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Tour Rundown: Langer the all-time win leader | Fowler wins again

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Other than all those promises on Instagram, you don’t often find a six-pack just hanging around. That’s precisely what we have this first weekend in July of 2023. From The Belfry to Detroit Golf Club, with stops at Alberta and the Yucatan Peninsula, and side trips to Illinois and Wisconsin, the golf was plentiful leading into the USA’s Independence Day celebration. It’s more of a Tour Run-Run-Rundown this week, so let’s get clap-clap-clapping, run-run-running!

USGA Senior Open @ Sentryworld: Langer becomes all-time win leader with 2nd US Senior Open title

Since he won his 45th senior title on the US Tour in February, Bernhard Langer has been on a worldwide watch. His next title would break his tie with Hale Irwin for all-time leader in Tour Champions victories. The time between the Chubb Classic in Florida and this week’s United States Golf Association’s Senior Open became a Celebration of Three Steves. Stricker, Ames, and Alker combined to win six events. Langer, meanwhile, made no additional dent in the all-time record.

The USGA brought its feature senior event to the SentryWorld course in Wisconsin, and two native sons fought for attention. Both Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly would finish in the top five, but it was Langer who stole the show. The German champion closed strong on Saturday to carry a two-shot advantage into the final round. Any thoughts of nerves dissipated when Langer played Sunday’s first ten holes in four-under par figures. His lead reached six at one point, but bogey at each of the final three holes brought him back to a two-shot advantage. No matter; minus-seven over four days brought him to the top of the mountain, with his 46th career senior title.

PGA Tour @ RocketMortgage: Fowler finds freedom on extra hole

The golf world rose and fell with Rickie Fowler’s attempt at the US Open last month in Los Angeles. Never has a golf guy existed like Rickie. He could be a condescending, I’m-better-than-you sort of pro. Instead, he’s an I’m-on-your-side-and-you-earned-it guy. He was Dick Fowler, Private Eye, for goodness’ sake! On Sunday, Fowler fought back after losing a final-round, overnight lead. It would have been the first time, nor even the fifth, that this fate would have befallen him. With no eye on him (you know, that lousy television coverage thing) the California native watched as fellow Golden Stater Collin Morikawa posted 64 to reach 24-under par. Moments later, Fowler’s playing partner, Adam “Tackling Dummy” Hadwin signed for 67 and the same figure. Fortunately for Fowler, he had stuffed his approach to the 72nd green, then dropped a four-feet putt to make the extra-holes party a threesome.

The trio of titans returned to the same, closing par-four hole for its first salvo. Fowler found the green, some fifteen feet from the hole. In the video below, you can tell that he thinks it might not have enough gas. When the ball falls in the side of the hole, the four-year wait is over. Would the world love a Fowler win at Hoylake in three weeks? Sure would, especially since the man in orange finished co-runner up there in 2014, the last time that Royal Liverpool hosted the championship.

DP World Tour @ British Masters: Hillier happens upon first title at Belfry

There were easily a dozen golfers within two shots of the top through 54 holes, including four at the top of the board. None of them was called Daniel Hillier, and none of them hailed from New Zealand. As the golf world knows, from multiple Ryder Cup matches, The Belfry can summon horrific collapses and heroic comebacks. Among the leaders, two shot plus-six on the final day this week, and another pair produced plus-three finales. On the flip side, a young Kiwi trotted out the round of his life, at a time when it mattered most.

Daniel Hillier had survived the cut with 72-71, then carded a 69 on Saturday, to move to minus-four on the week. His outward, Sunday nine of one-under par was a gentle bump, giving him thoughts of a top-ten finish. After a run of five pars to open the inward half, Hillier donned his magical cloak. From hole fifteen through hole seventeen, the two-time winner on the Challenge Tour delivered eagle-birdie-eagle to jump from five-deep to ten-under par. He flew past clubhouse leader Gunnar Wiebe and nested in a two-shot advantage. When the final groups could not remotely match his efforts, Hillier was off to Hoylake in Liverpool, site of the Open Championship, in three weeks’ time.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Memorial Health: Barjon brings victory to France in Illinois

Paul Barjon won the 2022 PGA Tour Canada’s Order of Merit and the accompanying promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. After his second 2023 win on the Korn Ferry Tour, Barjon will again uproot himself, as an elevation to the PGA Tour looms. Barjon closed with 65 on Sunday to reach 26-under par, but his win was far from a runaway victory. Tom Whitney closed with six consecutive birdies for 61 and 24-under par. He ultimately placed third for the week.

