Tour News
Remembering Ken Venturi
I’m a huge golf history buff and Friday, we lost one of the legendary characters of the game.
Ken Venturi, a larger-than-life over achiever, was told as a boy that he would be a lifetime stammerer. Little did any of us know, the stutter might have been one of the best things that ever happened to him. It led him to take up golf, a game where he found refuge from the constant struggle of overcoming that stammer. Of course he became a great player, and then spent 35 years in the booth announcing golf for CBS, proving of course, that he was capable of overcoming anything he put his mind to.
A legendary amateur, he never quite lived up to his billing as a pro and eventually became more famous as a commentator than as a player; which was unfortunate because we forgot how fine a player he was. He had 14 wins on the PGA Tour, and of course, what might go down as one of the most remarkable performances in U.S. Open history, his victory at the 1964 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club.
I was just a high school kid at the time and I remember watching a few holes on a old black and white TV, and I said to my father: “Why is that guy stumbling; he looks like a fighter who is about to be knocked out.” It was the damndest thing I ever saw.
That day in Bethesda, Md., the temperature was near 100 degrees. Kenny was so into competing and being in the lead, he consumed very little liquid, until it was almost too late. Every step looked as though he was going to fall flat on his face. He would barely make it to the ball, then he’d set up and, out of nowhere, just rip it. Playing golf totally from his subconscious, he shot 136 at Congressional that day (66-70), and to the end of his life would tell you he remembered very little of it!
He suffered from heat exhaustion and dehydration so bad that when he went to sign the scorecard at the end of the round, he couldn’t even see it. Joe Dey, USGA director at the time, was there and he said:
“Just sign it Kenny, it’s all correct.”
Between rounds (it was the last year the USGA held 36 holes on Saturday) Raymond Floyd, his fellow competitor told his wife, “He’s pretty sick.”
The doctor who tended to him after the morning round advised him not to go back out for fear “he might not make it,” to which Kenny was alleged to have said something like, “Well, anything would be better than the way I’ve been living.”
See, prior to 1964, Venturi had suffered an inexplicable loss of his game mostly due to a bad case of the hooks. Gardner Dickinson, another tour pro and friend, played a round with him in the winter before the Open in which Venturi hit 11 balls out of bounds. Needless to say he wasn’t an odds on favorite in the event.
But the darkest hour is often just before the dawn, and the sun, in all its intensity, broke over Congressional that week for Ken Venturi. He loved and respected the game too much to go quietly into that good night, and his health and game held up just long enough to win our National Open. A fitting tribute to a humble, great champion who loved the game of golf with every fiber of his being, and never forgot that the game of golf is “bigger than anyone who plays it.”
I’m sure he has a tee time up above with, most likely Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and his great lifetime friend, Harvey Ward. Play well Kenny, and thanks for all you did for our game.
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
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News
Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.
From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.
General Albums
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Monday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matthieu Pavon – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Keegan Bradley – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Webb Simpson – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Emiliano Grillo – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Taylor Pendrith – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Kevin Tway – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Pullout Albums
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rory McIlroy – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Eric Cole’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matt Kuchar’s custom Bettinardi – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Justin Thomas – driver change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler – putter change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s new custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Tommy Fleetwood testing a TaylorMade Spider Tour X (with custom neck) – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Cobra Darkspeed Volition driver – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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Lou Anderson
May 18, 2013 at 8:25 pm
I was there in 1964, a kid carrying a score sign. On the second 18, Ken kicked the turf with his heel on each tee and put the ball on the raised ground. Then he hit a low squirting fade that kept the ball in play. It was a great win. I played Congressional the next week. It was hot, hard and fast.