News

Tour Rundown: Scheffler dominant | Tardy arrives early

Published

2 years ago

Mar 11, 2024

With the Ides of March a few days off, it’s a proper time to remember that no lead is ever safe. Close finishes and playoffs aren’t always the case, but they seem to happen with great frequency. Such is the nature of this game of queens and kings. The PGA Tour celebrated events in Puerto Rico and Florida, while the Korn Ferry Tour competed in Chile. The LPGA held court in China, and the DP World Tour took divots in South Africa. Finally, the PGA Tour Champions concluded play in Arizona, long after the other events had wrapped their results.

PGA Tour @ Arnold Palmer Invitational: Scheffler exerts dominance

For a long, long time, the 2024 playing of the API was inconclusive. Shane Lowry took the lead, then Will Zalatoris entered the fray, and Wyndham Clark and Russell Henley both made appearances near the leaderboard’s summit. A wrangler from Texas, by the name of Scheffler, burst from the herd on Sunday. By the time his dust had settled, the 2022 Masters champion had carved space on his shelf for a 7th PGA Tour title.

Scheffler’s final-round of 66 strokes matched the low round of the week, posted by Shane Lowry on Thursday. Lowry gave up six shots to Scheffler on day four, posting 72, and finished in third place. Wyndham Clark signed for 66 on Friday, tying him with a train-car of golfers for the top spot. Round of 71-70 over the final 48 hours were enough to move him past Lowry, but not remotely close to challenging Scheffler.

Sunday saw the Texan turn in two-under 34. He distanced himself from pursuers with birdies at 10 and 11, and drove the final nails home with two more, at 15 and 16. Scheffler’s five-shot victory was the largest margin thus far in 2024. The tour moves north for its flagship event, the Players Championship, this week.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Chile Classic: Overtime selects Dickson

Trey Winstead had a lead through 54 holes in Chile, but he and playing partner Alvaro Ortiz did little to motivate each other on Sunday. Each struggled over the afternoon, amalgamating seven total bogies on the day. Each posted one-over par 73, clearing a path for the field to jump up and stake a claim on the title.

Garret Reband and Matt McCarthy were able to reach 16-under par for the week, but their efforts brought them into a third-place tie, one shot off the low number. Winstead dropped to 17-under par for the week, and was joined there by Taylor Dickson. After making bogey at the par-four 12th, Dickson closed with birdie at three of his last four holes, and joined Winstead for extra holes. The overnight leader struggled on the par-five closer, and a short putt for par handed Dickson the tournament title.

LPGA @ Blue Bay: Tardy arrives early with win

One of the subplots of the 2024 LPGA season is when Lydia Ko will win her next event. With the title will come automatic induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame, the most demanding shrine in sport. This week, Ko had another opportunity to punctuate that saga, but fell short. Despite holding a share of the lead on Saturday evening, the Kiwi was unable to produce a notable final round, and dropped to a tie for fourth position.

Matched on Sunday with the great New Zealand champion was untested Bailey Tardy. Tardy competed for the University of Georgia and made an appearance on the 2016 USA side in the Curtis Cup. She won professionally in 2021, on the Epson Tour, but saved her best work for Sunday at Blue Bay. A Saturday 66 brought her to the final pairing with Ko, but seven consecutive pars had her wonder if this was her week.

Tardy found the green in two at the par-five eighth, and rolled the putt home for eagle. Birdie at the 9th brought the engine to life, but a bogey at ten took her back to neutral. Over the next seven holes, Tardy reeled off five birdies, and separated herself from Ko. Sarah Schmelzel finished strong with 69, reaching 15-under par and solo second. Tardy’s safe par at the last concluded a 19-under week, and her first LPGA title.

DP World Tour @ Jonsson Workwear: Manassero completes comeback

2009-2010 was a lifetime ago for Matteo Manassero. As an amateur, he won the Amateur championship in 2009, and earned the low amateur medal at the Open championship. In 2010, he became the youngest amateur to survive the 36-hole cut at the Masters. With brilliance forecast, Manassero turned professional in 2010, and proceeded to earn a DP World Tour title each of the next four years. At some point in 2014, the faucet turned off and the titles stopped coming.

Ten years later, Manassero found himself in the cauldron in South Africa. Two homebreds named Lawrence and Norris were in the mix. They posted 63 and 68, respectively, on Sunday, and tied Jordan Smith for second at 23-under par. More than a decade since his last tour title, Manassero drank from the fountain of youth and won for a fifth time. At the young age of 30, there is still much potential ahead of him.

PGA Tour @ Puerto Rico Open: Garnett rises to new heights in extra holes

Ben Kohles has been close to PGA Tour glory before. On Sunday, he held the 54-hole lead at Rio Grande, but the 10th of March was not his day. Kohles fell ten shots overnight, from 63 to 73. Bogey at 1 and 18 sandwiched a 15th-hole birdie for Kohles, and he finished two shots out of a playoff for the title, in a tie for sixth spot. One shot better, at -18, was another trio. Victor Perez, Hayden Springer, and Jimmy Stanger were a close shave away from a birth in extra holes.

The playoff drama was left to Bryce Garnett and Erik Barnes, who matched cards at 19-deep. The duo would revisit the par-five closer three times. The first trip down the hole would result in pars. Journey number two was birdies, and the third visit found pars once more. Visit number four offered resolution: Barnes reached the back fringer in three, and was inside of Garnett on the green. Garnett drained his long putt, and Barnes was unable to match.

PGA Tour Champions @ Cologuard: A cup of Joe hits the spot in Tucson

A pro golfer looking at 60 is eerily reminiscent of a pirate looking at 40. Unlike the younger PGA Tour, members of the Champions Tour know that one decade on the elder tour equals three on the children’s one. If you don’t get your work done by 60, chances are you won’t. Joe Durant is closing in on 60, which made this week’s performance so memorable and valuable.

The Cologuard Classic appeared to be Stewart Cink’s opportunity to win a first senior event. At the 13th hole on Sunday, Cink lost his way and his lead. A triple-bogey seven, courtesy of a wayward wedge approach, dropped him out of the lead. He finished in a tie for seventh, after signing for a plus-two 73. Steven Alker, Jerry Kelly and Kevin Sutherland moved to 11-under par, and finished in a tie for second spot.

Surging past all of them was the yellow-ball-striking Joe Durant. The finest golfer to come out of Huntingdon College (Alabama) bounced back from a bogey at 10, with eagle at 11. He closed with seven pars to surge to 13-below and claim a fifth title on the seasoned circuit.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

7 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