News

Collision course: A new No. 1 and the “old Tiger”

Published

14 years ago

Mar 5, 2012

Michael Williams

By Michael Williams

Special to GolfWRX

Sports debate is driven by fact but the destination is an opinion. Even when the scoreboard is clear cut, there are varying conclusions that can be drawn about who is the best, as opposed to who was better on a given day.

By 6 p.m. on Sunday, two conclusions were clear by fact and reasonably informed opinion; Rory McIlroy is the best player in the world. And Tiger Woods is still the most important player in the word. These two were finally linked in competition rather than idle conversation and hopefully the world can look forward to them drafting off each other like a couple of stock cars for the foreseeable future.

McIlroy finally succeeded in assuming the top world ranking, an occurrence with all the inevitability of day following night. He roamed the Jack Nicklaus layout with equal parts fire and ice. He hit prodigious drives and laser-like irons into the stiff Florida winds to pins that were hidden like Easter eggs. And on the rare occasions where his full swing failed him, his short game came to the rescue. McIlroy’s wedge and bunker play had been a perceived weakness; this week, it was razor sharp. And he saved par time after time with putts of six to eight feet, a pre-requisite for the best player in the world. As the wax wings of journeyman Tom Gillis and the other contenders began to melt on the back nine on Sunday, it appeared that the prince would become the King without dispute.

And then, after two years of being Eldrick Woods, Eldrick suddenly became Tiger again. Woods’ ball-striking had been good in recent outings; on Sunday it was superb. The last time Woods led a tournament in driving distance, McIlroy was sweating his 8^th grade science project, but Woods did it this week. He also led the field in a stat called Proximity to the Hole … stop it … which essentially means that he was hitting his drives far and his irons close. He finally put together a round of solid ball-striking and lights out putting, and most significantly he did it on Sunday. And you could almost hear the sound of televisions switching to watch a routine PGA Tour event, made special because the most talked about athlete since Michael Jordan was doing that thing he does. When Tiger is at his best, it’s not just a sporting event. It’s a social event.

Tiger and Rory both fit the profile of the golf titans: They won early in their careers, they win often, and they win important. And if the gods are smiling, they can add one more facet of glory to each other with every event they participate in together: they can win against each other. You got the feeling yesterday that after losing sight of Nicklaus’ legacy, which for so long had been his aim point on the horizon, Tiger had found a closer target. If he was to be the once and future King, he needed to vanquish this new knight. And he very nearly did, and he went about it in the fashion that makes Tiger an amalgamation of the best qualities of the best players who ever lived. He was long like Nicklaus, precise like Jones, relentless like Hogan. And on the par five 18^th, blasting a mid-iron 220 yards to eight feet and then dropping the eagle putt to put up a career final-round best 62, he could only be compared to himself.

And McIlroy, this improbably gifted young player, showed that behind the tousled mop of hair and the Gerber baby cheeks are a will and determination to match the ability and the ambition. McIlroy had to protect a wafer-thin two shot lead through the Bear Trap, arguably the toughest stretch of holes anywhere on Tour. And there was no doubt that he knew what was happening, as the echoes of each step in Woods’ assault was punctuated with the roars of the grateful crowd. But where McIlroy had been spectacular on previous days, he was wise and cunning on Sunday. He protected par like a jealous boyfriend, making his number from deep rough, treacherous sand and wayward locations on the greens. On No. 18, he opted for rational rather than remarkable, laying up in the fairway and easing into his par and the championship like fighter pilot making a routing landing, preserving his two shot lead and the championship.

Maverick and Iceman, indeed.

I admit I got emotional watching on Sunday. I was happy for both McIlroy’s ascendance and Woods’ resurgence. I was even happy for Gillis, who sank a putt that tied him with Woods for second, won him about $200,000 additional dollars and validated the career ticket he’d been carrying for 15 years. But the source of the chills that I felt was the fact these two battling for supremacy had made the Honda Classic seem like the fifth major. Augusta awaits, ready to play leading lady to these supreme actors. Both of them seek dominance in posterity and in the now. Tiger never had the chance to compete against Nicklaus in his prime; he could only use Nicklaus’ record as a road map on a journey he was making solo. It appears that another traveler is in view and while Tiger may get there first, Rory has intentions of matching him step for step. And because he is doing so against Woods, the entire world will be watching. Not only to see him win, but to see him try to do it against the best of this or possibly any other generation. Oh, and Mickelson will probably be there, too.

To coin a phrase, I can’t wait.

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.

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

5 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