News

Morning 9: Erik van Rooyen eagles last for win | Inami victorious in Japan | 56 of 56 fairways

Published

3 years ago

Nov 6, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Erik van Rooyen delivered a masterclass down the stretch to win the WWT Championship.

1. Erik van Rooyen eagles last for victory

AP report…” Erik van Rooyen made a 16-foot eagle putt on the par-5 closing hole Sunday to win the World Wide Technology Championship, a day after Matt Kuchar squandered a six-stroke lead with a late meltdown.”

“Playing alongside Kuchar at Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante on the tip of Baja California, van Rooyen played the back nine in 8-under 28 in a 9-under 63. He finished at 27-under 261, two strokes ahead of Kuchar and Camilo Villegas.”

Full piece.

2. Van Rooyen pays tribute to terminally ill friend

Michael Weston for Golf Monthly…”Erik van Rooyen may have just got his career back on track after winning the World Wide Technology Championship, a victory that gives him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, but there was only thing on his mind on Sunday evening – getting home to see his best friend, Jon Trasamar, who has terminal cancer.”

“Quite numb,” responded van Rooyen, when asked to reflect on what was an incredible victory. “You imagine yourself full of euphoria and just being ecstatic and I was just numb. I think it’s because of everything the past six days with my friend Jon being so sick. I guess just the moment just hasn’t hit me yet.”

“Trasamar had beaten cancer, but van Rooyen learned on Tuesday that his friend was sick again, and that the illness had spread throughout his body.”

“After securing his second PGA Tour title, he revealed that Trasamar, who was best man at his wedding just nine years ago, only has six to 10 weeks left to live.”

Full piece.

3 LPGA: Inami wins in Japan

AP report…”Mone Inami of Japan shot a 3-under 69 on Sunday to win the LPGA’s Japan Classic by one shot over Seon Woo Bae of South Korea and Shiho Kuwaki of Japan. It was the first win on the LPGA Tour for the 24-year-old.”

“Inami finished at 22-under 266 for the four rounds. Bae closed with a 67 and Kuwaki, who shared the lead after three rounds, slipped to a 71 at the Taiheiyo Club in north central Japan.”

Full piece.

4. Sarit Suwannarut takes China Open

Reuters report…”Sarit Suwannarut won the Volvo China Open by 6 strokes Sunday as the Thai player blitzed the course with 10 birdies to overcome a 3-shot overnight deficit and take the title ahead of Taichi Kho and Chen Guxin.”

“Sarit completed his final round at Shenzhen’s Hidden Grace Golf Club in an 8-under 64 to overtake third-round leader Chen, who endured a difficult day with a 1-over 73 but still finished in a tie for second with Kho.”

Full piece.

5. An important double

DP World Tour report…”Marco Penge concluded an outstanding week by becoming the second Englishman in as many years to win the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A and the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings double.”

“The 25-year-old posted a closing three under par round of 69 to move to ten under par for the week and secure an emphatic six stroke victory over Frenchman Tom Vaillant, who finished in solo second at Club de Golf Alcanada to also break into the Road to Mallorca top 21 and clinch promotion to the DP World Tour.”

“Penge follows in the footsteps of countryman Nathan Kimsey who triumphed at the season finale 12 months ago to win the Rankings, and he becomes the 13th Challenge Tour Number One to hail from England.”

Full piece.

6. Harrington takes Timbertech

Reuters report…”Padraig Harrington used a torrid start to his final round to run away with the TimberTech Championship title on Sunday in Boca Raton, Florida.”

“Harrington birdied six of his first seven holes en route to a final-round, 7-under 64. At 16-under 197 for the weekend, Harrington posted a whopping seven-shot victory at the Old Course at Broken Sound.”

Full piece.

7. Report: PGA Tour players can participate in LIV Golf qualifying event

Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan…”The stranglehold over the future of professional golf seems to have loosened, even if only a bit.”

“PGA Tour members will be allowed to participate in LIV Golf’s promotional event next month without being suspended, per a Golf Channel report. The qualifier is set for Dec. 8-10 in the United Arab Emirates.”

“Based on the information publicly available regarding the LIV Golf Promotion event; it is determined to be a qualifying event only and not a part of an unauthorized series. Therefore, the LIV Golf Promotion event is not categorized as an ‘Unauthorized Tournament,’” a Tour spokesman said in a statement. “This classification is subject to change should the details of the event change.”

Full Piece.

8. 56 of 56 fairways

Golfweek’s Adam Woodard…”Wide fairways were a talking point all week as the PGA Tour hosted its first event at a Tiger Woods-designed golf course.”

“But just how wide are the fairways at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico? Adam Long hit 56-of-56 fairways over the four rounds of the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship to become the first player with 100 percent driving accuracy in a Tour event since Brian Claar at the 1992 Memorial Tournament. Long finished T-23 at 17 under, 10 shots behind the winner Erik van Rooyen.”

Full Piece.

9. Erik van Rooyen’s winning WITB

Driver: Callaway Paradym (9 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 60 TX

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (17 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT, Callaway Apex TCB (4), Callaway Apex MB (5-PW)

Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 95 X (UT), KBS Tour-V 120 X (5-PW)

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 58-08C)

Shafts: KBS Tour-V 120 X

Putter: Odyssey Toulon Design San Diego

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

Full WITB.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

15 mins ago

Jun 3, 2026

Ben A

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

2 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