out on top. Quigley held the overnight lead at 11-under par, thanks to a wondrous, Saturday 64. Furyk nipped at his heels, while Goosen lurked in the gloaming. On Sunday, the Goose sizzled with seven birdies and an opening eagle, to insert himself fully into the conversation. Unfortunately for the South African, bogey waited at the 4th, 10th and, crushingly, at the 18th, and he would settle for a second-place tie with Quigley, at minus-twelve.
It was Quigley who suffered the greatest heartbreak of the day. Tied with Furyk through 52 holes, coming off a birdie at 16, the Rhode Islander lost shots at each of his final holes. Coupled with additional bogeyed at 10 and 12, the inward half was a plus-two affair for Quigley, precisely the number of strokes he needed to forge a tie with Furyk.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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News
Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board
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News
Tour Rundown: Six-pack of tourneys follows Masters
Brazil and Texas were kindred souls this week, at least when it came to weather. Both regions experienced torrential delays, and three tournaments were held up. The LPGA, PGA Tour Americas, and PGA Tour Champions were compelled to reduce play or work extra holes into Sunday. As if that weren’t enough, South Carolina and the PGA Tour fell victim to nature’s wrath, with lightning postponing the conclusion of the event to Monday.
The year’s first women’s major championship was celebrated in Texas. The Chevron is gaining a bit of tradition in its second year after relocation. This year’s event culminated in the continued coronation of the game’s current best. The Korn Ferry Tour saw a top-twenty performance from a 15-year old amateur, while the second event of the week on the big tour found a winner in the Dominican Republic. Six events is more than a handful, so let’s get right to it, with this week’s (delayed) Tour Rundown.
LPGA @ Chevron Championship: Korda corrals second major title
The winter of 2022-2023 seems so distant for current Nelly Korda. A mysterious ailment sapped all of her energy, just as the world appeared to have finally emerged from the pandemic. We never quite secured the complete information that we desired, but no one can say that any of us deserved to know more than Nelly wished to share. One thing is for certain: Nelly Korda has returned to top form, and the world number one golfer is at least one level above anyone else on tour.
Korda began her 2024 campaign with a January victory in the Drive One Championship. In her next start, in March, she continued her assault on the record books, with a win at the Se Ri Pak. She won again the following week, at the Ford, then defeated Leona Maguire in the final match at the T-Mobile Match Play, for a fourth consecutive victory. Would the increased hype around a major championship have an impact on her game? Well, no.
Korda began play at the Chevron Championship with a score of 68. She trailed Lauren Coughlin by two after 18 holes, but caught her with a second-round 69. Coughlin would ultimately tie for third spot with Brooke Henderson. Henderson played with Korda on day four, but the middle third of the round was her undoing. Making a late move was Maja Stark. House Stark closed with birdies at 17 and 18 to reach 11 under par. Both Korda and Strak played the final three days in identical numbers: 69 each day.
Korda held a firm hand on the tournament over the course of the final day. She stood minus-four for the round through ten holes, before a bit of sloppy play made things competitive again. Bogeys at 11 and 15 opened the door a wee bit for Stark. Korda was equal to the test, however, and closed stylishly with birdie at 18.
Safely around the green on the 72nd hole
Watch @NellyKorda‘s historic finish now on NBC! pic.twitter.com/1zaAYtbaCz
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour 1 @ RBC: Scottie, so hottie!
Nelly isn’t the only golfer on fire, although Scottie Scheffler still has a ways to go to match her. Scheffler proved this week that he has a game for all courses. After winning comfortably at lengthy Augusta National, Scheffler shifted gears and game to the wee Sea Pines course, and won again. That’s two weeks in a row for the man from New Jersey/Texas, so let’s learn how he did it.
Scheffler totaled 69 on day one, and found himself six shots behind leader J.T. Poston. Scheffler revealed that his teacher, Randy Smith, would tell him that he didn’t need to be the best 15 year-old; just the best 25 year-old. It was easy, then, to play the long game and consider all 72 holes, instead of just 18. Scheffler improved to 65 on Friday, and then went even lower on Saturday. His 63 moved him to the top of the board, and caused the golfverse to wonder if Scheffler would win for a second consecutive week.
Sunday saw all the chasers fall away. Scores between 70 and 72 from Patrick Rodgers, Collin Morikawa, and Sepp Straka meant that others would need to seize the day, if Scheffler were to do more than coast. Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas each moved inside the top five with fourth-round 65s, but no one ever got close enough to the world number one. The win was Scheffler’s 10th on tour, and made him the betting favorite for next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Scottie Scheffler can save par from just about anywhere.
Including the water ?
