News

Morning 9: U.S. Open breaks out at Olympia Fields | Tour statement on “outrage at injustice” | Will teaching Charlie Woods help Tiger?

Published

6 years ago

Aug 28, 2020

1. BMW

AP report…”One of the toughest tests of the year made it clear that par would be a great score at Olympia Fields. Leave it to Hideki Matsuyama to make a 65-foot birdie putt on his final hole Thursday to lead the BMW Championship.”

“Matsuyama, the Japanese player who has gone three years since his last victory, birdied two of his last three holes for a 3-under 67, one of only three rounds under par on a course that was long, tough, firm, fast and nothing like the last two weeks.”

“Tyler Duncan, just outside the top 30 as he tries to earn his first trip to the TOUR Championship, made an 8-foot par putt on his last hole for a 68. Mackenzie Hughes, one of only four players who reached 3 under at any point in his round, was another shot behind.”

Full piece.

2. Justin Walters on top at UK Championship

Via the Golf Channel Digital team…“Justin Walters beat the rain and the rest of the field on Day 1 of the ISPS Handa UK Championship.”

“The 39-year-old South African shot 8-under 64 at The Belfry, before Mother Nature intervened and play was suspended because of heavy rain and flooding.”

“Walters holds the clubhouse lead by three shots. Bernd Wiesberger shot 67 and is part of a four-pack who finished at 5 under.”

Full piece.

3. Tiger stumbles late to 73

Steve DiMeglio for Golfweek…”A hard day’s night finally came to a dreadful end for Tiger Woods in Thursday’s first round of the BMW Championship at rugged Olympia Fields Country Club.”

“After grinding his way around an unforgivable course and under a pelting sun that was dishing up temperatures in the 90s, Woods was inside the top 10 when he reached his final three holes.”

“But Woods, who started on the 10th, finished with three consecutive bogeys and put his signature to a disappointing 3-over-par 73 and looked whipped as he headed into the clubhouse to recover.”

Full piece.

4. Tour’s statement on social justice

Straight from the TOUR….”The MLB, MLS, NBA, WNBA and WTA protests are player-led, peaceful, powerful ways to use their respective platforms to bring about the urgent need for change in our country. There have been a number of efforts in the past to send a message that the current climate is unacceptable, and these teams, leagues and players now taking this step will help draw further attention to the issues that really matter. The PGA TOUR supports them – and any of our own members – standing up for issues they believe in.

“The PGA TOUR made a pledge over the summer to be part of the solution, and we have been actively working to make deeper and more specific commitments to racial equity and inclusion in the communities where we play, as well as supporting national organizations within this movement that we had not previously engaged with. However, we understand that now is not the appropriate time to highlight our programs and policies, but rather to express our outrage at the injustice that remains prevalent in our country.”

“Sports have always had the power to inspire and unify, and we remain hopeful that together, we will achieve change.”

Full piece.

5. “Players on board”

Golf Channel’s Will Gray...”Less than 100 miles from Kenosha, Wisc., there were no protests at the opening round of the BMW Championship. No players boycotted the competition, as happened in other professional team sports in recent days. But that doesn’t mean the shooting of Jacob Blake and the subsequent firestorm of racial tensions it ignited were absent from the minds of players at Olympia Fields Country Club.”

…”I talked to the commissioner, and they were on board,” Woods said. “Obviously he released a statement, and all the guys were on board. Obviously there was talk about it because of obviously what happened, but we’re all on board, on the same page.”

“Given the ripple effects felt in other sports and leagues, Tony Finau said he wouldn’t have been surprised if a player opted to withdraw as a sign of support. But he opted to play, opening with an even-par 70, and shared his hope that furthering the overall discussion will lead to progress.”

Full piece.

6. Cameron Champ dons black, white shoes again

Golf Channel’s Will Gray…“With racial tensions again on the rise after a police-involved shooting in Wisconsin, Cameron Champ has opted to make a statement with his footwear at this week’s BMW Championship.”

