News

Morning 9: Rahm throws first pitch in green jacket | Tiger takes stairs | Morikawa: TGL call rivalled Ryder Cup

Published

3 years ago

Nov 2, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the WWT Championship gets underway.

1. Wearing his green jacket, Rahm throws out first pitch

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”When you receive the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the World Series, you dress for the occasion.”

“For Jon Rahm, that meant breaking out his green jacket.”

“Rahm was tabbed for the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night as his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks hosted the Texas Rangers in Game 4 of the World Series.”

“While Rahm dressed the part, his pitch was well off the mark…”

Full piece.

2. Tiger takes the stairs in Cabo

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine, again…”As the designer for this week’s World Wide Technology Championship host layout, Tiger Woods is on hand early this week at Diamante’s El Cardonal course in Los Cabos, Mexico.”

“But Woods isn’t just merely in attendance, he’s walking down a huge flight of stairs – and seemingly with little effort.”

Full piece.

3. Morikawa: TGL call rivals Ryder Cup

Golf Digest’s Coleman Bentley…”he picked up the phone to find Los Angeles Golf Club co-owner Alex Ohanian on the other end extending an invite to come suit up for the L.A.-based franchise of Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s upstart TGL golf league. He said yes.”

“But that wasn’t all that he said. With cameras rolling, Morikawa stammered out something he probably shouldn’t have; something that, if true, probably says a lot about the state of U.S. team golf in November 2023. Check it out.”

“I just got chills through my body. I don’t think I’ve ever answered a call like this,” Morikawa said. “I mean, I got my Ryder Cup call this year, but this is … I think this tops it almost.”

Full piece.

4. Choosing med school over golf

Greg Gottfried for Golf Digest…”Natalie Srinivasan is a hell of a golfer. The Furman great hailing from South Carolina won the 2020 Annika Award (given annually to the top female collegiate golfer), finished out the 2022 season on the Epson Tour and will now be heading to medical school. Wait … what?”

“You heard that right. Sounds like Srinivasan is quite the double threat as she was recently accepted into the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine. “When I started to lose that mind control, that’s when I knew I couldn’t do this,” Srinivasan told Golfweek about the decision to leave the sport. “The passion wasn’t there.”

Full piece.

5. Couple caught copulating in Road Hole bunker?

Golf Digest’s Coleman Bentley…“The Old Course at St. Andrews is hallowed ground. Countless watershed moments — from Seve’s clinching birdie in 1984 to Tiger’s dominance in 2000 — have gone down at the so-called “home of golf.” For one current Old Course employee, however, nothing will ever be as memorable as what they witnessed in the Road Hole bunker earlier this week…”

“It’s dark and the camera work is a little shaky, but there’s no mistaking that scene, not in a million years. A man in a dark suit lies on his back in the sand. A woman with cocktail dress hiked up above her waist is hunched on top of him. They appear to be enjoying the various, unexpected undulations links golf has to offer, if you know what we mean.”

Full piece.

6. Iwai leads LPGA Japan Open

AP report…“Akie Iwai of Japan shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to lead the first round of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic.”

“Three other Japanese players — Nasa Hataoka, Yuna Nishimura and Mone Inami — were a stroke back after rounds of 64 at the Taiheiyo Club in north central Japan.

“Defending champion Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland was four back after a 67. American Rose Zhang was four back with a 68 in a very crowded field at the top.”

Full piece.

7. Aussie cricket star out of World Cup match after golf cart injury

Jonny Leighfield for Golf Monthly…”Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of his country’s Cricket World Cup group-stage clash with England on Saturday after suffering a concussion as a result of falling from a golf cart.”

“There were reportedly not enough seats for the players, with Maxwell said to be gripping onto the back of the cart on the way from the clubhouse to the team bus before falling off.

“The incident occurred on Monday when some members of the Australian squad went to play golf in Ahmedabad, India during a pre-planned day off. The five-time World Cup winners say Maxwell sustained no further damage and should return to the squad for the latter part of their group-stage fixtures.”

Full Piece.

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