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Tour Rundown: K-squared | 14 for Ko | A first-time win in Puerto Rico
Weekend number one of March welcomed the PGA Tour to Orlando and Puerto Rico, the Champions to Arizona, the LPGA to Singapore, and the Asian Tour to New Zealand. There was high drama all around, as first-time winners took to the podium at two events, a defending champion defended at a third, and a grizzled veteran claimed glory at a fourth. It was high times this week across the golfers globe, so strap in and enjoy our Tour Rundown-March edition.
PGA Tour: Arnold Palmer Invitational sees first-time winner in K-Squared
From the Asian Development Tour, to the Asian Tour, to the DP World Tour, Kurt Kitayam has handled the pressure of a close event. His three prior wins in the professional ranks were all by two shots or less. It should have surprised no one when he played a smart tee ball away from the water on the 72nd hole at Bay Hill. His lie was less than enviable, but he managed to chop it onto the left portion of the boomerang 18th green, leaving a two-zip code putt between his blade and victory. With all the calm of a journeyman grinder, Kitayama hit a perfect putt that somehow defied gravity and remained on the lip of the crevice. After a mark, he tapped in from an immeasurable distance to secure his first PGA Tour title, by one slim shot.
Forget about the Rory McIlroys (2nd) the Patrick Cantlays, Scottie Schefflers, Tyrrell Hattons, and Jordan Spieths (4th). The fellow who should have won going away tied for 10th. After opening with 67, Cameron Young closed his second round four over par over the closing four holes. On Saturday, he played the same stretch in plus-two. Sunday saw him even par of the apparently-impregnable quadrilateral. Give Young those six shots back, and he finishes -11.
Back to Kitayama. Over the first two days, he kept damage to the minimum of one bogey per day. Saturday and Sunday showed a different side: a guy who could rebound from the big number. After a double on the par-five fourth on day three, he played the remaining 14 holes in minus-two. On Sunday, Kitayama was cruising along when he yanked a drive left on the ninth hole, and ended with a two-feet putt for triple. Most non-winners would have ceded passage to the name brands, but not the NoCal kid. Kitayama posted seven pars, then made birdie at the impossible 17th, followed by his heroics at 18.
Clutch birdie from @Kurt_Kitayama ?
He leads by one with one to play @APInv. pic.twitter.com/bjLuxCxIto
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 5, 2023
LPGA: Women’s World Championship is 14th LPGA win for Jin
Jin-Young Ko had a three-year run from 2019 to 2021, when she was a threat to win every event she entered. Ove the past two years, her game has leveled but the ability to win has not gone away. This week in Singapore, Ko had the added pressure of serving as defending champion. With rain dropping from the skies, and tears from her eyes, Ko outKlassed the field with a 17-under total, edging Nelly Korda by two. The week began with three bogeys and a 72 for the eventual winner, not the jump-start one might expect. That even-par round seated her eight shots behind leader Elizabeth Szokol’s 64. As Szokol took up residence in the 70s for the rest of the week, finishing in a tie for eighth position, Ko found a new residence in zone 65.
Twin rounds of seven-under par on Friday and Saturday moved the Korean Komet to the top of the board, two shots clear of her closest pursuers. After the three-bogey start, Ko settled down to one speed bump per round; her fourth-round bogey came at the 11th hole, but she erased it with birdie number four two holes later. Chasing closely was Korda, who shows all signs of complete recovery from last season’s health scare. The Floridian opened with a trio of 68s, but was never able to break into the mid-60s that she needed to track Ko down. Sunday brought her a five birdie-two bogey round of 69, enough to edge one putt past Ayako Furue and Danielle Kang for solo second.
UNSTOPPABLE
Jin Young Ko with a brilliant birdie on 13 and leads by 2! ? pic.twitter.com/F4PFtciF56
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 5, 2023
PGA Tour: Puerto Rico Open welcomes a Colombia winner in Nico Echavarría
Back when the slogan of the PGA Tour was “These Guys Are Good,” it always stood open to interpretation. When opposite-field events like the Puerto Rico Open were not granted the same stature as other tournaments, the message rang like “Some of These Guys Are Good.” No longer the case, as guys like Nico Echavarría and Akshay Bhatia found glory in Río Grande.
