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Tour Rundown: Two Spaniards, an Aussie, a Kiwi, and an American walk up to a trophy
It was an international week for winners on five of the world’s professional golf tours. Tournaments were held in eastern Spain, western Mexico, California, Texas, and Alabama. Although the venues were mildly international, it was the collective of winners that reminded us of the global nature of high-level, tournament golf in 2022. Golfers from diverse spots across the globe showed their mettle and emerged from the cauldron with the spoils of competition. Let’s have a glance at this quintet of gladiators and the tournaments they dominated, in this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour: Mexico Open to Rahm by a shot
Jon Rahm lit the Vidanta Vallarta course up like a summer party over the first 36 holes. He wasn’t quite as adept across the weekend, but played well enough to edge past a trio of runners-up by a single putt as Sunday drew to a close.
Tony Finau, Brandon Wu, and Kurt Kitayama each took a run at the imposing Basque, Kitayama and Finau each made birdie at the closing par-five hole, on their way to scores of 68 and 63, respectively. Finau’s number was the day’s best, matched by Wu. Of the three in second position, only Wu failed to birdie the manageable closing hole. Had he found a way to make four, he would have seeped into a playoff with Rahm, and posted a sensation 62. Alas, it was not to be.
As for Rahm, he kept the bogeys to a minimum (one on Sunday, five on the week.) Of his stumbles, three came at the pesky tenth hole. The defending US Open champion had 20 birdies and an eagle over the course of the week. He reached 17-under par, which turned out to be the week’s magic number.
“Come on, baby be the number!”@JonRahmPGA heads to 18 with a 1-shot lead. pic.twitter.com/JMBy1YNaeL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 1, 2022
LPGA: Inaugural Palos Verdes Championship sends trophy home with Alex
The Mexico Open wasn’t the only, big-time debut this week on the professional tours. After a successful week at Wilshire, the ladies traveled about 30 minutes to Palos Verdes, and played in the inaugural PVC at Palos Verdes Estates. It was a sensational week, as Hannah Green, Jin-young Ko, Lydia Ko, and others did battle for the right to be the first. In the end, it wasn’t any of those names, but it was a decorated veteran who earned the right to be the first.
Marina Alex, a member of the USA side in the 2019 Solheim Cup, won her second LPGA event by one shot. She edged Jin Young-ko by one shot, thanks to a six-pack of birdies on the day. Only Atthaya Thitikul had a lower score than Alex on the day, and her 65 was not nearly enough to enter the fray. JY Ko matched Alex’s 66, but came up one shot shy of another tournament title.
Your @PV_Champ clubhouse leader at -10, @Marina_Deee! ? pic.twitter.com/JHex3yJdyq
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 2, 2022
DP World Tour: Arnaus claims first title on home soil
While Jon Rahm brought glory to the Basque people, Adri Arnaus made sure that the folks in Cataluña had something to cheer about. Following in the footsteps of fellow Barcelonan Pedro Larrazabal, Arnaus brought a title to the mediterranean city that hosted the 1992 summer olympic games. Arnaus and Olive Bekker of South Africa tied at 11-under par, two clear of the third-place trio of McEvoy, Meronk, and Canter. Of those three, the most disappointed was Meronk. A 71st-hole double bogey dropped Adrian Meronk from first to third.
Arnaus and Becker headed to the 18th tee for their playoff, and each made par. They returned to the 18th hole four more times, with the resulting pars condemning the overtime session to a sixth hole. A change was made to the 17th hole, and it paid off, at least for the tournament organizers and one of the contestants. Becker cracked. He suffered a bogey, while Arnaus made his sixth-consecutive, extra-time par. With the score of four, Arnaus claimed his first title on the major tour of Europe and the Middle East.
What it means to win your first Tour title ?@AdriArnaus | #CatalunyaChampionship pic.twitter.com/hpoAhtDPUS
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 1, 2022
Korn Ferry Tour: Hunstville Challenge in a walk for Endycott
Harrison Endycott won the 2016 Porter Cup at Niagara Falls country club, not too far from my keyboard. Since that win, the Australian has toiled on the world’s caravans, hoping for a shot at the PGA Tour. His time in the minors may be just about over, if he puts another two weeks together this season, like the one he just completed.
Endycott began the final round with a healthy advantage, and he never buckled. Ben Taylor of England began the day in second spot, and found himself there at nightfall. He posted 70 on day four, and never threatened to evict Endycott from the throne. The day’s top score, a 63, belonged to Marcelo Rozo. All that it got him was a 37-spot bump, inside the top fifteen.
As for Endycott, he moved to 12th position on the year-long chase for a PGA Tour card. As May arrives, that’s a pretty good seat to occupy.
The Aussie gets it done @HuntsvilleChamp! ?? pic.twitter.com/qo3c52rc0M
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 1, 2022
PGA Tour Champions: Alker’s bounce-back from playoff loss makes a statment
Last week, Steven Alker lost a playoff to Scott Parel in Irving, Texas, about half a state away near Dallas. In the warmer confines of Houston, the New Zealander took command of the Insperity with a back-nine run of four birdies and an eagle. Even a final-hole bogey wasn’t enough to wrest his hands from the winner’s trophy. Alker posted 66 on the day, 18-under par for the week, and broke free from a tie at the top after two rounds.
Both Brandt Jobe and Steve Stricker were even with Alker through 36 holes. Jobe couldn’t buy a birdie on the outward nine, settling for nine consecutive pars. He rallied on the inward half, but needed four more birdies to equal Alker. Stricker’s opening nine was equally forgettable, with one birdie offset by one bogey. He had a pair of birdies coming home, but like Jobe, could not make enough to apply pressure.
Alker was the 2021, feel-good story in November, when he claimed his first Tour Champions title. His second trophy came four weeks ago. Despite two playoff losses on the senior circuit, Alker continues to fire at flagsticks. He once again tasted the sweet honey of victory this week, and now has three senior titles on his resume.
Another eagle for Alker ?
Steven Alker makes eagle on 15 for his third of the week. pic.twitter.com/4tDncM2sOU
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 1, 2022
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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