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Tour Rundown: The brave and the fortunate

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8 months ago

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The brave and the fortunate probably account for equal amounts of victories in professional sport. Technique, confidence, and execution have no substitute, but a fortunate break along the way, can decide the outcome. In South Africa, Max Homa was the beneficiary of a fortuitous parking job. Golf tournaments share little with life’s treachery and trauma, yet have a way of offering a bit of solace to those in need. A bit under forty months ago, the Villegas family lost their daughter to cancer. Today, Camilo Villegas won on the PGA Tour, for the first time in nine years. The other two events weren’t quite as poignant, but they had their moments. Enjoy one of the last Tour Rundowns of 2023. It has been a great ride as usual, and we are grateful that you came along.

PGA Tour Champions @ Charles Schwab Cup: The season comes down to Alker

With Steve Stricker tending to his hospitalized father (all is well with Papa Stricker) and unable to compete, there would be no double-double at this year’s Charles Schwab Cup. Stricker, you see, had already clinched the season-long points race, thanks to three major titles and three additional tour wins. His departure gave his colleagues an opportunity to win a few more dollars and possibly, some of that top-five, season bonus money.

Mr. 2022, Steven Alker, played the first three rounds at Phoenix Country Club as if he were privy to some incantation not known to the others. He stood at 17-under par 196, four shots clear of Alex Cejka. It should have been a done deal, the way Alker had played and carried himself, but there’s a reason that they play the final round. Noted on multiple occasions by commentators, Alker looked like a different golfer on Sunday: tentative, off-balance, and protective.

Early on, it was Ernie Els who made a run at the lead and, if not for a short miss at the 9th, he might have turned in 30 and scared the pants off Alker. Els cooled off on the inward half, but was strong enough to tie Stephen Ames for second place, at 17-deep. Despite making a near-mess of the 18th hole, Alker was able to coax a gnarly chip within 18 inches of the hole in four, then drop the putt for par and a one shot win. It wasn’t macho and it wasn’t pretty, but it was a win.

LPGA @ The Annika: Vu says me, not you, at The Annika

I would be remiss to not recognize fellow Demon Deacon Rachel Kuehn, on her T15 finish. Kuehn was one of two amateurs to earn a spot in the field. Both made the cut, an achievement in itself! With that formality out of the way, let’s clap our hands for Lilia Vu, who decided that 2023 would be the year of her coming-out party. We remember the dominant performance she put on for Team USA in the 2018 Curtis Cup at Quaker Ridge. For a time, she fell off our radar. She has returned with vigor.

If not for the year that Celine Boutier has had, Vu would be the runaway number one and player of the year. As things stand, it will all come down to next week at the CME Championship, two hours down Florida’s west coast from this week’s tournament site. Boutier will have to improve on this week’s MC, while Vu, will certainly roll into Tiburón Golf Club on the highest of highs.

Vu’s fourth win of the year came by three shots, over a pair of runners-up. She began the day three shots behind Emily Pedersen, who had ignited the course with rounds of 63-65-64. Sunday resembled none of those days for the young Danish golfer, and a final-hole double bogey not only dropped her to a tie for fifth position, but cost her a spot in the CME Tour Championship as well. In total contrast, Vu was the picture of composure. A solitary bogey at the 12th hole was offset by five birdies all around. In the end, her 66 was something, on the heels of a Saturday 62.

Boutier has been other-worldly this year, with four wins of her own, and Ruoning Yin cannot be ignored. With that said, it’s hard to bet against Lilia Vu. Naples should be the hottest ticket in golf next weekend.

PGA Tour @ Butterfield Bermuda: Villegas triunfa tras nueve años de luchar

It was revealed this week by a colleague, that Alex Noren is THE last guy off the practice range each night. One day, Noren will find the elixir that results in a PGA Tour triumph. He opened with 61 this week, and through eight holes on Sunday, still held on to first place. A pair of bogeys at the turn dropped him out of the top spot. Despite great effort, he finished in second position.

