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Tour Rundown: Cantlay, Lee6, Migliozzi, and more

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With the exception of the USGA Women’s Open this week, day four in professional golf was a birdie-them-all type of afternoon, across all tours. Golfers reminded fans and followers of their ability to go low at a given moment, defying expectation. As for the ladies, well, the Country Club of Charleston appeared to win day four, as only 12 scores (out of 70) dipped below par over the final 18 holes. How did all of this come about? Take a step-by-step Tour Rundown with us, and we shall answer that question.

Cantlay takes Memorial for 2nd PGA Tour title

There was a time, so long ago, it seems, when Patrick Cantlay was just another, can’t-miss kid. He stood atop the amateur world, came within a whisker of winning a US Amateur, destined for PGA Tour glory. Injury and tragedy turned up in his next hand, and his name drifted away on the breeze, toward the file marked “whatever happened to…”

And just like that, it seemed, he returned. Cantlay rediscovered his game and his winning ways, claiming an inaugural Tour title in 2017, at the Shriner’s Classic. In 2019, he registered top-ten finishes at the Masters (t9) and the PGA (t3). The young-old man from California was knocking on the door, as they say, and then came Sunday at the Memorial. Despite Martin Kaymer’s lead, a Sunday differential of 8 strokes would get the job done. Beginning the day 4 in arrears, Cantlay started quickly, with birdies at 5 of his first 9 holes. The 2014 US Open winner from Germany showed no signs of letting anyone catch him, as he stood -3 on the day through 8 holes.

At the 9th, fortune swung its pendulum. Kaymer spent a long time in the rough, needing a six-feet putt to salvage bogey. From that point on, his driver abandoned him, finding rough and sand more than fairway. His heroic shots saved pars, not birdies, and Kaymer signed for 72, and a 3rd-place finish, 2 behind runner-up Adam Scott. Scott had plodded along most of the day, barely registering on radar, until a 3-hole stretch of birdies from 14-16 brought him to 2nd place alone at -17. The day, however, belonged to Patrick Cantlay. 8 birdies with 0 bogies rarely disappoint, and -19 was his destiny, a 2nd tour title, at the course that Jack built. And what was Cantlay’s secret? A few words from the legend himself.

Lee6 wins first American professional title at US Open

A few year’s back, Jeongeun Lee added the number 6 to her last name. Her explanation was that there were others with similar names, and she wanted fans and family to know that it was she on the leader board. On Sunday at Seth’s Place, the Country Club of Charleston golf course that reintroduced Seth Raynor to golf fandom, Lee6 pushed all those eponymic golfers aside with masterful golf. She won the US Open by 2 shots, and now we know why.

Celine Boutier and Jaye Marie Green reached -6 on Sunday, the number that ultimately won the tournament. They could not hold their place, and each dropped to a tie for 5th, three behind the champion. Others fired, then fell back, but a quick look at statistics tells the Lee6 tale. The young woman from Korea was the only golfer to shoot below par each day this week. In an event where no one went super-low (65 on Thursday the low number) and where the low score each day went up as the week progressed, consistent excellence was rewarded. On the course’s most daunting hole, the par-3 11th, Lee6 made 3 birdies in 4 rounds. Call it an avoidance of disaster, call it an energy boost, deuces on the Redan added up to a 2 shot win over three golfers, and reason to celebrate.

Migliozzi claims first European Tour title at Belgian Knockout

No one tires of tournaments like this one. Qualifying round, followed by head-to-head play over abbreviated rounds. In Belgium, it was total strokes, not holes won, that decided each match. Many was the time that a final-hole swing decided (or nearly decided) matches throughout the 6 rounds of head-to-head combat. In the end, it was the unheralded Guido (pronounced GEE-doe, not Gwui-doe) Migliozzi who rang the birdie bell more than the others, and walked away with an inaugural European Tour title.

After quietly qualifying and sneaking through his first three matches, Migliozzi arrived at day the last with 7 other golfers. He did what champions do during each of his 3 9-hole matches on Sunday: make birdies. Migliozzi birdied 3 holes during each round of 9 holes, dispatching Bernd Wiesberger (just barely) by one, then Ewen Ferguson by 3, and finally, Darius Van Driel by a comfortable 4 shots.