Even closer was Jackson Suber, who also stood ten-under on the day through 16 holes, thanks to six birdies, and eagles at 13 and 16. A misplayed tee shot on the par-three 17th resulted in bogey, and that was the stroke that kept Suber from a playoff. Barjon also made bogey at the same one-shotter, but he banged his approach on 18 off the flagstick, making par to seal win number two on the year.

PGA Tour Canada @ ATB Classic:

Davis Lamb did something extraordinary on Sunday: he preserved his third-round lead and emerged victorious in the season’s third event. PGA Tour Canada runs through the middle of September, but Lamb has his eyes set already on a promotion for next season. While Lamb’s co-leader dropped five shots to par and fell to a tie for 9th place, Lamb posted 70 on day four and held off Eric McCardle by three shots.

Maintaining your calm and focus while those around you struggle is not easy. Eric Lilleboe began round four with birdie on two of his first three holes. From there, the train went off its track and Lilleboe posted zero birdies against four bogeys and a triple on the way home. Lamb, meanwhile, had two double bogeys on his outward nine, but rediscovered his game on the inward half. He followed a double at nine with an eagle at ten, and added three birdies coming home. McCardle could do nothing against the surge, and settled for a runner-up finish.

PGA Tour Latinoamérica @ BUPA Tour Championship: 

Something about three-way playoffs this week. Alvaro Ortiz and Justin Doeden led the field at PGA Riviera Maya in Tulum after 54 holes, but neither was able to separate and win in regulation. Ortiz dropped to a fourth-place tie after seizing the lead with a three-under par 33 on Sunday. He came home in plus-three 39, missing the playoff by one agonizing shot. Doeden finished even closer. His 71st-hole birdie elevated him into a tie with countryman Chandler Blanchet of the USA, and Jeremy Gandon of France.

The trio set off for resolution in extra time. After all three scored par on the 18th hole, Gandon and Blanchet continued on with birdies, to Doeden’s par. The third go-round brought a par from Blanchet and a bogey from Gandon. The victory was the second of the campaign for the former UWest Florida golfer, and moved him into first place in the season-long TotalPlay Cup. Blanchet and nine others earned full playing privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024.

If his first win was any sort of predictor, Blanchet will enliven any event in which he tees it up. In March, Blanchet holed for eagle at the final hole to win his first @pgatourla event.

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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.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Dennis

    Jul 3, 2023 at 1:44 pm

    Why is Langers record just a side note? Is it because PGA Tour Champions is not taken seriously? Or because the ankering discussion? Or just because he is a European?

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News

Morning 9: 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour | Rory on possible return to policy board

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Friday morning, golf fans, may a bountiful weekend of golf be in store for you!

1. 58 on the Korn Ferry Tour

KFT staff report…”Frankie Capan III went crazy low Thursday on the Korn Ferry Tour. Nearly in record fashion.”

  • “Capan carded 13-under 58 in the opening round of the Veritex Bank Championship, matching the second lowest score in Korn Ferry Tour history. He fell one shy of Cristobal Del Solar’s record 57, set at the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard earlier this year, but it was a heck of a show nonetheless.”
  • “The Minnesota native played an eight-hole stretch in 9-under Thursday, following an eagle at the par-5 ninth with seven straight birdies to begin the back nine at par-71 Texas Rangers Golf Club. He “cooled off” with a two-putt par at the long par-4 17th hole. He arrived at the par-5 18th hole at 13 under for the round, but he found a fairway bunker off the tee, laid up to 134 yards and missed his third shot left of the green. He chipped to 7 feet and drained the par putt to match the Korn Ferry Tour’s second-lowest score of 58, carded by Stephan Jaeger in the opening round of the 2016 Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae.”
Full piece.

