Tour News
Tour Mash: Matsuyama hangs on, Varner III breaks through
We fibbed a bit last week. This was not our final 2016 installment of Tour Mash. Too much happened this week, so we came back for another serving of our favorite dish.
What’s in it for you? The welcome-home party for a prodigal son, a win for the ages (or the aged) and a big win in South Africa. Keep calm and mash on, one last time for 2016.
Hero World Challenge much closer than anticipated
Game. Set. Match.#QuickHits https://t.co/8rA50GkoBD
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 4, 2016
Hideki Matsuyama came into the Hero World Challenge on a hot streak with wins in three of his last four events. On Sunday in the Bahamas, the 24-year-old had to stare down the Champion Golfer of the Year, Henrik Stenson, in order to claim a fourth fall title. He nearly didn’t.
After making 22 birdies and two eagles through the first 63 holes, Matsuyama played the final nine in 3-over par, with a bogey, a double bogey and zero birdies. Partnered with the leader for the final round, Stenson found a way to narrow the gap to two strokes with two holes to play. The intimidating Swede should have been closer, but he three-putted the par-5 15th for par.
Related: See what clubs Matsuyama used to win.
With the tournament and his confidence on the line, Matsuyama found pars on the final two holes to retain his two-shot advantage and secure the title. Third place was shared by Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson.
Tiger’s Return: Keep the card clean
Shades of his glory days.#ShotOfTheDay https://t.co/I4zQffEiJy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 3, 2016
Twenty birdies and two eagles versus 19 birdies. The former belonged to Hideki Matsuyama, in first place entering Round 4; the latter was owned by Tiger Woods, 11 strokes in arrears after the third day.
While the golf world was beyond giddy to have the great one in competition and in the hunt again, an old threat reared its head: the big numbers. In pro golf, a double bogey is a big number and Tiger had three through Saturday’s end (he also bogeyed three par-5s). Most came from his recent scourge, faulty driving. The big cat sums it up in four words: keep the card clean. If it happens often next spring, his return will be complete.
Varner III wins Aussie PGA by two strokes
17 straight Aussie winners at the Australian PGA Championship …
That changed tonight.
Congrats, @HV3_Golf!
???? #WeHere pic.twitter.com/vNbr27OEpd
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 4, 2016
Harold Varner III traveled halfway around the world to reel in his first big tour win. After his performance over the Royal Pines Eesort in Queensland, Australia, a PGA Tour victory should arrive in 2017. Varner lit the course with nine birdies on Sunday, posting a 7-under 65 to chase down Australian’s Andrew Dodt and Adam Scott. He finished two shots clear of Dodt at 19-under.
Dodt had a bogey-free round on Sunday, but only three birdies to show for his efforts. Scott had an eagle on No. 15 to resume his chase, but was unable to improve his lot over the closing triumvirate of holes. For Varner, the win will also ensure an improvement of his current world ranking of 184th.
Alfred Dunhill in South Africa a Stone-cold lock
A touch of class from @BrandonMStone.#DunhillChamps https://t.co/2xgYGc2Qtz
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 4, 2016
As Charl Schwartzel walked the third fairway, he glanced over and waved back to the final grouping, where countryman and leader Brandon Stone returned the greeting. It was as if the 2011 Masters champion might have said, “Good luck on your walk to victory.” Stone added the Dunhill to his 2016 South African Open title, giving him two European Tour titles in his young career.
After five consecutive pars to open the final round, Stone got going at No. 6. He posted six birdies from holes Nos. 6-14 to pull away from the field. Schwartzel, three strokes behind at dawn’s break, made bogey-triple on the two inward par-5s to fall to a fourth-place tie. In second place at 15-under, seven strokes behind Stone, was another RSA guy, Richard Sterne. Thomas Detry of Belgium claimed third spot at 13-under.
