News

Morning 9: Turkeys and fall season facts | Sergio waives Saudi Arabia appearance fee | Anthony Kim anecdote

Published

7 years ago

Nov 26, 2019

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt

Email me at [email protected] and find me at @benalberstadt on Instagram and golfwrxEIC on Twitter.

November 26, 2019

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans. There will be no Morning 9 Wednesday through Sunday. I’ll make up for it with a Morning 36 on Monday, if we can get ’em in before darkness falls. But really, the M9 will be back Monday. Happiest of Thanksgivings in advance. I’m truly grateful for all of you who open this roundup every day!

**Just a reminder we’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership.**

1. Fall season facts

Golf Digest’s Daniel Rapaport (who is availing himself nicely in the new role) compiled some takeaways from the fall swing. He begins with a point both readily apparent and easy to forget…

Tiger’s knee surgery was extremely important…“Tiger Woods is famously tight-lipped about injuries, so it’s not shocking that he kept his knee problems under wraps until after he had surgery to fix it in August. What is shocking is the immediate effect the procedure-a “scope” to repair minor cartilage damage-had on his on-course performance.”

“Woods’ last three starts of the 2018-’19 season resulted in a missed cut, a withdrawal and a T-37 in a 70-man field. Then he had the procedure, practiced for about a month, flew to Japan and won a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour title. It’s not just that Tiger won the Zozo Championship, it’s how he did it-Woods was in complete control of virtually every aspect of his game during the wire-to-wire victory. He swung within himself and looked comfortable shaping the driver both ways. His irons were characteristically impressive. His distance control with the wedges was flawless. And he holed the eight- to 12-footers that win tournaments.”

“After the victory, Woods shed some light on why the surgery was so crucial-the knee was keeping him from pushing into the ground on his downswing, which forced him to slide and try to save his swing with his hands. At the Zozo, he looked much more like the Tiger who won the Masters than the one who pulled out of the Northern Trust after an opening-round 75.”

Full piece.

2. Turkey awards

Superb stuff from the Golf.com crew as they round up their turkeys of the year.

A couple of entries…

“THE BENJAMIN BUTTON AWARD FOR AGING BACKWARDS…Winner: Sergio Garcia”

“After blasting from a bunker, Tour pros aren’t expected to rake the sand. But they’re also not expected to trash it altogether, as Garcia did when he regressed into a tantrum-throwing toddler at the Saudi International, stirring up a sand storm with his sand wedge. Oh, and it was also in that same tournament that he damaged several greens with his club, which led to a “serious misconduct” and, eventually, a disqualification.”

“THE ANTI-SHIVAS IRONS AWARD FOR VIOLATING THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME…Winner: Trey Bilardello”

“Shooting a single round 131-over 202 at a U.S. Amateur qualifier is nothing to be proud of. But the real embarrassment for Bilardello is that he started out trying but then, after botching a couple of early holes, was deemed to have intentionally run up his score.”

Full piece.

3. Rory and Rickie helped

(Find me a more imposing author photo than) Martin Dempster at The Scotsman wrote this about European Tour ROY Bob MacIntyre…

“In a break from tradition, European Tour officials asked MacIntyre if he was happy to be in the same group as two of the biggest names in golf in the Aberdeen Standard Investments-sponsored event at The Renaissance Club in July.”

“The tour were brilliant as they actually asked us if he wanted that draw, which was a wee break from the normal protocol,” said Iain Stoddart, MacIntyre’s manager at Edinburgh-based Bounce Sport.

“I actually wrote to (European Tour CEO) Keith Pelley afterwards and said that it had been a great thing to ask first because, whether it is a young home player in the Scottish Open or the Irish Open, it can be quite enormous to be in a group like that.

Full piece.

4. Sergio to drop appearance fee

James Corrigan at The Telegraph…”Sergio García will return to play in next year’s Saudi International, the controversial event from which he was disqualified in February after purposefully damaging several of the greens. But as the Spaniard tries to make reparations for his outrageous meltdown, he will agree to participate without an appearance fee this time around.”