Camilo Villegas began the final round a single shot behind the leader. Villegas’ last of four tour wins came in 2014, in Greensboro. He had worked his way back to the big tour, serving a stint on the Korn Ferry Tour. Last week, Villegas challenged in Mexico before finishing in a second-place tie. This week, he found the trade winds and sands of Bermuda to be the ideal place to find his way home. From the mountains of Medellín, to the seas of the Atlantic, Villegas had returned.

Villegas made six birdies in his final-round 66, but none was more stunning, than the one he made at the 17th. With an opportunity to take a two-shot advantage to the final tee, Villegas found himself bunkered greenside in two. Not a bad place to be, unless you were on the short side, which he was. Trusting in all the hours of work, Villegas exploded his ball out of the abyss, over a mound, one inch onto the putting surface. From there, it trickled to within two feet for the birdie that he needed.

The entire world of golf walked the final 380 yards with Villegas, urging him on toward completion. When his drive reached the fairway, we breathed. When his approach reached the green, we breathed. When his first putt snuggled to within two feet of the hole, we breathed. And when Camilo Villegas tapped in, hugged his caddie, and spread his arms wide as every Hispanic compatriot showered him in agua y champaña, we cheered.

DP World Tour @ Nebank: Homa on the range

Max Homa earned his first international title this week in South Africa. The care-free Californian shared the lead after each of the first two rounds, then took a one-shot advantage over France’s Matthieu Pavon through 54 holes. Chasing the pair were the Højgaard brothers (Nicolai and Rasmus), alongside a number of DP World Tour stalwarts.

The final round was a mother lode for California, but a bust for France. While Homa matched his opening-round 66, Pavon went north to a 78, dropping 13 places to a tie for 15th. Three bogeys in the first five holes for Pavon were more than matched by Home, who stood three-under through six holes on Sunday. Even when Pavon finally made birdie at the ninth, Homa posted eagle.  At that juncture, the challenge came not from Pavon, but from a pair of Swedes.

Nicolai Højgaard and Thorbjørn Olesen were in the process of posting 68 and 69, respectively. When Homa made bogey at 11, a sliver of hope appeared. No birdies down the stretch for Nicolai, coupled with a double at 17 for Thorbjørn, drew the potential drama to a close. Homa secured his seventh top-tour win and first on the DP World Tour.

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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.

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Forum Giveaway: TaylorMade P7CB “Proto” irons

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14 hours ago

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Jul 22, 2024

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GolfWRX and TaylorMade Golf have teamed up for one of the most exciting giveaways in recent memory. We are giving away one (1) set (3-PW) of the P7CB “Proto” irons, built to order for one lucky forum member! These yet-to-be-released irons have recently made it into the bag for both Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa.

Collin Morikawa’s TaylorMade “proto” 4-iron

Do we really need to say more? Head over to the forum and enter now for your chance to win a set of irons that truly are 1 of 1.

Read more about the P7CB “Proto” irons

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CGOTY? It’s X at The Open at Royal Troon

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1 day ago

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Jul 21, 2024

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If golfers weren’t as humble as they are, they’d come up with trendy acronyms like G.O.A.T. and E.G.O.T #CGOTY would then stand for Champion Golf of the Year, the appellation that the Royal and Ancient confers upon its Open champion. As written, we are a humble lot, so there’s no need for such acronyms.

The Champion Golfer of the Year for 2024 is Xander Schauffele. He won his second major title of the year, having claimed the PGA Championship in May. The Open Championship is his third career win in a major, as Schauffele won the 2021 gold medal at the Olympics in Japan.

Over on TwitterX, I’ve made the claim that Royal Troon identifies one-off major champions better than any other course in the Open Championship rotation. Of its ten previous winners, seven never claimed a second major title. I suggested that Thirston Lawrence, Billy Horschel, and Russell Henley were as likely to win the jug as the other pursuers. Lowry, Schauffele, Rose, and others already held major trophies aloft. For most of the day, it looked as if another first-timer would join the ranks.

Before we get to that news, let’s chip away at some of the sub-headings.