Echavarría played his college golf at Arkansas, then worked his way through the professional ranks on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, where he won twice in 2018. This week in the caribbean, Echavarría opened with a pair of 67s, but waited until Saturday to make his move. Carson Young had the 36-hole lead, but when he slipped to 71 on Saturday, Nico soared past with 65. On Sunday, it was a duel between Nico and the aforementioned Bhatia. After making the US Walker Cup side as a teenager, Bhatia eschewed university and went straight to the professional ranks. After beginning round four with a bogey, the Wake Forest, N.C. scion etched seven birdies into his scorecard for 65 and 19-under par. On this day, the Colombian was unstoppable. after an up-down front nine, Echavarría came home in 33, to secure a two-shot victory.
"VAMOS!" ?
Colombian @Nicolas_Ech is seeking his first TOUR win @PuertoRicoOpen as he leads by 3 with 4 to play. pic.twitter.com/SLcAlIyG0Y
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 5, 2023
PGA Tour Champions: Cologuard Classic to Toms by a shot
Folks from another generation remember David Toms as the guy who denied Phil Mickelson a PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club. When Toms reached the Tour Champions in 2017, he wasted little time reminding us that he had game. His 2018 US Senior Open title was followed by … very little. Toms next won on the senior circuit in 2021, then waited another two years to claim title number three.
Chasing him in Arizona were guys like Steve Stricker and Robert Karlsson. Stricker faded to 8th with a day-three 71, but Karlsson hung in quite well. The Swede played nearly-flawless golf on Sunday, with a bogey at the 11th his only blemish. Did that miscue cost him a playoff? Statistically speaking, yes. Toms had a bogey of his own on day the last, at the 13th, but he had enough birdies to hold off Karlsson … until his final drive. Toms’ cut faded just enough to drop into the hazard off the tee. He played two more shots to about five feet, then drained the putt for bogey and victory. As they say, it’s never how you do it; just how many.
That winning feeling for @davidtomsgolf ? pic.twitter.com/dXZX2n12OW
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 5, 2023
Asian Tour: New Zealand Open trophy rests in hands of elder statesman Jones
Even a third-round 62 wasn’t enough for Brendan Jones to assume the top spot at the New Zealand Open. Shae Wools-Cobb and two other stood between him and the point of the pyramid. As fans know, following a nine-birdie effort with another, stellar round is way easier said than done. Fortunately for Jones, he had a little help from his competition.
After three stellar rounds, Cobb’s game went off the rails with 78 on Sunday. Christopher Wood and Terumichi Kakazu drifted to rounds of 72, which opened the door for a dozen challengers. Four golfers were able to reach 269 for 15-under on the week, highlighted by John Lyras’ 64, the second-low round of the day. After a one-under front nine, Jones was on no one’s marker sheet as title favorite, but that changed in one hour’s course. Four birdies from holes 12 to 17 elevated the 48-year old Aussie to his first Asian Tour win in 13 years, and his 19th professional win overall. As they say, the sun sets late on the career of the professional golfer!
Relive the action from the final round of the @NZOpenGolf ?
?: @PhotosportNZ #NZOpen #whereitsAT https://t.co/OArodorQ8C
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) March 5, 2023
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
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Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board
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News
Tour Rundown: Six-pack of tourneys follows Masters
Brazil and Texas were kindred souls this week, at least when it came to weather. Both regions experienced torrential delays, and three tournaments were held up. The LPGA, PGA Tour Americas, and PGA Tour Champions were compelled to reduce play or work extra holes into Sunday. As if that weren’t enough, South Carolina and the PGA Tour fell victim to nature’s wrath, with lightning postponing the conclusion of the event to Monday.
The year’s first women’s major championship was celebrated in Texas. The Chevron is gaining a bit of tradition in its second year after relocation. This year’s event culminated in the continued coronation of the game’s current best. The Korn Ferry Tour saw a top-twenty performance from a 15-year old amateur, while the second event of the week on the big tour found a winner in the Dominican Republic. Six events is more than a handful, so let’s get right to it, with this week’s (delayed) Tour Rundown.