“It is understood this was one of the conditions placed on the 2017 Masters champion by the European Tour as it spared him a suspension. García received in the region of £500,000 for this year’s tournament and was not asked to return any of it, despite smashing his putter into one of the greens in anger and then continuing this fit of pique for the next hour or so, as he raked up as many as four other greens.”

Full piece.

5. To fill your quota of Anthony Kim anecdotes…

Joel Beall at Golf Digest writes…”In a promo for Golf Channel’s “Swing Expedition,” Adam Schriber, Kim’s former swing coach, relayed a tale when he and Kim visited a pizza joint in Palm Desert, Calif., in 2008.”

“According to Schriber, the two were served by a pregnant waitress. Kim congratulated the woman, and remarked that her husband “must be so excited,” Schriber recalled.”

“A comment that struck a nerve with the waitress, as she broke down in tears. She told Kim that her boyfriend has left her, and admitted she was scared to have the baby on her own.”
“…Months later, Kim and Schriber returned to the restaurant, where they saw the aforementioned waitress. Schriber said that the woman greeted Kim with a hug, breaking out a photo of her baby. When Schriber asked what was going on, Kim replied he had left a gift for her at that initial meeting.”

Full piece.

6. Hero Shot

Adam Woodard at Golfweek on a new component (and wise, given the fact that it is essentially an exhibition, after all) of the Hero World Challenge…”The tournament itself, which benefits Tiger Woods’ TGR Foundation, will be played Wednesday-Saturday on Dec. 4-7, but the week-long event will begin two days prior with the Hero Shot at Baha Mar on Monday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m.”

“Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson and Gary Woodland will all compete, hitting balls at a bullseye 100 yards over the Reflections pool at Baha Mar. The first of three rounds will feature three head-to-head matches with players hitting six balls toward the target, which consists of three rings each of different values: 100 points for the outer ring, 200 points for the inner ring and 500 points for the bullseye. The sixth ball in each round will be worth double points. The player with the highest score moves on.”
“In the second round, the three players who advanced will hit an additional six shots, with the lowest score being eliminated and the top scores advancing to the final round. You can watch the Hero Shot on social media via GolfTV, PGA Tour and TGR Live.”

Full piece.

7. Who has the most top 100 courses?

Kevin Cunningham for Golf.com...”Course architects A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Alistair Mackenzie, and Old Tom Morris each have multiple courses on the list.”

“Those are household names, giants in the history of golf course design. But none qualifies as the course architect with the most courses in the Top 100, an honor that goes to a man who is no less great but is far less heralded for his monumental contributions to golf architecture: Harry S. Colt.”
“Top 100 Courses in the World: GOLF’s 2020-21 ranking of the best golf courses on the planet H.S. Colt, as he’s often referred to, is a Golden Age architect with a whopping 11 course design credits appearing on the Top 100. That’s three more than any other architect on the list. Mackenzie and Old Tom Morris come in second with eight apiece, while Tillinghast is fourth with seven designs.”

Full piece.

8. The craziest parlay in golf history?

If genuine, this is a heckuva ticket! Alex Myers at Golf Digest on the 8,500-1 hit…”Thanks to UK-based golf writer Ben Coley, an incredible betting slip has taken Golf Twitter by storm. As you can imagine, the odds (about 8,500-to-1) and the payout (£126,875.88 or about $163,000) are significant, but the four legs of the parlay are what have everyone talking. The parlay won thanks to Jon Rahm’s victory at the DP World Tour Championship that also gave the Spaniard the European Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title. But it actually began at the beginning of the year.”

Full piece.

9. WITB Time Machine

I’d like to call your attention to new series we’re doing at WRX: WITB Time Machine. The premise is simple, but we hope the rewards of digging in will be a complex and satisfying as something from Phil Mickelson’s wine cellar.

First up, we’re featuring Tiger Woods’ WITB from August of 2015-a time when Tiger was truly a full-bag Nike staffer.

Check it out.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

2 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

2 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