Kumar wins Panasonic Open India for first Asian Tour title
Congratulations to Mukesh Kumar for claiming his first AT title at #PanasonicOpenIndia! He is now the oldest winner on Tour. Well done! pic.twitter.com/3EwcA9bwYE
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) December 4, 2016
Jyoti Rhandawa, 44, might have felt a bit old in relationship to the field… if not for the presence of Makesh Kumar. The 51-year old Kumar held off countrymen Rhandawa and Rashid Khan (a comparable baby at just 25 years old) by one stroke to win his first Asian Tour title, becoming the oldest winner on the tour in the process.
After the subtropical rains decided that only three rounds would work for this year’s Panasonic Open India, Kumar took full advantage and posted a 2-under 70 on day three to hold off the younger pair. Kumar had a two-stroke advantage over Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera when the final round began. Perera ended in fourth spot alone after matching Kumar’s 70.
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament
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
- 2026 The Memorial – Monday #1
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #1
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #2
- 2026 The Memorial – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Lucas Glover – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Bud Cauley – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Alex Smalley – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
- Bettinardi putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Min Woo Lee’s Callaway Apex 18* UT iron – 2026 The Memorial
- Wyndham Clark’s putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Lucas Glover putters – 2026 The Memorial
- Nicolai Hojgaard’s new Callaway 4 iron – 2026 The Memorial
- Adam Scott’s L.A.B. Golf putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Scotty Cameron Xperimental Prototype 11+ putter – 2026 The Memorial
- JJ Spaun’s updated/newest L.A.B. Golf putter – 2026 The Memorial
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore was on site in Galloway, New Jersey, ahead of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern to snap some WITB photos and more.
Check out links to all the photos below!
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Mimi Rhodes – WITB – 2026 ShopRite
- Aline Krauter – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Olivia Cowan – WITB – 2026 ShopRite
- Leah John – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Melanie Green – WITB – 2026 ShopRite
- Nastasia Nadaud – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Maria Torres – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Ana Belac – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Carolina Melgrati – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
- Sofia Garcia – WITB – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)
Pullout Albums
Popular Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
The famed Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, is the scene this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge, where Ludvig Aberg enters the week as the tournament favorite.
Tour Photographer Greg Moore and our traveling equipment insider, Alistair Cameron, are both on site this week in the Lone Star State. Thus far, we’ve been treated to an in-hand look at TaylorMade’s new ZT Max putter, as well as a bounty of WITBs.
Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Monday #1
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Monday #2
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Monday #3
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Tuesday #1
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Tuesday #2
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Tuesday #3
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Tuesday #4
- 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge – Tuesday #5
WITB Albums
- Preston Stout – OSU Men’s golf – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Marcelo Rozo – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Charley Hoffman – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Ben Kohles – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Davis Chatfield – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Albert Hansson – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Jackson Koivun – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Cam Davis – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Keith Mitchell – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Kensei Hirata – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Eric Cole – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Zecheng “Marty” Dou – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Robert MacIntyre – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Matt Kuchar – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Joe Highsmith – WITB – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Pullout Albums
- New Bettinardi covers – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- New Project X Titan Yellow shafts – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Matt Kuchar’s HitsGolf training clubs – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Erik Van Rooyen’s Callaway Apex TD Ti Fusion 3 iron(updated with additional photos) – 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Robert MacIntyre’s putters – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- JJ Spaun’s newest L.A.B. Golf putter – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Odyssey Damascus Milled Jailbird Mini broomstick – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Chris Kirk’s putters – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- Rico Hoey’s Custom Odyssey S2S Tri-Hot Jailbird broomstick putter – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
- TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putters – 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Brian
Dec 5, 2016 at 9:20 am
HVIII was absolutely fantastic in that final round. Well deserved win, and looking forward to seeing him be very competitive this year on tour.
Tom
Dec 4, 2016 at 5:34 pm
congratulations to Varner
Jack
Dec 4, 2016 at 11:00 pm
Hope he brought his hype man cuz that would have been epic on the 18th green.