LPGA @ Chevron Championship: Korda corrals second major title
The winter of 2022-2023 seems so distant for current Nelly Korda. A mysterious ailment sapped all of her energy, just as the world appeared to have finally emerged from the pandemic. We never quite secured the complete information that we desired, but no one can say that any of us deserved to know more than Nelly wished to share. One thing is for certain: Nelly Korda has returned to top form, and the world number one golfer is at least one level above anyone else on tour.
Korda began her 2024 campaign with a January victory in the Drive One Championship. In her next start, in March, she continued her assault on the record books, with a win at the Se Ri Pak. She won again the following week, at the Ford, then defeated Leona Maguire in the final match at the T-Mobile Match Play, for a fourth consecutive victory. Would the increased hype around a major championship have an impact on her game? Well, no.
Korda began play at the Chevron Championship with a score of 68. She trailed Lauren Coughlin by two after 18 holes, but caught her with a second-round 69. Coughlin would ultimately tie for third spot with Brooke Henderson. Henderson played with Korda on day four, but the middle third of the round was her undoing. Making a late move was Maja Stark. House Stark closed with birdies at 17 and 18 to reach 11 under par. Both Korda and Strak played the final three days in identical numbers: 69 each day.
Korda held a firm hand on the tournament over the course of the final day. She stood minus-four for the round through ten holes, before a bit of sloppy play made things competitive again. Bogeys at 11 and 15 opened the door a wee bit for Stark. Korda was equal to the test, however, and closed stylishly with birdie at 18.
Safely around the green on the 72nd hole
Watch @NellyKorda‘s historic finish now on NBC! pic.twitter.com/1zaAYtbaCz
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour 1 @ RBC: Scottie, so hottie!
Nelly isn’t the only golfer on fire, although Scottie Scheffler still has a ways to go to match her. Scheffler proved this week that he has a game for all courses. After winning comfortably at lengthy Augusta National, Scheffler shifted gears and game to the wee Sea Pines course, and won again. That’s two weeks in a row for the man from New Jersey/Texas, so let’s learn how he did it.
Scheffler totaled 69 on day one, and found himself six shots behind leader J.T. Poston. Scheffler revealed that his teacher, Randy Smith, would tell him that he didn’t need to be the best 15 year-old; just the best 25 year-old. It was easy, then, to play the long game and consider all 72 holes, instead of just 18. Scheffler improved to 65 on Friday, and then went even lower on Saturday. His 63 moved him to the top of the board, and caused the golfverse to wonder if Scheffler would win for a second consecutive week.
Sunday saw all the chasers fall away. Scores between 70 and 72 from Patrick Rodgers, Collin Morikawa, and Sepp Straka meant that others would need to seize the day, if Scheffler were to do more than coast. Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas each moved inside the top five with fourth-round 65s, but no one ever got close enough to the world number one. The win was Scheffler’s 10th on tour, and made him the betting favorite for next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Scottie Scheffler can save par from just about anywhere.
Including the water ?
(Presented by @CDWCorp) pic.twitter.com/RUqL2sBrr9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2024
PGA Tour 2 @ Corales Puntacana: Baton Boy claims 8th Tour triumph
If you’ve ever seen Billy Horschel toss a club, you know that he doesn’t do so in anger. More likely is a calculated, soaring arc, paired with a look of fractured disbelief, followed by a quick catch of the cudgel. Ergo, Baton Boy. This week on the island of Hispaniola, the native of Grant, Florida, outworked and outhustled everyone else on Sunday. Horschel gathered seven birdies and an eagle, on the way to a 63 and a 23-under par total.
The former Florida Gator zipped past the four golfers in front of him, and left the remaining field in the rear-view mirror. Horschel’s round was two shots better than anyone else, and moved him two shots ahead of third-round leader Wesley Bryan. One of the famed Bryan Brothers, Wes closed with birdie at the last to post a 68 that would have won the week on any other day.