Unlike traditional match play, where a misplayed stroke can only cost one hole, stroke-play matches keep all players in the game. Migliozzi had a 3-shot advantage over Wiesberger, last week’s winner, at the final tee of his quarterfinal match. The Austrian made birdie as the Italian, bogeyed, but Migliozzi survived by one stroke. Cheers to the champion, to creative tournament formats, and to a resurgence of golf for the young.

Despite 60s and 61s from others, Cappelen rallies for REX Hospital Title on Web Tour

Sebastian Cappelen, from the golf powerhouse of Denmark, bogeyed his first two holes on Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite the inauspicious beginning, Cappelen did not go away. He played the remaining 16 holes in -9, hyper-charged by 5th hole hole-out from the rough for eagle. Chris Baker had posted 60 in round two, but his Sunday 72 relegated him to a tie for 4th. On Saturday, Zack Sucher signed for 62; that number edged him a bit closer, into a tie for 2nd with Grayson Murray. What did Murray do on Sunday? Came from nowhere, that’s what. He had 10 birdies on the day, albeit none over the closing three holes, to jump from 22nd to 2nd. It was Cappelen’s extended brilliance that led to 21-under par in the end, clear of the chasers by 3 strokes. The title brought the Dane from his own nowhere to prominence. With the winner’s check, Cappelen jumped from 73rd to 10th, in the season-long chase for a PGA Tour card.

Mr. Comeback comes back and wins Principal Charity Classic in playoff

We’ve saved the best for last. Kevin Sutherland did something you don’t even find in video games. He birdied 8 of the 9 closing holes of Sunday’s final round. Sutherland went out in 2-under 34, but came home in 28 paltry strokes. He was on the green on the 16th in regulation, but somehow failed to convert the birdie putt. Truth be told, that might have been even worse for Scott Parel, the overnight leader. Parel didn’t play poorly on Sunday, but his bogey at the par-five 16th was a game changer. Sutherland and Parel went off to extra holes after tying at 17-under par, one shot clear of perennial runner-up Jerry Kelly. Parel had a 10-feet birdie putt on the first playoff hole to change the day’s fortunes, but he incredulously left it short, right on line with victory. Undecided after one, the golfers returned to the closer for a 3rd time on the day. With, what else, a birdie, Sutherland ended the long day with his 2nd Champions Tour victory of the year. Side Note: both of Sutherland’s wins this season have come in extra holes. Both have come against Scott Parel.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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Equipment

Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.

Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.

Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.

According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.

He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.

Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

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Details on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

So, with a couple of weeks off following his latest start at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Thomas sought to re-address his driver setup with the remote help of Titleist Tour fitting expert J.J. Van Wezenbeeck. About two weeks ago, Thomas and Van Wezenbeeck reviewed his recent driver stats, and discussed via phone call some possible driver and shaft combinations for him to try.

After receiving Van Wezenbeeck’s personalized shipment of product options while at home, Thomas found significant performance improvements with Titleist’s TSR2 head, equipped with Thomas’ familiar Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX shaft.

Compared to Thomas’ longtime TSR3 model, the TSR2 has a larger footprint and offers slightly higher spin and launch characteristics.

According to Van Wezenbeeck, Thomas has picked up about 2-3 mph of ball speed, to go along with 1.5 degrees higher launch and more predictable mishits.

“I’d say I’d been driving it fine, not driving it great, so I just wanted to, honestly, just test or try some stuff,” Thomas said on Tuesday in an interview with GolfWRX.com at Quail Hollow Club. “I had used that style of head a couple years ago (Thomas used a TSi2 driver around 2021); I know it’s supposed to have a little more spin. Obviously, yeah, I’d love to hit it further, but if I can get a little more spin and have my mishits be a little more consistent, I felt like obviously that’d be better for my driving…

“This (TSR2) has been great. I’ve really, really driven it well the week I’ve used it. Just hitting it more solid, I don’t know if it’s the look of it or what it is, but just a little bit more consistent with the spin numbers. Less knuckle-ball curves. It has been fast. Maybe just a little faster than what I was using. Maybe it could be something with the bigger head, maybe mentally it looks more forgiving.”

