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Tour Rundown: Cantlay repeats | US Am | KFT in Boise

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2 years ago

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A second, national amateur champion was crowned this weekend. The PGA Tour of the USA reduced its active roster to 30 golfers for next week’s Tour Championship. The LPGA took the week off, while the other major tours traveled to the Czech Republic, lower New York State, and Idaho. Golf fans kept one eye on mock fantasy football drafts and another on the comings and goings of tournaments. If you missed any of the results while selecting a kicker in the third round, well, we can help you with the golf, but that’s just bad fantasy drafting. Kind of like this lag putt from Philip Knowles.

Time for Tour Rundown, friends!

PGA Tour: Cantlay Coruscates at BMW Championship

Patrick Cantlay’s magical run seemed to wane as soon as the nickname Patty Ice was bestowed on him. He had some wins, but not as many, nor the majors, that many anticipated would come his way. This week, the Californian champion returned to the winner’s circle with a defense of his BMW Championship. In 2021, Cantlay won the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs in Maryland; he returned to the middle atlantic to claim a second trophy, this time at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware.

Cantlay grabbed the lead from Adam Scott on Saturday. He posted a six-under 65 to ease one stroke ahead of Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, and three-time tour winner Scott Stallings. Back in April, Schauffele and Cantlay partnered to win the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. On this day, there would be no camaraderie.

On Sunday, the gas tanks of the leaders appeared empty. None could dip deep into the 60s, to ensure a comfortable margin of victory. Only K. H. Lee, winner of the last two Byron Nelson Classics, could go as low as Cantlay’s Saturday score. Lee’s 65 moved him up 21 spots, into a tie for fifth.

Schauffele did not shine on Sunday. An even-par front nine was followed by an even-par back side, and the X Man dropped to a tie for third with Scottie Scheffler. Stallings posted 69 on the final day, and was able to secure a solo second finish. Cantlay found one final birdie, at the penultimate 17th, and that three gave him a one-shot advantage at the last. A gutsy swing from a sidehill, sandy lie was enough to secure win #2 of 2022, and win #9 of his career.

DP World Tour: Czech Masters welcomes Kieffer to the winner’s parking lot

At one juncture in Sunday’s final round, ten of the top fourteen golfers had zero wins on the DP World Tour. The odds were in favor of someone breaking through for a career-changing weekend. Would it be Gavin Green, the third-round leader? How about Tapio Pukkanen, who led at Albatross on 2021’s final hole, only to find water with his approach and fall away? Or, would someone like Thomas Pieters break all their hearts and claim another, DP World Tour title?

The first to fall away was Pieters. The Belgian stood three-under on the day when he ripped driver so far down the 11th fairway that he found a centerline bunker. No problem; just a wedge left. Except, the wedge landed over the green, hard, and bounded out of bounds. Triple bogey. Welcome to eighth place.

Next came the unfortunate Pukkanen. With last year’s watery finish in his mind, the Finland phenom tried to guide a low stinger into the final fairway, instead of swinging freely. Water left, bogey, third place. If it was any consolation, Pukkanen would have needed birdie at the last to reach a playoff.

Green followed. The Malaysian masher found a pond that no one knew existed, on the 14th. Away went his two-shot advantage, thanks to the double bogey that he soon had to scribble on his scorecard. Birdie at any of the final four holes would have brought him into a tie with Max Kiefer, but it was not to be. We simply won’t show you Green’s 180-degree lip-out on the final hole, that would have crafted a playoff. It’s simply inhumane.

The German Kieffer earlier had played the shot of the week into the brawny 17th hole, and converted the wee birdie putt to lick the envelope on his first tour title.

Korn Ferry Tour: Boise Open goes Gordon’s way

If Philip Knowles had been able to secure a par at the 72nd hole, he would have posted four rounds in the 60s. He also would have won the Boise Open outright. This sequence of sentences would not exist had he made that par. Knowles made bogey, and dropped into a three-way tie with MJ Daffue and Will Gordon, coming ever-so-close to leading from start to finish. The trio headed back to the 18th tee, but the hole was no kinder to Knowles for a second time in half an hour.

Knowles and Daffue stumbled up the closing hole with double bogey. Gobsmacked at his good fortune, Gordon simply played the hole as the architect drew the plans. Fairway to green to hole in two putts. With that simple formula, the Vanderbilt alumnus had his first professional victory.

