News
Tour Rundown: Third major for Chun | Xander | Harrington
As the golf season truncates, major events are played nearly every week. As greater support and visibility are offered across all genders and ages, the golfing public is compelled to keep its level of excitement at a fever pitch. This week, Merion; next week, Brookline. The following week, Congressional. And in July, the Old Course at St. Andrews. It simply doesn’t end. How fortunate are we who are able to follow these exciting pathways!
This week, the PGA Championship for women was held at Congressional Country Club, near the capital of the USA. The PGA Tour traveled across New England, from Brookline to Hartford. The DP World Tour celebrated an event in Germany, while the Korn Ferry Tour relocated to Maine. As for the USGA, it moved its staff from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, to run the USGA Senior Open for men. The highways and byways were busy with travelers, but we are still able to run down the best of five tours. Please, join us!
Wow! ?
Haotong Li wins in style. One of the best putts he will hit in his career!#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/1SeNxC9qa9
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 26, 2022
USGA/LPGA: PGA Championship is Chun’s third major title
How much of a lead does one golfer have to establish, to post 75-75 on the weekend and still win the tournament? For In Gee Chun, the answer was somewhere around seven or eight strokes. The Korean champion surged ahead of her peers through 36 holes, then fell behind a surging Lexi Thompson. The finish was one for the ages, for good and bad reasons.
Thompson has been a hard-luck competitor over the years. She has surged in many a major, only to fall back and come oh-so-close. Sunday in June of 2022 was a replay of those crushing defeats. Thompson began the day with two birdies in three holes, to make a move as Chun faltered. Meanwhile, In Gee stood plus-four on the day through nine holes, and had fallen off the pace. Even when Thompson faltered with bogey at the seventh, she still held a lead as they turned for home.
It was then that Chun steadied herself. She played the inward half under par, which is what champions do. Thompson came home with the unsteady gate of a newborn pony. She posted four bogeys against two birdies, and finished one excruciating stroke behind Chun, in a tie for second with US Open champion Minjee Lee. The win was her third major, after previous triumphs at the Evian and the US Open.
What a Sunday for @ingeechun_dumbo!
Check out the 3x major champion's highlights from the @KPMGWomensPGA final round! ? pic.twitter.com/CDrR7w6e2n
— LPGA (@LPGA) June 27, 2022
USGA/PGA Tour Champions: USGA Senior Open nearly escapes Harrington
Padraig Harrington knows what it’s like to have a major title handed to him by an unfortunage opponent. On Sunday, he nearly bequeathed a similar gift to Steve Stricker. Harrington carried a sizable lead into round four at Saucon Valley, only to blow his advantage by the 11th green. Steve Stricker gathered six birdies from the 8th hole on, to reach nine under par with the day’s low round of 65. Just when all seemed lost, Harrington secured a birdie at the par-four 15th, then parred his way in for a one-shot margin of victory.
Harrington stood at eleven-under par through three rounds, and seemed in total control of the Senior Open. His game on Sunday was all about holding on and trusting that things would work out. With nothing to lose, Stricker played wth the opposite mentality. His putter was hot and his scorecard turned red with birdies. Unfortunately for the Wisconsin native and the 2019 champion of this event, his recovery would end one shot shy of a playoff. Harrington would convert a few clutch putts down the stretch, to earn a first USGA title.
*Exhale* @padraig_h leads to the 72nd hole with a 1-shot lead over Stricker. #USSeniorOpen pic.twitter.com/zjZVrjgRuo
— USGA (@USGA) June 26, 2022
PGA Tour: Travelers Championship to Schauffele
Eyes were on the final pairing of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay as round four commenced near Hartford. By day’s end, a Massachusetts amateur nearly stole the show and the title. The pair who were invincible as a team at the most recent Ryder Cup, played mundane golf on Sunday at River Highlands. While Schaufele stumbled to a one-over front nine, Cantlay was erratic beyond words. Four bogeys, a double, and two birdies saw him to 39 and what would ultimately be an 11-spot drop, to 13th place.
As the cards were dealt, J.T. Poston and Sahith Seegala emerged as Schauffele’s challengers. Each would finish at 17-under par on the day. Would it be enough to catch the Olympic gold medalist? Also ringing bells was New England amateur Michael Thorbjornsen. The former US Junior champion parlayed four birdies and an eagle into a challenge of his own. Bogeys at 12 and 13 ended his charge, but the Stanford student and golfer would awaken memories of Francis Ouimet in his attempt at winning against the professionals.
In the end, it was Schauffele for a sixth PGA Tour win, at 19-under par. Is a major title in the offing? It’s the next step for the recently-married golfer who has nearly everything else. Thorbjornson’s fourth-place finish was also noteworthy, and the tour prepared to head to the middle of the continent, for the John Deere Classic.
.@XSchauffele delivers with the wedge on 18. pic.twitter.com/gmeqQyAGof
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 26, 2022
DP World Tour: BMW International is Haotong’s third
On Sunday in Germany, Haotong Li fought against the reality of a first win in four years. He also fought against the memory of nearly giving up professional golf in 2021. Each time he had a run of birdies, a pair of bogeys would pedal him backward. Ryan Fox was the first to take a run at the leader, but fell a pair of shots shy at -20. Fox was three-under on the day through nine, but needed four-under on the back.
Next came Thomas Pieters. After trading two birdies and two bogeys over the first six holes, Pieters caught fire with five birdies over the next twelve holes, and reachedd 22-deep. Haotong Li fell two off Pieters’ pace, but rallied with birdies at 15 and 16 to catch Pieters. The two reached the par-five 18th in three during a brief playoff. Haotong buried a massive birdie effort, and Pieters was unable to match. The win was Hatotong’s first since the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic.
Passion. Emotion.
Haotong Li showing how much it means to win ?#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/3MZPCnoTtn
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 26, 2022
Korn Ferry Tour: Live and Work in Maine Open is work for Coody
Pierceson Coody was paired in the final round with home-state amateur Cole Anderson. More shades of Francis Ouimet; could a local, non-profesional win here? After the front nine finished on day four, who would win wasn’t the question. Instead, it was by how much, and could Coody shoot 59.
The recent NCAA team champion from UTexas caught fire in his third professional start, and posted five birdies and one eagle for 28 on the outward half. With the sub-60 watch in full form, Coody proceeded to make bogey at holes 10 and 11. Away went the notion of the record round, and out trotted concern for whether Coody would give back all of his fine work. Coody steadied, and posted seven consecutive pars for 66 and a 20-under par total. A slew of Korn Ferry Tour veterans had joined the chase, but one of them would need a 28 of his own on the back nine, to have a chance.
Jacob Bergeron matched Coody’s 66, and reached 15-below. Nelson Ledesma, Will Gordon, and Fabián Gómez finished one back of Bergeron in third. As for Anderson, birdies at 9 and 10 got him to red figures on the day, but late-round ups and downs brought him to plus-one on the day and his own spot in the third-place tie. Enviable work, but not what he had wanted at sun’s rise.
“It feels fake.”
From winning a national title with @TexasMGolf to a win on the #KornFerryTour in his third start, @Pierceson_Coody has had a whirlwind month. pic.twitter.com/70Eoz1Ybiz
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) June 26, 2022
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Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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