(Presented by @CDWCorp) pic.twitter.com/RUqL2sBrr9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2024
PGA Tour 2 @ Corales Puntacana: Baton Boy claims 8th Tour triumph
If you’ve ever seen Billy Horschel toss a club, you know that he doesn’t do so in anger. More likely is a calculated, soaring arc, paired with a look of fractured disbelief, followed by a quick catch of the cudgel. Ergo, Baton Boy. This week on the island of Hispaniola, the native of Grant, Florida, outworked and outhustled everyone else on Sunday. Horschel gathered seven birdies and an eagle, on the way to a 63 and a 23-under par total.
The former Florida Gator zipped past the four golfers in front of him, and left the remaining field in the rear-view mirror. Horschel’s round was two shots better than anyone else, and moved him two shots ahead of third-round leader Wesley Bryan. One of the famed Bryan Brothers, Wes closed with birdie at the last to post a 68 that would have won the week on any other day.
Walking it in with a fist pump ?@BillyHo_Golf is 9-under on the day and leads by two @CoralesChamp. pic.twitter.com/N6rjL1GGGA
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 21, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ LeCom Suncoast: It’s Widing in extra holes
Miles Russell probably won’t have to serve detention for ditching class on Thursday and Friday. The high school freshman made his KFT debut, survived the 36-hole cut, and toyed with a top-ten finish. He ultimately tied for 20th at 14-under par, six shots behind the three co-leaders. My guess is that Epstein’s Mom will write him a note, and he’ll get a pass. By finishing top-25, Russell earned a spot in next week’s event. Yikes!
Back to the top of the board. Patrick Cover, Steven Fisk, and Tim Widing all found their way to the magic number of -20. Fisk made birdie at the last, after bogeys at 16 and 17. Cover had three bogeys on the back nine, but a birdie at 14 was enough to get him to overtime. Widing was plus-one on the day through four, but played interstellar golf over the final 14. Six birdies moved him from Russell-ville to extra time.
The trio scurried to the 18th tee, where Cover drove into a fairway bunker. He was unable to reach the green with his approach, made bogey, and exited the overtime session. Widing and Fisk returned to the final deck once more, and matters were resolved. Fisk was unable to convert a long par putt, and Widing (pronounced VEE-ding) tapped in for his first KFT title.
The feeling of relief when you know you won. ???
Tim Widing is now a champion on the #KornFerryTour. pic.twitter.com/K0vgiZ21UG
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Americas @ Brasil Open: Mr. Anderson finds a way
Golf is a funny game. Matthew Anderson held a lead with one round to play. He made six pars on Sunday, and sprinkled the rest of his card with birdies and bogeys. In complete contrast, Ollie Osborne played consistently on the day, posting four birdies and zero bogeys. Connor Godsey was not far off Osborne’s pace, with seven birdies and but two bogeys on the scorecard. So, of course, Matthew Anderson won by a stroke over Osborne and Godsey.
Not how, but how many, is another one of those platitudes that we all learn early on. Despite five bogeys through his first 14 holes, Anderson summoned the defiant grit to make birdie at the 71st and 72nd holes. After making deuce at the penultimat hole, Anderson’s swerving effort at the last looked as if it should miss low, but it had enough pace to stay inside the hole and fall for a closing four at the par-five finisher.
Birdie-birdie finish to secure the ?
Mississauga-native Matthew Anderson is your 69th ECP Brazil Open Champion. pic.twitter.com/ONE8hIUjeS
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Invited Celebrity: Broadhurst stands tall
What do you call a tournament that begins on Friday, takes Saturday off, and finishes on Sunday? Fortunate is one adjective to use. A weather system moved through Texas this weekend, and made a mess of things in Irving. After Thomas Bjorn signed for 64 on day one, rain and all things counter-productive moved through the Las Colinas resort, ensuring that Saturday would be nothing more than a rest day. When Sunday arrived, conditions had improved, and the game was on. Bjorn was unable to preserve his Friday magic, although he did record a 70 for -8. He finished in a third-place tie with Y.E. Yang.
David Toms, the 2001 PGA Championship victor, presented Sunday’s low round, and moved to 10-under par. Toms made one mistake on the day. He lived in the rough on the 9th hole, ultimately making bogey. The rest of the day was immaculate, as seven birdies came his way, resulting in a six-under par 65. Only one golfer was able to surpass Toms, and that was Paul Broadhurst.
Broadhurst nearly matched Toms for daily honors. His mistake came early, with bogey at the second. He bounced back with eagle at the third, and added three more birdies for 66 and 11-under par. Over his first three seasons on the Tour Champions, Broadhurst won five times, including two major titles. His fifth win came in 2018, making this win his first in six years. A long time coming, for sure, but well earned.
Looking at the hole is working for @PBroadhurstGolf ?
He leads by one after a clutch birdie on 15 @InvitedCC. pic.twitter.com/S0rhcVwaeE
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 21, 2024
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WILLIAM J RIEGER
Aug 3, 2020 at 12:05 pm
The Barracuda was moved because the membership at Montreaux (in Reno) chose last year to stop hosting.