The Silver Medalist

Eponymy’s Calum Scott (of Scotland) will recall the third week of July, 2024, with a special fondness. The Texas Tech (same school as Ludvig Aberg) earned a silver medal as the low amateur (LAGOTY?) at Royal Troon. Scott finished on eight over par, tied for overall 43rd place.

Spain’s Luis Masaveu came fourth among the wageless, posting +18 on the week. Tied for 2nd among the paupers were Amateur champion Jacob Skov Olesen of Denmark, and Tommy Morrison of the USA. Morrison had the day’s low round among the quartet, posting a 73.

There were plenty of highly-ranked amateurs at Royal Troon when the week began. One by one, they fell away. A tip of the cap to the winner of the silver medal.

The Weather

Essentially, it was a non-factor on day four. There was wind, but there’s always wind. There was zero rain, and after the first two hours in the early morning, the warmth arrived.

The Postage Stamp

Here’s the rub: if you’re playing well and with confidence, it’s a non-issue. It’s a wonderful little hole and, at 100 yards, it gave enough pause to consider going for the stick. Where the hole was on Sunday, there was no sense. Flight the shot between Coffin bunker and the hole, and take your chance with the flat stick. On day four, only Billy Horschel among the top six made bogey. Rose and Lowry had birdie, and the others made par. For Horschel, the four was just enough to throw him off his game, and even his closing burst would not prove to be enough.

The Chasers

Hats off to Justin Rose and Billy Horschel. They posted five birdies over their combined closing three. Rose found birdie at 16 and 18, to keep the pressure on his partner. Horschel closed with even more fire, reclaiming three shots for a career-best, runner-up in a major.

At day’s start, either one might have taken the 67 (Rose) or 68 (Horschel) and said that shall be enough to win. Horschel etched the same number of birdies (six) onto his card as did the winner, but he had those three crucial bogeys, at three, eight, and ten, to delay his progress just enough. As for Rose, he hoped to add a silver jug to his silver medal from 1998, as well as become the first qualifier to claim the crown in some time. Rose posted five birdies against one bogey, and could not have played much better golf. Trouble was, he ran into all that is formidable in his playing companion.

And there were others with admirable Sunday performances. Ryan Fox had 67, to move inside the top 25. Thriston Lawrence took the lead at the turn, held steady with 68, and earned a solo 4th finish for his labor. With the exception of Scottie Scheffler (72) all inside the top ten posted scores under par. On this day, it took 65 to stand out from the crowd.

The Champion

That 65 mentioned above, well, it belonged to the CGOTY.

Who knows when the switch flips? Ever more, who knows how to do it? When Xander Schauffele claimed Olympic Gold in 2021, it was anticipated that another major title would follow soon after. 2022 and 2023 went by with no such result. At Valhalla in May, Schauffele found something and went from best to never win a major to won a major. Now he has two. Here’s how he got there.

Eerily similar was the tally: six under par. The only difference between May and July, was the bogey at the par-five tenth in Kentucky. Schauffele rebounded with three birdies coming home, including one at the last, to hold off Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke. At Royal Troon, Schauffele was flawless. He posted six birdies against zero bogeys on day four. He drove the ball long and true, and putted for birdie on 16 of 18 holes. The California native was able to avoid the many sand pits that freckle the Royal Troon championship layout, ensuring that a pair of chip shots would be the only concerning moments.

With his second major of the year, Schauffele enters the conversation for golfer of the year. Scheffler has six wins on the year, including a major. If Xander can medal in Paris, and win once or twice on the PGA Tour, he just might add that recognition to today’s laurel.

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5 Things We Learned: Day 3 at The Open Championship

Published

2 days ago

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Jul 20, 2024

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It’s like being a parent. You know what will happen, but you still need to let the circumstances play out. Once the idea of rain coming into the picture for Saturday afternoon was established, posit after posit came out. Get out early and post a number was the most popular and logical one. No matter how well the leaders start, the coming home will be merciless was a less-common one, but no less accurate.