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

 

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5 fall golf trip destinations you should book right now

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The 2024 golf season is in full swing with the warm weather settling in and those long summer days right around the corner, but what if we told you that you should be thinking about golf this fall? While it may seem to be a ways away, now is the perfect time to start putting together your end-of-season fall golf trip

Courses are in great shape, the weather is more enjoyable as temps cool off, and your golf game is in peak condition after playing all summer! The best part about fall golf trips is that there are some great deals to be found at golf destinations across the country! Additionally, you can get away to the Caribbean on an all-inclusive trip or travel across the pond for some links golf in the UK or Ireland before the end of their golf season in October. 

If you are happy to stay stateside this fall, here are the best golf destinations you should book for your fall trip.

Myrtle Beach, SC 

Commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”, this coastal destination is home to over 200 golf courses making it the ideal location for a golf trip! If you’re looking for golf and accommodation onsite, choose from a wide range of resorts including favorites like Barefoot and Legends. Alternatively, you could rent a house or stay by the beach and play top tracks like Caledonia, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes, True Blue, TPC Myrtle Beach and many more! With a plethora of options, you will be able to customize your trip to stay within budget! Fall in South Carolina is a golfer’s paradise with minimal rain, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80s (dipping into the 70s in later fall with lower humidity), the perfect combination for a golf trip.

Scottsdale, AZ 

If you’ve never played golf in the desert, fall is the best time to do so and there is no better selection of desert layouts than Scottsdale. With a wide variety of golf resorts, courses, and attractions, it is easy to see why many professional golfers call this place home. Enjoy a golf and city trip with a stay close to the nightlife in Old Town and a tour of the local courses like Raven, McCormick Ranch, and Ocotillo. Head north of the city with a resort stay at The Westin Kierland or Hyatt Regency and play some Championship courses like TPC Scottsdale, Troon North, or Grayhawk. Or head out to the fabulous We-Ko-Pa Resort  and Golf Club and indulge in the ultimate desert golf experience. The weather in Scottsdale will be very warm (mid to high 80s), with cloudless skies and green grass contrasting the desert landscape.

Orlando, FL 

The golf mecca in the state of Florida, Orlando is a great golf destination any time of the year, but fall is really where it flourishes. Course conditions are impeccable, the weather is warm with fading humidity, and there are a multitude of off-course activities for the whole family. Stay & play at some of the best golf resorts like Reunion and Omni Championsgate or tick off a bucket list course when you visit Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A few other reasons this destination is so popular is the wide variety of rental houses throughout the area, perfect for a large group and the quality courses to choose from including Waldorf Astoria, Celebration, Shingle Creek, and the three Disney courses! With easy accessibility through the MCO Airport, Orlando is a no-brainer for a fall golf trip.

Las Vegas, NV 

PAIUTE GOLF RESORT – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

A destination often overlooked when it comes to golf, Las Vegas in the fall is a wonderful treat! A stay on the iconic Las Vegas Strip gives you a wide range of 3 to 5-star hotel options within walking distance to the city’s biggest entertainment venues, casinos, restaurants, and more! For golf options, you will need to travel outside of the city (roughly 20 mins) to play some incredible desert layouts like Rio Secco, Revere, Cascata, and the trio of courses at Paiute Golf Resort. If you fancy a longer day trip, you can always take the hour-long drive up to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek and Conestoga for a pure desert golf experience. 

Alabama – Robert Trent Jones Trail 

If you’re a golf nerd (like me) and you’re looking for something a little different for your trip, look no further than the incredible RTJ Trail in Alabama. The Trail spans 11 different locations across the state with over 400 holes of golf all designed by legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The more popular courses on the trail are in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn, making it perfect for an extended trip. Some of the best courses on the trail include Ross Bridge, Grand National (2 courses) and Capitol Hill (3 courses).Weather-wise, fall is the best time to hit the trail with average temps hovering around 80s (dipping into the 70s as fall goes on) with a limited amount of rainfall. The summer months are usually where the pricing is the highest so you can find the best deals in the fall with courses still in good condition. 

There has already been a huge uptick in fall golf trip bookings, so make sure to start planning now to get the travel dates and tee times you want for your group! 

Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission. 

RELATED: 7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play

  

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