2. Team McIlowery starts strong

Paul Hodowanic for PGATour.com…”Late Thursday afternoon in New Orleans, Rory McIlroy rested his head on Shane Lowry’s shoulder.”

  • “It wasn’t the typical post-round moment, but this isn’t the typical event. McIlroy and Lowry teamed up for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA TOUR’s lone team event, and the all-Irish duo put on a show. Sporting matching pink-on-navy getups, McIlroy/Lowry opened in a best-ball 11-under 61 in Thursday’s Four-ball format at TPC Louisiana.”
  • “This partnership might have stemmed from a boozy brunch last fall, but their opening-round performance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gave the field a sobering reminder: They’ll be tough to top.”
Full piece.

3. LPGA Tour: Grace Kim in front

AP report…”Grace Kim shot a 7-under 64 at Wilshire Country Club to take the first-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”

  • “Playing in the morning session, the 23-year-old Australian capped her bogey-free round with a chip-in birdie on the par-3 18th.”
  • “Well, I chunked my tee shot on the last hole 20 meters short and then I chipped it in it,” Kim said. “I think that’s pretty cool, in front of everyone
Full piece.

4. McIlroy on rejoining policy board

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that he is willing to rejoin the PGA Tour policy board if the other player directors want him.”

  • “As first reported by the Guardian, Webb Simpson has submitted a letter stating that he’d like to resign from the board, but only if his vacant seat is filled by McIlroy, who stepped down last fall because of the toll it had taken on him professionally and personally.”
  • “Five months later, what has changed?”
  • “I think I can be helpful,” McIlroy said Wednesday ahead of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he is partnering with Shane Lowry. “I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess.”
Full piece.

5. Charlie Woods shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier

Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan…”Charlie Woods is going to have to wait to play in the U.S. Open.”

“The 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods played Thursday in local qualifying for the United States Golf Association’s national championship, set for June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Charlie played at The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and he shot 9-over 81.”

“Charlie’s round featured a bogey on his opening hole, the par-4 first. He then doubled the par-5 second. A pair of pars followed before his lone birdie on the front, but another double the next hole, the par-4 sixth, had him turn in 4-over 40.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the Zurich Classic

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.

Check out all our photos at the link below!

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

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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

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying about our photos from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in the forums.

 

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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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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour heads to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic.

1. 15-year-old finishes top 20 on KFT

Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”During a week when most eyes were on Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, the 15-year-old lefty finished off an incredible week with a five-under 66 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood Ranch in Florida.”

  • “After opening with 68-66-70, Russell finished at 14-under-par total to tie for 20th place. The finish in which he jumped 28 positions on the leaderboard on the final day, gives him an exemption into next week’s Veritex Bank Championship at Rangers Park in Arlington, Texas. He’s the youngest player to finish inside the top 20 on the PGA of Korn Ferry tours, according to records that go back to 1983.”
Full piece.

2. Understandably, Nelly WDs

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Nelly Korda’s bid for a record-setting sixth consecutive win will have to wait a few weeks.”

  • “A day after capturing the Chevron Championship during a marathon final round in Houston, Korda announced on social media that she was withdrawing from this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”
  • “It was not an easy decision,” she wrote. “After the unbelievable week at the Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted. With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”
Full piece.

3. Scheffler’s impressive No. 1 feat

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”After Scheffler’s victory Monday morning at the RBC Heritage, Scheffler upped his points average to 15.016 and increased his advantage in the Official World Golf Ranking over No. 2 Rory McIlroy to more than double McIlroy’s 7.365 average, meaning Scheffler is ranked further ahead of No. 2 than No. 2 is ahead of the last-ranked player.”

  • “The last time a No. 1 player had a greater points average was Woods, who was at 15.4564 on Dec. 6, 2009. But Woods was less than seven average points ahead of No. 2 Phil Mickelson at the time. Earlier that year, Woods was 7.735 ahead of Mickelson, which is the last time the gap between Nos. 1 and 2 was greater than Scheffler’s current 7.651 advantage.”
Full piece.

