News

5 things we learned Thursday at the 2022 US Open

Published

4 years ago

Jun 16, 2022

It started out with sparks, until the sparks fizzled. For a moment, we thought that Collin Morikawa had somehow found a way to cut the dogleg at the first and open his time at The Country Club with a double-eagle ace. Don’t believe us? Here’s the screenshot.

Things did get real soon after, and the “one” was replaced with a “four.” It took him eight more holes, but the two-time major champion did reach the minus-3 figure. Here’s some of that action.

Ultimately, Morikawa would land at 1 under par on the day. Consider this introduction a bonus, sixth thing we learned. We’re happy to send you into the main event, now that the undercard is completed. Have a read of five things we learned on Thursday at the 2022 U.S. Open.

1. Welcome to The Country Club

It’s not an easy ask for golfers to learn the nuances of a golf course in a week’s time. The last time the USGA visited Brookline was in 2013, for the U.S. Amateur. That tournament commemorated the 1913 U.S. Open win by Francis Ouimet, and was won by Matt (then Matthew) Fitzpatrick. Corey Conners made the semifinals, and a few other notables reached match play. The Country Club is not the sort of course that fits a stereotyped model. It is old school, with a restoration by Gil Hanse. It asks the player to move the ball both ways, to resist the urge to chase birdie on every hole, and target a portion of the green that may have nothing to do with the day’s hole location.

The Country Club was not designed by one of the great architects of the day. Willie Campbell does not occupy the same rung in the pantheon as do Travis, Ross, Colt, Mackenzie, and others. In addition, the championship 18 at Brookline is made up of holes from each of three nines. One hole, the wee 11th, hasn’t been used in a national championship since … you guessed it, 1913. It should be a week. Don’t miss it!

Class is in session. ?@Joel_Dahmen | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/JvfEvmZWQa

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2022

2. … And there were five

Four golfers reached and preserved a total of three-under par during the morning wave. The part about and preserved is an important one, as getting there and staying there are different elements. Amateur Stewart Hagestad reached the figure on two occasions, but closed his round with four bogeys and a double, to finish three shots north of par. Joining the quartet in the afternoon was MJ Dafue of South Africa.

Of the four, Rory McIlroy’s name was the most famous. The winner last week in Canada looks to win a second US Open title, and complete the Canadian-American Open sweep that not many in history have achieved. McIlroy stood at four-under on the final tee, but made bogey to drop into a tie with David Lingmerth of Sweden, Callum Tarren of England, and Joel Dahmen of the host country.

Roars for Rors!@McIlroyRory is locked in and tied for the #USOpen lead. pic.twitter.com/UkoslfvzlQ

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2022

3. The spirit of Francis Ouimet materialized on Thursday

Travis Vick and Sam Bennett posted even-par 70s on Thursday, to represent the no-pay for play crowd. Vick was even-keeled throughout the day, balancing a pair of bogeys with his birdie duo. Bennett matched him with the same numbers. For amateurs, the tournament before the tournament is a 36-hole affair: make the cut. After that, it’s the chase for the low amateur medal. Raise a glass to these two and their compatriots on the non-professional side. Here’s to many amateurs around for the weekend.

What. A. Start. ?

Rising senior Travis Vick posts an EVEN-par 70 in his opening round at @usopengolf !!!

Currently tied for 27th on the leaderboard as the afternoon wave is on the course.#TakeDeadAim | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/zy0HsHNWZT

— Texas Men's Golf (@TexasMGolf) June 16, 2022

4. Your first-round leader is Adam Hadwin!

The Canadian journeyman demonstrated his accuracy by banging a tee shot off a sprinkler head, with the run-out adding up to 336 yards. Before that happened, he had quite a bit more going on. After making bogey at the immense, 490-yard 3rd, Hadwin reeled in five birdies in a six-hole stretch, to reach four-under par. On the inward half, Hadwin made a second bogey at the 12th hole (470-yard par four, FWIW) and then returned to four-deep with birdie at the 13th. Hadwin still has 54 holes ahead of him, but it’s never too early to dream about joining countryman Mike Weir as Canadian winners of major titles.

Well, that's one way to hit it 336. ????@ahadwingolf | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/okeHSYPZDa

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2022

5. We never thought that

Matt Fitzpatrick would be in the mix at Brookline. The odds of the 2013 U.S. Amateur champion surfacing nearly a decade later were astronomical, and not in his favor. The Englishman made birdie at 5, 8, and 9 to reach three under par. The back nine was a bit more chaotic. Three bogeys were joined by two birdies, including one at the diabolical 18th, to drop him to minus-two. Our thinking is, Fitz should enlist younger brother Alex to loop for the next three rounds. After all, Alex was Eddie Lowery to Matt’s Francis Ouimet in 2013. No reason to not reprise the roles.

A timely 3?? for @MattFitz94 at the 17th hole. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/eUg73efE5P

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2022

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

4 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

3 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