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Tour Rundown: Kokrak spoils Spieth’s party, LPGA Match Play winner, Senior PGA surprise

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I’m packing for a nifty, three-day trip as I type. Fear not, you’ll read about it here in the next few weeks. This week features a five-pack of tour events, including the first LPGA match-play battle in, where else, the gambling capital of the USA. The Champions Tour features its second major title, and the PGA, KF, and European tours were also battling for supremacy. Knowing that different events finish up at different Sunday hours is every golf fan’s gift. Time to run down this week’s quintet, in our #GolfWRXTourRundown for Memorial Day weekend.

PGA Tour: Charles Schwab at Colonial

How to explain the inability of a former wunderkind to close out a tournament? Jordan Spieth did win in Texas in April on the PGA Tour. So we wondered: With a third-round lead at Colonial, with rounds of 63-66-66 behind him, what could possibly stop him? He could, turns out. Spieth stumbled out of the gate with bogey at 2, 3, and 4. He would play even-par golf the rest of the way, and that trio of slips would haunt him at round’s end.

Jason Kokrak, a first-time winner on tour last fall at Las Vegas, was the beneficiary of Spieth’s spill. Kokrak did nothing spectacular on Sunday, but he didn’t have to. The Ontario native struggled early as well but found a way to make a few more birdies than his counterpart. In the end, his lead was such that he could afford bogey at the 15th and 16th holes, and still win by two. Third place went to the compass of Hoffman, Kizzire, Poulter, and Muñoz, tied at 10 under, two back of Spieth.

LPGA Tour: Bank of Hope Match Play at Shadow Creek

What do you call the woman who defeats the giant killer? In the run-up to the final match at Shadow Creek, Sophia Popov had defeated Inbee Park, Patty Tavatanakit, and Shanshan Feng. Two long-standing champions and the winner of this year’s first major. That’s not a shabby trifecta for the 2020 British Open champion. Popov was not unheralded by any means, but she was not recognized as the favorite in any of those three matches.

On the other side of the draw, Ally Ewing compiled an even more incalculable sequence of triumphs. In her round of 16 match, she took down equally under-the-radar Jenny Coleman, but that’s where the spotlight turned on. In the quarters, on-fire Danielle Kang succumbed to Ewing’s game. In the semifinals, Ewing dispatched Ariya Jutanugarn, nearly everyone’s choice to triumph. That win set up a final between a medium shot and a way-long shot.

As often happens in match play events, the week’s lesser golf is played in the final match. Blame sheer exhaustion, both mental and physical, as both combatants have played more holes and dealt emotionally and mentally with more scenarios, than any others. In the Sunday afternoon tilt, Ewing was able to scribble four birdies on her card for the 17 holes of the match, against two for Popov. Three holes were won by Ewing, while Popov was able to claim but one. The German-born Popov posted six 5s on her card, including the final three holes, while Ewing had seven of her own. The match ended on the testy, watery 17th, a par three that extracted double bogey from both contestants. Had Popov but made a four, the match would have gone to the dramatic 18th hole.

As it was, the two shook hands on the penultimate green, and Ally Ewing made a bit of history with a victory at this first match-play event since 2012 on the LPGA Tour.

PGA Tour Champions: Senior PGA at Southern Hills

It’s hard to imagine how a fellow who toiled for years on the PGA Tour with a solitary title to his name, could win two Champions Tour titles in the space of a month. Alex Cejka conquered a restored Southern Hills golf club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and won the Senior PGA by four shots over recent tour winner Tim Petrovic. Cejka began the final round in a tie with Steve Stricker, the man he dispatched in a playoff at the Regions Tradition three weeks ago.

This time around, Stricker imploded, tumbling to 11th place after a final-round 77. Stricker played marvelously last week at Kiawah Island, and repeated the performance through 54 holes in Tulsa. Round four was when the engine ran out of gas, and the 2022 USA Ryder Cup captain had nothing left to generate energy.