4. Zurich field notes

PGATour.com’s Adam Stanley…”Rory McIlroy will make his tournament debut alongside good pal, Ryder Cup teammate, and Irishman Shane Lowry – a duo that was firmed up during a celebratory lunch after the Ryder Cup last fall… Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will try to reprise their 2022 win here. Cantlay and Schauffele have both the Foursomes and Four-ball scoring records at this event… Davis Riley and Nick Hardy will defend their 2023 title. No team has gone back-to-back… Three sets of brothers (and two sets of twins!) will play together with twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard and Parker and Pierceson Coody in the field along with Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick. Alex Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Højgaard are sponsor invites…”

  • “Billy Horschel, who won last week at the Corales Puntacana Championship, will be without his previous partner Sam Burns, as Burns and his wife are expecting their first child any day. Horschel will instead be paired with fellow University of Florida alum Tyson Alexander. Horschel has won the Zurich Classic when it was both an individual and team event… Other notable pairings include Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris, and Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. The Canadian duo finished runner-up a year ago and would like nothing more than to show Presidents Cup International Team captain Mike Weir how well they play together… Steve Stricker will play his second TOUR event this season (after earning his way into THE PLAYERS Championship), teaming up with Matt Kuchar.”
Full piece.

5. Tiger’s teammates

Field Level Media report…”Tiger Woods announced Monday that Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner have joined his Jupiter Links GC TGL team.”

  • “The virtual golf league headed by Woods and Rory McIlroy will begin its inaugural season next January. Woods also unveiled the team’s logo.”
  • “I have already shared my excitement and optimism for TGL as a league and product,” said Woods. “Now that we have finalized our roster with a team of world-class golfers, I am even more confident that this group will proudly represent the Jupiter (Fla.) area and connect with our fans for years to come.”
Full piece.

6. Woosnam questions Cantlay’s decision

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After the horn sounded to suspend play due to darkness, Cantlay, who’s ball was in the fairway on the 18th hole, had a decision to make. With over 200 yards into the green and extreme winds working against the shot, conventional wisdom would be to wait until Monday morning to hit the shot.”

  • “On the other hand, if he could finish the hole, he may just want to get the event over with so he could get out of Hilton Head.”
  • “Curiously, Cantlay chose neither of those options. After hitting 3-wood into the green, and still coming up short, the former FedEx Cup champion chose to mark his ball and chip and putt on Monday morning.”
  • “Ian Woosnam, who was watching from home, took to X to give his thoughts on Cantlay’s decision making.”
  • “Cantlay would end up getting up and down for par when play resumed at 8:00 am Monday morning.”
Full piece.

7. JT on Scheffler’s “weird” equipment choice

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After Justin Thomas’ third round of the RBC Heritage, the two-time major champion went in the broadcast booth alongside the CBS crew.”

  • “While Thomas was watching Scottie Scheffler play on the back nine of his third round, he wondered aloud why Scottie uses high-numbered golf balls.”
  • “Does anybody else think it’s weird that Scottie uses high numbers? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an elite player use high-numbered golf balls.”
  • “Amanda Balionis who was on the grounds chimed in, reporting that analyst Dottie Pepper had wondered the same thing earlier that day.”
  • “I’ve been going about this wrong my whole life,” Thomas jokingly said.
Full piece.

8. Rory to rejoin PGA Tour policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy is poised to return to the PGA Tour’s policy board, pending a vote by the board, which could come as early as this week, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.”

  • “One of the PGA Tour’s most vocal supporters during its three-year battle with LIV Golf, McIlroy abruptly resigned as a player director on the tour’s influential policy board in November.”
  • “He is expected to replace policy board player director Webb Simpson, who intends to step away before his two-year term expires in 2025.”
Full piece.

9. Weir names Presidents Cup assistants

PGA Tour report…”International Team Captain Mike Weir announced Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29.

Full piece.
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