“Champ, who is biracial, will wear one black shoe and one white shoe at the PGA Tour’s penultimate event of the season. It’s a symbolic gesture that Champ has made in the past, including at last year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open to celebrate Black History Month. This time it’s in response to the Aug. 23 shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisc., less than 100 miles from Olympia Fields Country Club, which has prompted days of protests and led to boycotted games in the NBA, MLB, MLS and WNBA on Wednesday.”

“Champ has written Blake’s name along with the letters “BLM” for Black Lives Matter on the white shoe he’ll wear on his right foot.”

“It’s just spreading awareness and sticking by what I believe in and what I believe needs to be changed,” Champ said. “I’ve seen a lot of other athletes speak out about it. It’s a situation where people don’t want to talk about it, which I get, but at the same time it’s reality. It’s what we live in. People ignore it for so long, and then it gets to a point where it just blows up…”

Full piece.

7. “Home run derby vs. hit-and-run”

Perspective from Andy Johnson at the Fried Egg on the pleasure of watching the women’s game…“Since its return from the Covid-19 shutdown, women’s professional golf has had a tremendous run. We’ve seen great players take on great courses-including Inverness Club, Renaissance Club, and Royal Troon-and plenty of dramatic finishes to boot.”

“Generally, over the past few years, I’ve found myself tuning into the women’s game more and more. This is partly due to its increased coverage on TV and partly due to certain trends on the men’s circuit. Unlike on the PGA Tour, golf on the LPGA Tour (as well as on the other worldwide women’s tours) has retained its balance. Players of all types have shot at any tournament. Shorter hitters can compete with longer hitters.”

“Of course, distance is a definite factor in the women’s game. Anne van Dam murders the ball. Maria Fassi is averaging 292 yards off the tee this season, the same as Matt Every and 11 yards farther than Brendon Todd. Still, on the women’s tours, power hasn’t overrun the game. It’s what it should be: an advantage but not a requirement, a skill that helps players win but does not enable them to cancel out other skills, such as mid- and long iron play. “

“Even more critically, the game that the best female golfers play still matches the size of the best tournament golf courses. Again, don’t get me wrong: the top women hit it very long and straight. But the average driving distance on today’s LPGA Tour is similar to what it was on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s. This means that courses in the 6,500- to 7,000-yard range can hold up their end of the bargain at elite women’s events and challenge every facet of a player’s game”

Full piece.

8. Will teaching Charlie Woods make Tiger a better golfer?

Michael Bamberger remembers a remark from the great Jackie Burke…“I went to see Burke in 2004, when he was one of Hal Sutton’s deputies on the Ryder Cup team. I sat with Burke in his office at Champions and he casually said something about Tiger that I had never heard anybody else say. He said that Tiger’s biggest golf issue, one that was bound to haunt him eventually, was that he did not teach the game. He gave no lessons.”

“I wish I could tell you Burke’s precise words but this is the guts of it: Tiger would never really understand his own golf swing until he started teaching the golf swing to others. It was Burke’s believe that if things go wrong, and you really know your own swing, you can be your own fix-it man, intra-round and between tournaments. But if you don’t, you can’t.”

Full piece.

9. How much will Phil Mickelson actually play on the senior circuit?

Dave Shedloski on Phil Mickelson as a PGA Tour Champions golfer...”After missing the cut Friday at The Northern Trust, the PGA Tour’s opening playoff event, Mickelson, who turned 50 in June, promptly opted for a detour to Ridgedale, Mo., with the expressed purpose of working on some shots in a competitive atmosphere and “building a little momentum.” Reuniting with old friends was fine and all, and Mickelson spoke repeatedly of enjoying the experience, which included the enjoyable addition of $450,000 to his bank account. But the U.S. Open at Winged Foot is three weeks away and the Masters is in November, and the old left-hander wasn’t warming up in the bullpen this week just to go out and win the Charles Schwab Cup.”

“I had a lot of fun here, I really did,” Mickelson said. “I’m hopeful to play in some more, too, but I also want to use this as a way to get sharp for the regular tour and for the majors.”

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

2 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

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