News

Morning 9: Phil aids pro | Rory details Ryder Cup rage | Tiger falls to career-low ranking

Published

3 years ago

Nov 14, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the RSM Classic.

1. Mickelson aids pro with Q-School prep

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Phil Mickelson has taken a lot of heat over the past few years. Whether it be his unpopular move to LIV Golf after calling the Saudi’s “scary mother fu*****” to author Alan Shipnuck, or the story from the famous gambler Billy Walters that Phil bet close to a billion dollars over the course of a decade, it’s been an endless sea of negative headlines.”

“However, over the weekend, Mickelson went above and beyond to help an aspiring PGA Tour player, as shared by “Monday Q Info” on X.”

“After the first stage of Q-school I sent @PhilMickelson a DM, asking him to help @markbaldwin1 get ready for 2nd stage. I didn’t tell Mark because I never thought phil would respond. Instead, 3 hours later Phil said yes. And this weekend Mark has had “the coolest experience.”

“I cannot explain how hard this was to not tweet about over the last two weeks. I wanted to respect Phil’s privacy and although obv great content the goal was for Mark to get ready for Q-School so I didn’t want to cause any distractions, and that is Phil’s backyard.”

Full piece.

2. Rory raged

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While doing an interview with the “Irish Independent“, Rory McIlroy shared some more details regarding the argument he had with Joe LaCava at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.”

“The altercation stemmed from a report that indicated Patrick Cantlay was not wearing a hat during play as a protest for not getting paid during the Ryder Cup. After he drilled a clutch putt in the match against McIlroy, the United States team all waved their hat in support of Cantlay. LaCava joined in while on the green and according to McIlroy, went on a bit too long.”

“Here’s what angered me, my relationship with Cantlay is average at best. We don’t have a ton in common and see the world quite differently.

“But when I saw he was getting stick on the 17th and 18th greens, I tried to quieten the crowd for him. And I don’t think Fitz and I were afforded the same opportunity to try and hole those putts to halve the match.

“I hit a decent putt but I under-read it basically, and Fitz hit a good putt but left it short, right in the jaws.”

“I shook Joe’s hand, and Patrick’s hand. Those three putts he made on 16, 17 and 18 were fantastic, and under that pressure, to give your team a glimmer of hope going into Sunday was big balls. So, all respect to him.

“There was a bit of argy-bargy at the back of the 18th green with Fred Couples and Thomas Bjorn – and that’s fine – but as I’m walking back to the locker room I can feel this red mist coming over me: ‘No! That wasn’t right.”

“As we’re getting up to leave I’m like, ‘I’m going into their locker room now to sort this out, and Shane was like, ‘No Rory. Bad idea.’”

Full piece.

3. More TGL team members announced

PGATour.com report…”Atlanta Drive Golf Club (GC) announced Monday that Patrick Cantlay, currently the fifth-ranked player in the world, seven-time PGA TOUR winner Billy Horschel and six-time PGA TOUR winner Lucas Glover have joined the team representing Atlanta in TGL, the new tech-forward, primetime team golf league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports in partnership with the PGA TOUR.”

“The trio joins Justin Thomas to complete the inaugural Atlanta Drive GC roster.”

“This is a special day for Atlanta Drive GC and AMB Sports and Entertainment,” said Dick Sullivan, CEO, PGA TOUR Superstore and executive overseeing Atlanta Drive GC. “With these elite players joining Justin Thomas as the members of our team, we have put together a player roster that illustrates what we want Atlanta Drive GC to be – competitive, consistent and always in contention to win.”

Full piece.

4. Twins tee it up at RSM

Paul Hodowanic for PGATour.com…”There’s a unique bond between the brothers centered around a shared dream: Playing on the PGA TOUR. Each was a highly-touted junior golfer recruited by top Division I schools. They briefly veered off their inseparable path, choosing different colleges before Maxwell transferred after two seasons at the University of Georgia and joined David at North Carolina. Both have remained tantalizing prospects. David ranks fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Maxwell ranks 30th.”

“Now, they’ll get the first taste of their dream. Both are in the field at The RSM Classic. They are the third pair of twins to compete on TOUR this season. Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard competed at The Open Championship while Pierceson and Parker Coody both played The Honda Classic.”

“David qualified for the event by winning the 2023 Jones Cup, a prestigious amateur event held annually at Sea Island Golf Club in January. Former winners include Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia and Corey Conners.”

“Maxwell initially hoped to play his way in through the Monday qualifier but received a sponsor’s exemption shortly before the event.”

Full piece.

5. How Gordon Sargent bombs it

Golf Digest’s Luke Kerr-Dineen…”The truth is there’s no one reason why a golfer can hit a ball 380 yards. Sargent does lots of things well in his golf swing which give him his unbelievable speed. But perhaps the key move in his golf swing comes right here, at the top of his backswing.”

“Look closely and you’ll see as his hands and arms complete his backswing, his hips begin unwinding towards the target.”

“It’s a small movement, but this helps Sargent create an incredible amount of torque, which he uses to create such incredible speed.”

“The reason why is because of a concept called X-Factor, a really innovative breakthrough that was created and popularized by the legendary teacher Jim McClean.”

Full piece.

6. Berkshire on record-breaking blast

Craig Dolch for the Palm Beach Post…”While having lunch in Bear Lakes’ new clubhouse last week, Berkshire reflected on that moment.”

“When I caught that ball, I knew it was the hardest ball I hit,” said Berkshire, a 27-year-old Orlando resident who is known for his long dark hair. “It was also spinning enough to stay in the air with a tailwind. With the wind coming off the right, I had a 10-yard-wide window where the ball would carry into the fairway. It felt amazing.”

“Berkshire understands most golf fans focus on the yardage of his drives, but he and his peers use the ball speed coming off their extended drivers as the true barometer of their talent. Berkshire set a world record with a ball speed of 241.6 mph.”

Full piece.

7. Woodland hitting balls after brain surgery

Gabrielle Herzig for SI…”On Sept. 18, Gary Woodland’s family updated his followers that his brain surgery and tumor removal was successful. The news was a relief, but it was still unclear when fans would see the U.S. Open champion swinging again.”

“Now, less than two months after the procedure, Woodland is not only holding a club, but it appears that he is gearing up for a return to competition in the coming year.

“This journey has been very hard but I’m extremely thankful to be progressing and for the unconditional love and support from everyone,” Woodland wrote on Instagram. “You’ve all made this process a little easier for me and my family. Thank you to everyone and I look forward to seeing you all next year.”

Full Piece.

8. Tiger falls to career low

9. Photos from the RSM Classic

Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event.

Full Piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

2 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