Shane Lowry made birdie at the 4th hole to reach eight-under par. At that point, he had a three-shot advantage over his playing companion. He would get no farther. A tugged tee ball at eight led to a double bogey, and five more bogeys came his way. The most gutting came at number 18, a hole that he had played in six shots through two rounds. You might think that 77 on day three of a major championship would be a death knell, but Lowry is just three shots behind the leader. He’ll have a legitimate shot on Sunday, as will 13 other golfers.

Fourteen golfers are within five shots of Billy Horschel, the third-round leader. He’s at four-under par, despite weathering the worst of the weather. At least one of those fourteen will post a 65 on Sunday. It may not be enough. The 2024 major tournament season will end on Sunday, and should feature high drama. With that in mind, let’s sumarize Saturday in, oh, five things that we learned. How does that sound?

1. No one went away

As I alluded in the intro, no one in contention at the start of the day has gone adrift. Seven-under par had the lead after 36 holes, and four-deep (also alluded) is the new standard. I’ve been conservative in suggesting that five shots out is the most to be overcome. Circumstances dictate that someone six or seven back, with the correct mergin of fate and execution, could hoist the Claret Jug come Sunday evening, even if he has to play from the opposite side of the ball.

2. Billy Ho says Yo!

Why not Billy Ho? Why not, indeed! Horschel is a fit, focused, and talented golfer. He grabbed four shots from par on the outward nine, turning in 32. He shed grit and gravel coming home, finding a way to manage the inward side in 37 shots. Horschel has never held the solo lead in a professional major championship on the eve of decision day, so he’ll sleep differently tonight. Ultimately, how he and Micah Fugitt (his caddy) come to termsn with the reckoning, will decide his fate in the tournament.

3. Can Sugar Shane Lowry rebound?

2019 was a different set of circumstances for the 36-hole leader. He held a large lead through 54 holes, and he managed to claim a six-shot win over Tommy Fleetwood. Tonight, there might be some doubts. More likely, there will be frustration, followed by gratitude. Frustration at the shots that got away, most importantly the tee shot at Postage Stamp. That’s where the sweater began to unravel, as a visit to Coffin bunker led to his inglorious double bogey. Gratitude should follow, that he is but three in arrears, with a spot in the fifth-last game, paired with the affable Adam Scott. Look for Lowry to figure in the outcome.

4. This guy is due for a run

Justin Thomas has lit the front nine better than any other golfer this week. Wait, scratch that. He made five birdies heading away on both Thursday and Saturday. Friday was a different story, where he played the opening half as you or I would. What makes the difference? Who could possibly know. Will Justin Thomas make a run on Sunday afternoon? No, but Jason Day will. The Malbon Man will turn in six-under par 30. His problem is that he is eight shots back of Horschel, and has zero chance on Sunday. What his score will paint, however, is a picture of what might be, and that will serve to inspire those behind him.

5. How do you pick just one?

You don’t. Sam Burns and Thriston Lawrence posted 65 on day three, to move to three-under par. Russell Henley wasn’t far behind on the day, posting 66 to also reach 210 after 54 holes. Justin Rose and Daniel Brown had 73s but, like Lowry, they are still in the running. Xander Schauffele, the first-time major champion at the 2024 PGA Championship, is at three-deep as well. Oh, and the Masters champion, he of the fancy footwork, is but two off the lead. This is as deep and talented a group of challengers as we’ve seen in more than a minute. I won’t pick a winner today (I made my choice yesterday) but I do promise you that you will see more than one person’s share of fun shots like this one.

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WITB

Whats in the Bag13 hours ago

Cameron Young WITB 2024 (July)

Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra Tour Z5 65 M5 3-wood: Titleist GT2 (13.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K...
Whats in the Bag14 hours ago

Tony Finau WITB 2024 (July)

Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @8.5) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 70 TX 3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond...
Whats in the Bag16 hours ago

Collin Morikawa WITB 2024 (July)

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches) 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM TI (14...
Whats in the Bag16 hours ago

Wyndham Clark WITB 2024 (July)

Wyndham Clark what’s in the bag accurate as of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.  Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees)   Shaft:...

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