News

GolfWRX Morning 9: Bryson! | Finau: “Tough not to pick me” for U.S. RC squad | A Tiger impersonator strikes

Published

8 years ago

Sep 4, 2018

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

September 4, 2018

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans. Hope your Labor Day was free of labor and your white golf attire is appropriately mothballed…

1. Bryson, again

When the traditional post-win email announcing the winning staffer’s equipment and apparel from Cobra/Puma hit my inbox, it occurred to me that Bryson DeChambeau now has as many wins (4) as Cobra’s most recognizable staffer, Rickie Fowler. Chew on that.

AP Report…”For the second straight week in the richest part of the PGA Tour season, DeChambeau took down one of the strongest fields of the year by playing his best golf on the weekend to win the Dell Technologies Championship, becoming only the second player to capture the opening two playoff events in the FedEx Cup.”

“He closed with a 4-under 67 on Monday, making three straight birdies to close out the front nine and keeping his distance the rest of the way for a two-shot victory overJustin Rose on the TPC Boston.”

“I wouldn’t have written it any better, to be honest with you,” DeChambeau said. “I’ve been playing some great golf this whole year. And I knew it was a matter of time before something cool showed up.”

“DeChambeau, with his third victory this year, was assured of being the No. 1 seed when he gets to the Tour Championship, no matter what happens next week at the third playoff event outside Philadelphia.”

Here’s a bonus peek at the Golf Scientist’s victory calculations…”I would have given myself 20 percent [chance to win],” DeChambeau estimated through two rounds. “That’s just the odds of coming from seven back.”That began to change on Sunday when he birdied four of his first seven holes on his way to a third-round 63.

“As I played on Sunday, when I made that fourth and fifth birdie, it was like ‘OK, I have a good chance now,'” he said. “On 12 on Sunday when I made the putt, I figured I had a 70 percent chance to win.”

2. A star is born/acknowledged

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard puts Bryson DeChambeau in context (within the pantheon of golf stars, anyways)…”DeChambeau emerged on Monday as the hottest commodity in the game at the moment, becoming the first player this season on the PGA Tour to win back-to-back events with another commanding performance at TPC Boston.”

“A week ago he boat-raced the field at the playoff opener by four strokes, a signature moment for a player who – despite two victories in two seasons on Tour – was still very much an unknown commodity.”

“His play at the swansong Dell Technologies Championship may have been even better. Although the final line would suggest otherwise, DeChambeau’s performance was nothing short of groundbreaking considering that after 36 holes he was seven strokes off the lead and, incidentally, tied with Tiger Woods, who finished in a tie for 24th.”

“He became the ninth player – along with the likes of Woods and Jordan Spieth – to win his fourth Tour title before turning 25 in the last 30 years, and his two-stroke victory over Justin Rose proved there is a method to what some consider his madness.”

3. “Tough not to pick me”

Gotta admire the stones! Tony Finau, following his T-4 finish in Boston, thinks his a lock for captain Jim Furyk’s squad.

Golf Channel’s WIll Gray writes…”After finishing alone in second behind DeChambeau last week at The Northern Trust, Finau again played some stellar golf but couldn’t catch his fellow American. This time it was at the Dell Technologies Championship, where a final-round 68 at TPC Boston gave Finau a share of fourth place, four shots behind DeChambeau.”

“I’m trying to win every time I play,” Finau said. “I haven’t been able to do it, but I just feel the more I give myself opportunities, it’s going to happen. And my game feels as good as ever.”

“DeChambeau is assuredly a lock for one of U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk’s first three picks on Tuesday, expected to be announced alongside Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. But Finau’s continued consistent play has made him the perceived favorite to land the fourth and final pick which will come on Sept. 10 following the BMW Championship.”

“The more solid I play each week, I’m making it tough to not pick me, if I’m being honest,” Finau said. “I’m not the one that gets to pick, I’m the one that just gets to play. But I’ve played some nice golf these last couple weeks, and if that’s what it comes down to when (Furyk) makes his decision to pick a team for the Ryder Cup, and that’s what he’s waiting for for those picks, then I think I’m going to be a hard guy to look past.”

