News

Inside Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach

Published

14 years ago

Feb 14, 2012

Michael Williams

By Michael Williams

Special to GolfWRX

Ok, let’s start with a show of hands: how many of you out there predicting that Ken “Tin Cup” Duke would be in contention at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I’ll admit that I thought that for the first three rounds I thought he was the head of global banking for Wachovia; turns out he’s a Tour pro who flirted with victory but fell victim to Sunday pressure and a shaky putter to shoot a disappointing 74.

But he beat Tiger Woods by a shot on Sunday.

In one of the marquee matchups that the sport both craves and requires, Phil Mickelson was paired with Tiger in the next to last group at a venue where they have both enjoyed success. Mickelson put a good old-fashioned beatdown on Tiger, besting him by 11 stokes. For goodness sake, after the sixth hole Tony Romo was carrying that team.

So there are four things to consider as we sip our morning coffee; Tiger’s performance standalone, Phil’s performance standalone, the state of their rivalry and what Sunday’s results can tell us about future outcomes.

While Woods suffered through yet another Sunday, Bloody Sunday, Phil Mickelson played some of the most inspired golf that he has produced for years. It always seems that Mickelson can contend anywhere on the Tour’s California swing. But on Sunday he did more than contend; he dominated. After a recent adjustment from Butch Harmon, Mickelson was long and straight off the tee and dialed in with he irons, putting up sensational numbers like 93 percent driving accuracy and 77 percent greens in regulation.

Given all of that, the most impressive numbers for Phil were 5-under, 12, 15, and 204. 5-under is the score that Mickelson put up for the first six holes, putting the entire field on notice that it would have to go low or go home. 12 is the hole where Tiger holed out of a greenside bunker, momentarily sparking hope for a back-nine miracle. But Mickelson promptly squashed that notion with a scintillating 30-foot par putt; and for good measure he saved par again on 15 with a 40-foot bomb. And what about 204? That’s the distance of Mickelson’s tee shot on the 543-yard 18^th. Rather than risk disaster needlessly, Mickelson hit two short, straight shots to leave himself with 111 yards. He spun a wedge to 5 feet and dropped nailed that one for a birdie that clinched the title. Clearly, Phil had discovered what all of us bums have known for years; it’s a much easier game out of the fairway. In past years, he might have been convinced to “make a statement” and go for eagle on the 18^th. And where the tents were at Winged Foot, there was nothing but the Pacific Ocean to catch any errant shots by Mickelson. But this time he traded guts for glory. It’s the kind of mature decision-making that doesn’t necessarily win events but it definitely doesn’t give them away senselessly.

Tiger on the other hand, would be glad to have a solid performance on any given Sunday. He seemed tentative about his technique yet again, taking more and more exaggerated practice swings in an effort to conjure up some muscle memory. He gave new meaning to the phrase “Sunday Driver”, his ball flying to one side of the course while his club was helicoptering to Earth in the other direction. His irons were imprecise at best, sloppy at worst. But more disturbing than Tiger’s overall performance was his disastrous putting. He seemed rock solid with the flat stick on the same course the day before, but on Sunday he was lost. He had neither green speed or line locked in, making every putt an adventure. And on the short putts, Woods has seemingly switch places with Mickelson. Tiger has been the best quite possibly the best short putter of all time; Phil on the other hand could take the easiest gimme and turn it into a tragi-comic tale. But yesterday it was Phil who looked confident over every putt from every distance, while Tiger could only drop his head and silently whisper, “Serenity Now”. The enduring image of the weekend is Mickelson looking on in disbelief as his nemesis rammed a 3-foot birdie putt 6 feet past the hole. “I want it…but not like this,” was the sentiment his expression conveyed.

As for the rivalry, it can be summed up in these words; Phil currently owns Tiger. The last five times they have ben paired together, Phil has put up a better score; three of those times he has won the event. It’s like the old joke about the Yankees and the Red Sox; calling that a rivalry is like saying there is a rivalry between a hammer and a nail.

It’s way early in the season and there is only so much that can be extrapolated from one event, from one round … but let’s give it a whirl. Phil has clearly found another gear, but it’s one thing to have it on Sunday in February and quite another to have it on the four Sundays that mean the most. Woods is clearly playing good golf, but without the ability to close the deal he will be will conjure up fewer comparisons to Jack and more comparisons to Sergio. Augusta will be epic. Epic.

Ironically, Tiger can find some solace in Mickelson’s performance. Their lives have parallels that can be instructive for Woods. Before Winged Foot in 2007, Mickelson was attempting to win his third consecutive major and become the dominant player in the world. After Winged Foot, his psyche was shattered in a similar the way that Woods’ was. Mickelson was beset with challenges off the course as well as on the course, challenges that demanded more of him as a man than as a golfer. He has come through the storms and he is a better man and quite possibly a better golfer. This is precisely the outcome that Woods is seeking.

As for Mickelson, his 40^th Tour win puts him in a different place. He is one of only nine golfers to achieve that feat, putting him one clear of Tom Watson and just a few back of the great Walter Hagen. At 41, he can look to supplant Vijay Singh as the gold standard for late-career success. He is healthy, confident and at peace. But he should not get complacent. Predatory cats in the rear view mirror are bigger, better and more determined than they appear.

Michael Williams is the contributing editor of Newschannel8 Capital Golf Weekly and Bunkershot.com, as well as a member of the Golf Writers Association of America.

You can follow Michael on twitter — @Michaelontv

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

3 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