PGA Tour Champions:  Dick’s Sporting Goods Open welcome the Irish touch

Although he never won it (and may never have played it) Padraig Harrington is seasoned enough to recall the old B.C. Open, on the regular PGA Tour. The final playing of the old BCO took place in 2006, and the event converted the following year to a senior event. Golfers have made the pilgrimmage to Endicott, NY, for over 50 years. The small-town atmosphere of the tournament is unique in professional golf, and these sorts of events need to endure.

Enough maudlin reminiscance. Harrington found himself one shot back of Canadian Mike Weir at the 2/3 pole of this year’s DSG Open. Knowing that Weir has not won for the better part of two decades, Harrington had to fancy his chances. Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk lurked, but the greatest challenge would come from the Thailand titan, Thongchai Jaidee.

Harrington played error-free golf along the banks of the Susquehanna river on Sunday, and forced the field to chase him down. Five birdies brought him to 16-under par. Jaidee gave proper chase, including a magnificent chip-in for two at the drivable, par-four 16th. His 65 was enough to elevate him to second place, but not nearly enough to reel Harrington in. The victory was Harrington’s second of the year, after winning the Senior Open in June.

USGA: US Amateur sees 36th seed outlast 34th seed on 36th hole 

Sam Bennett was in everyone’s sites at the beginning of the week. That’s how things are for the third-ranked amateur in the world. In contrast, Ben Carr was not on anyone’s short list at the beginning of US Amateur week in New Jersey. As often happens in match play, Goliath and David worked their ways through the field, and found each other on the first tee in the championship match.

Neither Bennett nor Carr was forced to endure the 11-for-7 playoff, but neither figured in the medalist race, either. As matches closed, it became apparent that this was not a week when the course would determine the winner. Ridgewood, a classic, A.W. Tillinghast layout, gave the field a wonderful playing ground, but did not insert itself into the outcome. It left that maneuvering to the players, which is a rarity these days. Too often we hear complaints of greens-too-quick or fairways-too-narrow. Not this week, not at Ridgewood.

The final match began with a series of jabs. The opponents traded wins on two occasions through the first seven holes. Bennett won the ninth, 14th, and 18th holes in the morning round, and took a three-up lead to lunch. Carr will certainly look back at the 11-hole stretch, from 8 through 18, as the turning point in the match.

In the afternoon, Bennett quickly stretch his lead to five holes, winning the 20th and 21st holes. At that point, Carr and caddy Will Wilcox decided that they would not go quietly away. Carr won the 23rd, 24th, and 28th holes to reduce the deficit to two holes. Bennett would win the short 30th hole with par, and would probably point to that stemming of the tide as the key to his win.

Carr wasn’t done. He won the 32nd and 35th holes to head to the last hole needing one final win to square the match. Both golfers made par at the closing beast, and Bennett had the Havermeyer trophy firmly in his grasp.

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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.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Bob

    Aug 23, 2022 at 1:08 am

    RIP Tom Weiskopf.

    Shame on the WGHOF. Couples in, Weiskopf not. On what planet? Best courses of any player turned architect, even Nicklaus. Would have won 12 more majors if not for the Nicklaus era – 6 on merit, 6 more on increased confidence. Misunderstood, outspoken, told the truth even if unpopular.

    RIP my friend.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

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3 hours ago

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May 14, 2024

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GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.

While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.

Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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Morning 9: Is it Rory’s time? | Stricker WDs | Why Valhalla is a great major venue

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5 hours ago

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May 14, 2024

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the PGA Championship from iconic Valhalla.

1. Is now the time Rory finally ends major drought?

BBC’s Iain Carter…”But given the imperious form he showed in Charlotte last week, perhaps this is the PGA Championship to rekindle the ruthless streak of old. And not just because he is back at Valhalla (the Nordic word for the hall of the fallen).”

