News

Tour Rundown: Casey defends. Ko, Hend, Covello victorious too

Published

7 years ago

Mar 25, 2019

Major championship season is on the horizon for many of the world’s tours. The ANA Inspiration is a fortnight off, while the Masters begins the following week. Golfers on all tours are sharpening their focus and risking all for the victories that will give them confidence as spring arrives across the country. With the PGA and Web.Com tours in the southeastern USA, the LPGA in Arizona, and the European Tour in Malaysia, Tour Flydown might be the more appropriate header, but we’ll continue running down the week’s results in this installment of Tour Rundown on GolfWRX.com.

PGA Tour: Casey defends title at Valspar Championship

If there’s an heir to Slytherin on the PGA Tour, it might be Paul Casey. The Englishman conquered the Copperhead course at Innisbrook for a second consecutive year, confirming his affinity for the serpent. His margin of victory, of one stroke, was identical to 2018, but his final round could not have been any different. Casey roared back last season with a 4th-round 65, overcoming Patrick Reed and a resurgent Tiger Woods.

In 2019, Casey posted 5 bogeys against 4 birdies, but his one-over 72 was good enough to defeat Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Kokrak. The top three finishers struggled at the end, each playing the final 3 holes in +1. Kokrak’s close was the harshest, as he bogeyed the last to fall from a tie with Casey. Dustin Johnson, who began the final round just one shot behind Casey, offered a milquetoast final day of 3 bogeys and 0 birdies, tumbling to a tie for 6th with Jon Rahm and Ryan Armour.

With the Masters just three weeks away, the eyes of the world watch the WGC match play this week in Austin, followed by the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. Golfers like Rahm, Bubba Watson, Johnson and Casey are rounding into enviable form, and each of them could don the green jacket next month.

What touch from @Paul_Casey.

Will he defend his title @ValsparChamp?#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/lgIcOEMdvH

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2019

LPGA Tour: Ko’s klean kard earns Founders Cup win

Ko Jin Young might not have had Yu Liu in her sites on Sunday morning in Phoenix. The Korean pro sat 5 shots behind the leader, with ground to make up. 4 birdies in the first 11 holes brough Young a bit closer, but Liu showed no signs of dropping off, even if she also showed no signs of the form that brought her to the top spot after 54 holes.

In the closing hour, everything changed. Ko birdied holes 14-16 to reach 22-under par, knocking the Korda sisters (Nelly and Jessica) into 2nd place at 21 deep. Liu birdied the 15th to join Ko at the top, but made bogey at the last to drop out of a playoff for the title. Joining the Kordas and Liu in a four-way tie for 2nd was Spain’s Carlota Ciganda. The victory was Ko’s 3rd on the LPGA tour, and first inside the continental United States. The 2018 rookie of the year has now tossed her name into the mix for 2019 player of the year, at this early stage.

Jin Young Ko hit 16 greens in regulation on her way to a victorious bogey-free 65!

Ko's victory is the third of her short career, and her first in the U.S.A!

Check out her final round highlights now!

HIGHLIGHTS ?? pic.twitter.com/XC5PBhYlIp

— #DriveOn (@LPGA) March 25, 2019

European Tour: Hend hoists Maybank trophy after playoff victory

Australia’s Scott Hend rarely hits first from the fairway, but for three years, he was not the last to putt out. On Sunday, Hend survived a final-green, monster birdie putt from runner-up Nacho Elvira with a 2-putt par at the last. On the only playoff hole, Hend dropped a 7-feet birdie putt to claim the 2019 Maybank Championship in Malaysia. Elvira led the tournament after 54 holes, and hoped to garner a first-ever, European Tour title.

Instead, he added a 2nd playoff loss to his resume. The Spaniard’s final round could best be described as banal, as he paired one birdie with one bogey (the rest pars) until the antepenultimate hole. Elvira closed with birdies at 16 and 18, to move to 15-under par and give himself a shot at victory. Hend started Sunday in 3rd place, but birdied 5 of his first 9 holes to leap into contention. Like Elvira, he made bogey at 10, ending his birdie binge until the 13th green. David Lipsky of the USA began the day in 2nd place, but followed an opening birdie with a +4-in-3-holes stretch. He signed for 74 and dropped 11 spots, into a 13th-place tie.

The European Tour moves to the Indian Open next week, before taking a break until late April.

????? Every shot of the play-off between Scott Hend and Nacho Elvira.#MaybankChampionship pic.twitter.com/5Zwh5h3gyz

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 24, 2019

Web.Com Tour: Covello conquers Chitimacha in playoff win over Lower

Vince Covello and Justin Lower did not come from college golf hotbeds. The former cut his teeth at North Florida, while the later sharpened his skills at Malone (Ohio) University. Each golfer has journeyed far and near, in search of victory.

On Sunday, Covello earned vindication for the years of near-miss and dirt digging, marking birdie on the 3rd playoff hole to drop Lower into 2nd place. Lower sat at 21-under par after a 12th-hole birdie, but made bogey at 14 and 15, to fall to -19. In contrast, Covello was stuck far back at -17, before birdies at 16 and 18 brought him to a tie with Lower. For most of day 4, all eyes were on Argentina’s Fabian Gomez. The Platense birdied 9 of his first 12 holes, but none of his final 6. His scorching 62 left him 1 stroke out of the playoff, tied with Steve Marino for 3rd. Marino’s week went like this: 68-67-66-65. Now that’s the epitome of trending in the proper direction.

Don’t count out @VinceCovello.

The veteran makes birdie on 16 to pull within one of the lead @LouisianaOpen.

Lower -19 (16)
Zhang -18 (17)
Covello -18 (16)
Marino -18 (F)
Gomez -18 (F)#WebTour pic.twitter.com/COTN45qRRV

— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) March 24, 2019

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

7 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