So, Bryson, Tony, Tiger, and Phil. What do you think, M9 readers?

4. Blahger Woods

For the first time this season, Tiger Woods declined to talk to the media following his round.

Golf Digest’s Brian Wacker writes…”Frustrated all weekend by a cold putter and even more so over the closing nine holes Monday at the Dell Technologies Championship, Woods politely but firmly told a PGA Tour media official that he would not be speaking.”

“A final-round even-par 71 that included playing the last five holes in 3 over par certainly didn’t help.”

“Woods ended up nine shots back of winner Bryson DeChambeau — and they were tied through 36 holes.”

“Woods again wasted what was a solid ball-striking round that saw him hit 15 greens in regulation.”

“And he also missed out on an opportunity to earn more FedEx Cup points, which would have made this week’s coming task at the BMW Championship less stressful as it relates to qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship.”

5. On Seth Waugh’s radar

Golfweek’s Martin Kaufmann looks at what the new PGA of America CEO will be, well, looking at.

A few morsels…”I want to make their lives better. That would be the most fulfilling part for me,” Waugh said. “I got the job maybe because of my golf and business background. But I took the job so that I could make a difference in people’s lives.”

Waugh said he is concerned about the member “who’s 40-something years old, his kids are going off to (college) and he’s concerned about how to pay for tuition. There’s a real economic part of this that we have to get at.”

“I’ve had friends of my son go to (Professional Golf Management schools), go through their internships, and come back to me and say, ‘I don’t see a path, Mr. Waugh. I love what I’m doing, but I’m looking at 30-year-olds who are hoping the phone rings so they can get a bigger job,’ ” Waugh said. “So I’ve seen it in real time.”

“It’s great that the PGA has done as well as it has, but the pro somewhere in the middle of the country hasn’t seen the benefit from that,” Waugh said. “That’s a little bit of a reflection of the whole country, where the wealthy are getting wealthier and a lot of the country is being left behind.”

Full article.

6. Johnny Miller’s replacement

Staying on the Golfweek front, The Forecaddie examines Johnny Miller’s potential retirement…and his potential replacement.

“Behind the scenes, a list to take over for Miller is sitting in some executive’s top desk drawer. But The Forecaddie is pretty sure that should Miller say sayonara early next year when he’s committed to work the Waste Management Open for NBC, there will be no single replacement.”

“The tighter 2019 PGA Tour schedule and return of The Players to March puts a heavier burden on the NBC crew. The network could move to a permanent model with no set A-Team. With Miller possibly sticking around for big-time events such as The Players and British Open, that leaves open spots to accommodate him while working in other voices who fit the model of a major-championship winner and top-flight analyst.”

“TMOF hears that David Duval and Justin Leonard are strong candidates to get more reps in the 18th-hole tower, but each has also shown equal or greater strength in studio settings. The race has also been joined by a few older war horses, with Mark O’Meara and Tom Lehman having made good impressions in limited duties.”

7. A Feinsteinian novel

The eminent sportswriter channels his inner Flaubert for a work of fiction. Young adult fiction, to be specific. The protagonist: 17-year-old golf prodigy Frank Baker.

Frank’s dad wants to cash in, and an agent is pressuring him to go pro. Frank, however, wants to spend a couple of years in college.

Interestingly, it seems Feinstein populates Baker’s universe with real figures from the golf world: journalists, PGA Tour pros, etc.

More about the book here.

8. 3 families of men’s golf style

Writing for GolfWRX, Bryan Montgomery argues “East Coast prep,” “Midwest style,” and “West Coast” are the three umbrellas under which most golf wear (and menswear in general) sit.

Check out the piece for his full case and descriptions.

9. Is that you, Tiger?

Did you catch the Tiger Woods impersonator at the Dell Technologies Championship, Sunday? Hopefully he was treated better than the Donald Trump impersonator at the U.S. Open, who was unceremoniously tossed. Check him out below.

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