  • “It also became clear last week that McIlroy is somewhat persona non grata to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. His views on a global future for this damagingly split sport do not seem to chime with the American dominated body.”
  • “His offer to return to the board from which he resigned earlier this year was rejected and he has been left as a mere non-voting member of the “transaction committee” dealing with a potential deal with Saudi Arabia.”
  • “McIlroy insists there are “no hard feelings” but there should be.”
  • “No player has worked harder for their sport during this period of unprecedented tumult and the board has rejected someone many people regard as the game’s most articulate and enlightened international voice.”
  • “Now is, surely, the time for McIlroy to feel slighted and respond with his clubs. Play as though he has a chip on his shoulder, but in the knowledge that he is generationally the most consistent golfing force out there.”
Full piece.

2. Scheffler in for PGA Champ after birth of child

Jaclyn Hendricks for PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler and wife Meredith’s bundle of joy has arrived.”

  • “The couple welcomed their first child, just weeks after Scheffler claimed his second Masters victory in three years.”
  • “Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig tweeted Saturday that the baby was born and Scheffler will play in this week’s PGA Championship — the second major of the season.”
  • “There’s been nothing official from Scottie Scheffler, his team or the Tour… But word is he will be at Valhalla for the PGA next week after winning four of his last five tournaments, including the Masters. He is currently on the Tuesday interview schedule for 3:30 p.m. #babyborn,” Harig wrote over the weekend.”
Full piece.

3. “Erik van Rooyen, friends and family live in honor of ‘Trazzy’”

  • That’s the headline of Ryan Lavner’s superb piece on Erik van Rooyen and his departed best friend Jon Trasmar. An excerpt would be an injustice. Go read it!
Full piece.

4. Stricker out of PGA citing fatigue

AP report…”Steve Stricker decided Sunday to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Valhalla, citing the difficulty of playing four times in a span of five weeks.”

  • “Stricker, 57, was eligible by winning the Senior PGA Championship last year. He, John Daly and Phil Mickelson are the only players to have competed at Valhalla each of the previous three times the PGA Championship was held there.”
Full piece.

5. Why Valhalla is a great venue for major championships

Garrett Morrison for The Fried Egg…”But before we start slinging mud (of which there will be plenty in Kentucky this week), let’s pause to think about why Valhalla tends to generate close final-round battles featuring elite players. It’s not magic: the course has long par 3s and 4s, narrow fairways, and smallish greens surrounded by rough and bunkers. This style of design and setup, which practically defines the PGA Championship’s modern brand, gives an outsize advantage to a skill that many star players share: power. Length off the tee and the ability to muscle the ball out of rough to a well-protected green will be near-prerequisites for contending at this week’s PGA Championship. If Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau show up with any kind of short-game and putting form, they will be in the mix on Sunday. And the presence of such A-listers on the leaderboard will further burnish Valhalla’s reputation as a serious venue.“

  • “It does not follow, however, that Valhalla is a great golf course. In fact, I find it a fairly mediocre and bland one. Very few holes offer multiple options of the tee (the exceptions being the short par-4 fourth and the double-fairway par-5 seventh), most of the greens lack memorable contouring, and the recovery shots from around the fairways and greens are one-dimensional and repetitive. So even if Sunday turns out to be a barn-burner, the first three rounds, when the focus will be on the course and the shots demanded, will probably be sleepier, aside from the inevitable Blockie walk-and-talk.”
Full piece.

6. Dunne resigns from policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Jimmy Dunne, who last year helped negotiate the PGA Tour’s controversial framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, resigned from the tour’s policy board on Monday.”

  • “In Dunne’s resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, Dunne wrote that “no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with PIF” and that “my vote and my role is utterly superfluous” now that player directors outnumber independent directors on the policy board. Dunne’s resignation was effective immediately.”
  • “It is crucial for the Board to avoid letting yesterday’s differences interfere with today’s decisions, especially when they influence future opportunities for the tour,” Dunne wrote. “Unifying professional golf is paramount to restoring fan interest and repairing wounds left from a fractured game. I have tried my best to move all minds in that direction.”
  • “Along with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Dunne and policy board chairman Ed Herlihy secretly negotiated the framework agreement with the PIF, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League. Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced the deal on June 6. Most PGA Tour players — including some player directors — were unaware of the deal until it was announced on TV.”
Full piece.
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Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls

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1 day ago

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May 13, 2024

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This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)

This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.

LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms

There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.

This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.

Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.

PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte

Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.

Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.

PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week

It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.

The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.

Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.

PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie

Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.

In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again.  Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.

Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.

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