Walking it in with a fist pump ?@BillyHo_Golf is 9-under on the day and leads by two @CoralesChamp. pic.twitter.com/N6rjL1GGGA
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 21, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ LeCom Suncoast: It’s Widing in extra holes
Miles Russell probably won’t have to serve detention for ditching class on Thursday and Friday. The high school freshman made his KFT debut, survived the 36-hole cut, and toyed with a top-ten finish. He ultimately tied for 20th at 14-under par, six shots behind the three co-leaders. My guess is that Epstein’s Mom will write him a note, and he’ll get a pass. By finishing top-25, Russell earned a spot in next week’s event. Yikes!
Back to the top of the board. Patrick Cover, Steven Fisk, and Tim Widing all found their way to the magic number of -20. Fisk made birdie at the last, after bogeys at 16 and 17. Cover had three bogeys on the back nine, but a birdie at 14 was enough to get him to overtime. Widing was plus-one on the day through four, but played interstellar golf over the final 14. Six birdies moved him from Russell-ville to extra time.
The trio scurried to the 18th tee, where Cover drove into a fairway bunker. He was unable to reach the green with his approach, made bogey, and exited the overtime session. Widing and Fisk returned to the final deck once more, and matters were resolved. Fisk was unable to convert a long par putt, and Widing (pronounced VEE-ding) tapped in for his first KFT title.
The feeling of relief when you know you won. ???
Tim Widing is now a champion on the #KornFerryTour. pic.twitter.com/K0vgiZ21UG
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Americas @ Brasil Open: Mr. Anderson finds a way
Golf is a funny game. Matthew Anderson held a lead with one round to play. He made six pars on Sunday, and sprinkled the rest of his card with birdies and bogeys. In complete contrast, Ollie Osborne played consistently on the day, posting four birdies and zero bogeys. Connor Godsey was not far off Osborne’s pace, with seven birdies and but two bogeys on the scorecard. So, of course, Matthew Anderson won by a stroke over Osborne and Godsey.
Not how, but how many, is another one of those platitudes that we all learn early on. Despite five bogeys through his first 14 holes, Anderson summoned the defiant grit to make birdie at the 71st and 72nd holes. After making deuce at the penultimat hole, Anderson’s swerving effort at the last looked as if it should miss low, but it had enough pace to stay inside the hole and fall for a closing four at the par-five finisher.
Birdie-birdie finish to secure the ?
Mississauga-native Matthew Anderson is your 69th ECP Brazil Open Champion. pic.twitter.com/ONE8hIUjeS
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) April 21, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Invited Celebrity: Broadhurst stands tall
What do you call a tournament that begins on Friday, takes Saturday off, and finishes on Sunday? Fortunate is one adjective to use. A weather system moved through Texas this weekend, and made a mess of things in Irving. After Thomas Bjorn signed for 64 on day one, rain and all things counter-productive moved through the Las Colinas resort, ensuring that Saturday would be nothing more than a rest day. When Sunday arrived, conditions had improved, and the game was on. Bjorn was unable to preserve his Friday magic, although he did record a 70 for -8. He finished in a third-place tie with Y.E. Yang.
David Toms, the 2001 PGA Championship victor, presented Sunday’s low round, and moved to 10-under par. Toms made one mistake on the day. He lived in the rough on the 9th hole, ultimately making bogey. The rest of the day was immaculate, as seven birdies came his way, resulting in a six-under par 65. Only one golfer was able to surpass Toms, and that was Paul Broadhurst.
Broadhurst nearly matched Toms for daily honors. His mistake came early, with bogey at the second. He bounced back with eagle at the third, and added three more birdies for 66 and 11-under par. Over his first three seasons on the Tour Champions, Broadhurst won five times, including two major titles. His fifth win came in 2018, making this win his first in six years. A long time coming, for sure, but well earned.
Looking at the hole is working for @PBroadhurstGolf ?
He leads by one after a clutch birdie on 15 @InvitedCC. pic.twitter.com/S0rhcVwaeE
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 21, 2024
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