Beyond Cejka, the story of the week was PGA professional Bob Sowards. The Ohio native works as a club professional and has qualified for the PGA Championship 10 times, most recently in 2020. This week, he stunned the touring brethren by opening with 67 for the lead. He also closed with that figure. In between, Sowards etched 75-70 on his scorecard, and the resulting 1 under total tied him with John Riegger for fifth position.

European Tour: Made in Himmerland at Himmerland

It was back around 2019 that Bernd Wiesberger established himself as a threat each week he pegged his tee. Three victories on the European Tour that year made him rue the missed Ryder Cup opportunity. Then, 2020 happened and the Austrian went a year without a title (and nearly a year without competition). 2021 sees him rounding into form, and he will give European captain Padraig Harrington much to consider after his performance this week in Denmark.

Wiesberger was the it guy all week long at the Himmerland golf club. The Tyrolean seized the round-one lead with 66, improved on Friday with 65, and held the top rung for the next 36 holes. Although Italy’s Guido Migliozzi closed fast with 63 on day four, Wiesberger gave him little room for improvement with a 64 of his own. With his eight-under effort, the Venetian edged the trio of Jordan Smith, Richard Bland, and Jason Scrivener by one for second position.

Korn Ferry Tour: Evans Scholars Invitational at The Glen Club

I’ve known Cameron Young since he was a high school golfer at Fordham Prep. My Buffalo-area guys would meet his downstate mates at the state championships each spring. When he went off to Wake Forest, my alma mater, it gave me even more reason to maintain interest. It’s ironic, then, that I had no idea that he won his first Korn Ferry Tour event last week, so fixated I was with the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

Young caught our attention again this week with a second consecutive triumph, this time in Illinois. The son of Sleepy Hollow professional David Young started round four lit with birdie at each of the first three holes. Whether it was malaise, or uncertainty, or something else, the former Demon Deacon settled into a mundane stretch of holes, and saw his lead reduced to two strokes. As champions do, Young reached deep and found overdrive. He made birdie at 17 and 18 to re-establish a five-shot margin of victory over runner-up Adam Svennson of Canada. The second triumph all but secured a 2021-2022 PGA Tour card for Young, where he will join former college teammate Will Zalatoris, in the big leagues.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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Equipment

Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.

Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.

Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.

According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.

He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.

Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

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Equipment

Details on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

So, with a couple of weeks off following his latest start at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Thomas sought to re-address his driver setup with the remote help of Titleist Tour fitting expert J.J. Van Wezenbeeck. About two weeks ago, Thomas and Van Wezenbeeck reviewed his recent driver stats, and discussed via phone call some possible driver and shaft combinations for him to try.

After receiving Van Wezenbeeck’s personalized shipment of product options while at home, Thomas found significant performance improvements with Titleist’s TSR2 head, equipped with Thomas’ familiar Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX shaft.

Compared to Thomas’ longtime TSR3 model, the TSR2 has a larger footprint and offers slightly higher spin and launch characteristics.

According to Van Wezenbeeck, Thomas has picked up about 2-3 mph of ball speed, to go along with 1.5 degrees higher launch and more predictable mishits.

“I’d say I’d been driving it fine, not driving it great, so I just wanted to, honestly, just test or try some stuff,” Thomas said on Tuesday in an interview with GolfWRX.com at Quail Hollow Club. “I had used that style of head a couple years ago (Thomas used a TSi2 driver around 2021); I know it’s supposed to have a little more spin. Obviously, yeah, I’d love to hit it further, but if I can get a little more spin and have my mishits be a little more consistent, I felt like obviously that’d be better for my driving…

“This (TSR2) has been great. I’ve really, really driven it well the week I’ve used it. Just hitting it more solid, I don’t know if it’s the look of it or what it is, but just a little bit more consistent with the spin numbers. Less knuckle-ball curves. It has been fast. Maybe just a little faster than what I was using. Maybe it could be something with the bigger head, maybe mentally it looks more forgiving.”

