News

First PGA Tour leader of 2020: Joaquin Niemann | Tiger’s PR man out | Shackelford on schedule squeeze | Pineapple Rickie

Published

6 years ago

Jan 3, 2020

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt

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

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January 3, 2020

Good Friday morning, golf fans. We’re heading back to the clubhouse after 8 holes this morning. Enjoy your weekends, and I’ll see you again Monday, the start of a big week in the world of golf equipment.

**We’re looking for advertisers for 2020. Drop me a line ([email protected]) if you’d like to talk about getting your message in front of the M9 readership. Banner and native ad possibilities are, well, possible**

1. TOC: Niemann leads

Adam Schupak for Golfweek on the round one action…”To borrow a phrase from Roger Daltry and The Who, the kids are going to be all right.”

“Joaquin Niemann, 21, and Matt Wolff, 20, a pair of whippersnappers, may be the two youngest players in the field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, but you wouldn’t know it by their impressive starts in their debuts at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.”

“Niemann signed for a 7-under-par 66 to claim a one-stroke lead over Justin Thomas after the first round in Maui and Wolff, the youngest player in the field is nipping at his heels after shooting 69. It continued a run of good form by Niemann, who despite an 0-3-1 record at the Presidents Cup in December, said it gave him a jolt of confidence.”

Full piece.

2. High winds ahead

PGATour.com’s Ben Everill…”Jon Rahm was only half joking when he said he’s going to have nightmares tonight in Maui.”

“The Spaniard was talking about the forecast increase in wind speeds over the final three rounds of the Sentry Tournament of Champions after the opening day was played in beautiful conditions.”

“While the winners only field was bathed in sunshine and dealt with just the occasional gust on Thursday, the remainder of the tournament is expecting steady winds of around 20 mph with gusts up and around the 35 mph mark.”

Full piece.

3. Greenspan out

Rumblings suggest Glenn Greenspan was given his marching orders, but officially, there’s no word on the genesis of the split with Tiger’s top PR man.

Golfweek’s Forecaddie…“Greenspan, who has worked for Woods since 2008, left the company last month after the Hero World Challenge, The Forecaddie has learned. His official title was Vice President of Communications for TGR, Tiger Woods Ventures.”

“Greenspan was a quiet, unassuming figure in the chaos that often surrounded Woods. He stood behind his boss during some major crises throughout the last decade, most notably as Woods apologized in a televised speech in February 2010 for cheating on his wife and his “irresponsible and selfish behavior.” In 2017, Greenspan was in charge of Woods’ PR when the PGA Tour star was arrested on a DUI charge and later issued an apology to his family, friends and fans.”

Full piece.

4. Ready or not…

Interesting perspective from Geoff Shackelford on the congestion of the 2020 golf schedule…

“Which brings us back to a recurring and dreadful topic we’ll grapple with all of 2020: schedule compaction. To put it as euphemistically as possible.”

“Tokyo’s Olympic games in July grab two weeks of the PGA Tour schedule and thus forced the early start. They will also disrupt schedules of big names and highlight how too many playing opportunities exist. As a product folks pay handsomely to sponsor and televise, we’ll be reminded quite regularly that the people writing big checks could get a lot more bang for their bucks with some schedule contraction and less of an emphasis on providing year-round playing opportunities. “

“Not that anyone will do anything about it as long as players incentivize leaders to maximize at the expense of the product.”

Full piece.

5. Bold predictions

Here are two of Kyle Porter’s predictions for 2020 in professional golf…

“Tiger Woods doesn’t win at all: That’s right! Here’s the thing with Woods. He’s tended to do the opposite of what everyone thought he was going to do over the past few years. He thrived last fall after everyone said he wouldn’t. He struggled last summer after everyone presumed he’d never lose again. He started 2019 off slowly (at least compared to expectations) after winning the Tour Championship, and then just when people started bailing, he won the Masters. It’s foolish to pick him to not win an event because he’s still one of the, what, three or four best iron players alive, but I’ll fade the November-December heat and say he’s wearing an earpiece instead of a golf glove at Whistling Straits.”

“Rory McIlroy wins a major: The unintended benefit of Tiger thumping at the highest level for guys like McIlroy is that the No. 2 player in the world goes into 2020 as under the radar as the No. 2 player in the world can possibly be. Between Tiger defending at Augusta National, the Phil Mickelson storyline for Winged Foot and the Open going somewhere other than Portrush, McIlroy will have more freedom at majors than he has in recent years. It also helps that he’s the best player on the planet right now.”

Full piece.

6. Are prices for new golf clubs too high?

Superb perspective here from the team of Stachura & Johnson regarding equipment prices

A morsel of their response to a question about the “rising” cost of clubs…”But seriously, let’s take a serious look at equipment pricing. The most popular driver in golf nearly a quarter century ago, and maybe the most popular driver of any time, was the Callaway Great Big Bertha from 1995. Its price: $500. In today’s dollars, with inflation, that’s about $850. Quite simply, there are no drivers at that price today that have any kind of share of the market. It is correct that average selling prices have jumped significantly. “

Full piece.

7. Lost letters

Digest’s EIC picks up a pen to compose the “lost letters” of 2019 in golf. Here’s a good one…

“DEAR TIGER,”

“You tied me at 82 official PGA Tour victories, but you know I won a lot more than that. The Google Machine credits me with 94 PGA-sanctioned tour wins, but the egghead professors in Pondy Verde robbed me. They count The Greenbrier as official one year and somehow unofficial the next. I won the West Virginia Open 17 times, but I guarantee you they didn’t count them. I just want to warn you, as time goes by, they’re gonna start taking away your majors. Like those three U.S. Amateurs you won. By my count, you’ve got 18 majors to Jack’s 20 (including his two National Amateurs), so you’re only two behind. Keep your eyes on those boys in accounting….

-The Ghost of Sam Snead”

Full piece.

8. Pineapple Rickie

Golf Channel’s Grill Room team...”The look is part of Puma’s latest collection, Island Time, which features two signature prints inspired by the tropical vibes of Hawaii. Fowler wore the pineapple-print Islands Shirt during Wednesday’s pro-am.”

“However, the shirt wasn’t the only noticeable fashion statement made by Fowler, who also wore matching shorts. And while he typically sports a flat-billed hat and wore one on the course, Fowler traded that in for the collection’s reversible bucket hat for his press conference.”

Full piece.

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