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

 

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5 fall golf trip destinations you should book right now

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The 2024 golf season is in full swing with the warm weather settling in and those long summer days right around the corner, but what if we told you that you should be thinking about golf this fall? While it may seem to be a ways away, now is the perfect time to start putting together your end-of-season fall golf trip

Courses are in great shape, the weather is more enjoyable as temps cool off, and your golf game is in peak condition after playing all summer! The best part about fall golf trips is that there are some great deals to be found at golf destinations across the country! Additionally, you can get away to the Caribbean on an all-inclusive trip or travel across the pond for some links golf in the UK or Ireland before the end of their golf season in October. 

If you are happy to stay stateside this fall, here are the best golf destinations you should book for your fall trip.

Myrtle Beach, SC 

Commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”, this coastal destination is home to over 200 golf courses making it the ideal location for a golf trip! If you’re looking for golf and accommodation onsite, choose from a wide range of resorts including favorites like Barefoot and Legends. Alternatively, you could rent a house or stay by the beach and play top tracks like Caledonia, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes, True Blue, TPC Myrtle Beach and many more! With a plethora of options, you will be able to customize your trip to stay within budget! Fall in South Carolina is a golfer’s paradise with minimal rain, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80s (dipping into the 70s in later fall with lower humidity), the perfect combination for a golf trip.

Scottsdale, AZ 

If you’ve never played golf in the desert, fall is the best time to do so and there is no better selection of desert layouts than Scottsdale. With a wide variety of golf resorts, courses, and attractions, it is easy to see why many professional golfers call this place home. Enjoy a golf and city trip with a stay close to the nightlife in Old Town and a tour of the local courses like Raven, McCormick Ranch, and Ocotillo. Head north of the city with a resort stay at The Westin Kierland or Hyatt Regency and play some Championship courses like TPC Scottsdale, Troon North, or Grayhawk. Or head out to the fabulous We-Ko-Pa Resort  and Golf Club and indulge in the ultimate desert golf experience. The weather in Scottsdale will be very warm (mid to high 80s), with cloudless skies and green grass contrasting the desert landscape.

Orlando, FL 

The golf mecca in the state of Florida, Orlando is a great golf destination any time of the year, but fall is really where it flourishes. Course conditions are impeccable, the weather is warm with fading humidity, and there are a multitude of off-course activities for the whole family. Stay & play at some of the best golf resorts like Reunion and Omni Championsgate or tick off a bucket list course when you visit Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A few other reasons this destination is so popular is the wide variety of rental houses throughout the area, perfect for a large group and the quality courses to choose from including Waldorf Astoria, Celebration, Shingle Creek, and the three Disney courses! With easy accessibility through the MCO Airport, Orlando is a no-brainer for a fall golf trip.

Las Vegas, NV 

PAIUTE GOLF RESORT – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

A destination often overlooked when it comes to golf, Las Vegas in the fall is a wonderful treat! A stay on the iconic Las Vegas Strip gives you a wide range of 3 to 5-star hotel options within walking distance to the city’s biggest entertainment venues, casinos, restaurants, and more! For golf options, you will need to travel outside of the city (roughly 20 mins) to play some incredible desert layouts like Rio Secco, Revere, Cascata, and the trio of courses at Paiute Golf Resort. If you fancy a longer day trip, you can always take the hour-long drive up to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek and Conestoga for a pure desert golf experience. 

Alabama – Robert Trent Jones Trail 

If you’re a golf nerd (like me) and you’re looking for something a little different for your trip, look no further than the incredible RTJ Trail in Alabama. The Trail spans 11 different locations across the state with over 400 holes of golf all designed by legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The more popular courses on the trail are in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn, making it perfect for an extended trip. Some of the best courses on the trail include Ross Bridge, Grand National (2 courses) and Capitol Hill (3 courses).Weather-wise, fall is the best time to hit the trail with average temps hovering around 80s (dipping into the 70s as fall goes on) with a limited amount of rainfall. The summer months are usually where the pricing is the highest so you can find the best deals in the fall with courses still in good condition. 

There has already been a huge uptick in fall golf trip bookings, so make sure to start planning now to get the travel dates and tee times you want for your group! 

Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission. 

RELATED: 7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play

  

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