News

Morning 9: Tour report: Fleetwood falters, Im steps in | Euro, Korn Ferry | The Bern marches on

Published

6 years ago

Mar 2, 2020

Ben Alberstadt

1. The road warrior wins!

Heckuva effort by Sungjae Im. Much has been made about the amount of golf this kid plays and the fact that he doesn’t have a home in the U.S. and lives out of hotels. One of the sweeter swingers of the golf club, the indefatigable Im could win a lot…which makes for better copy than suitcase living.

AP report…”The 21-year-old South Korean started fast and finished stronger Sunday, winning The Honda Classic by one shot over Mackenzie Hughes and Tommy Fleetwood for his first career PGA TOUR victory in his 50th attempt.”

“Im shot a 4-under 66 on Sunday, finishing at 6 under to match the second-highest winning score since The Honda Classic moved to PGA National in 2007. He was the TOUR’s rookie of the year last season, plus has played more tournaments and more rounds than anyone since the 2018-19 season began nearly a year and a half ago.”

Full piece.

Golf Channel’s Nick Menta…“How it happened: Three back to start day, Im charged out of the gates with birdies on four of his first five holes. The middle of his round included three bogeys and a birdie, and Im entered the vaunted Bear Trap, Nos. 15-17 at PGA National, one off the lead. He vaulted his way to 6 under par and the clubhouse lead when he hit laser irons to exactly 7 feet, 10 inches at both the par-3 15th and par-3 17th; on both occasions, he made the putt for birdie. An up-and-down for par from the front bunker at 18 would end up proving the difference and giving him the one-shot edge over his playing partner, Hughes, and the 54-hole leader playing in the final group, Fleetwood.”

Full piece.

2. …and Tommy Fleetwood doesn’t

Unfortunate stuff, as it’s hard not to root for the finest flow in professional golf!

BBC report…”England’s Tommy Fleetwood said he was “upset” to miss out on a first PGA Tour win after a one-over par final round saw him end the Honda Classic in third.”

“The overnight leader needed a birdie at the par-five 18th to force a play-off with Sunghae Im but hit his second shot in the water as he closed with a bogey.”

“You live or die by the shots you hit,” said the world number 12.

Full piece.

3. Valimaki!

Golfweek’s JuliaKate E. Culpepper…”Sami Valimaki is a European Tour champion.”

“The 21-year-old Valimaki outlasted Brandon Stone in a three-hole playoff Sunday to win the Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf Course in just his sixth European Tour appearance.”

“Stone took the outright lead on his first time down the par-4 18th Sunday with a clutch birdie putt. Unfortunately for Stone, Valimaki carded a birdie of his own, his seventh of the day, to force a playoff.”

“On the third playoff hole, Stone bogeyed the 18th for the first time in the tournament, leaving room for Valimaki to take the title with a putt for par. Valimaki and Stone finished 72 holes at 13 under after each carded a 2-under 70 in Sunday’s final round.”

Full piece.

4. Meanwhile, in Mexico…

AP report…”David Kocher two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th hole to win a three-man playoff on the first extra hole in El Bosque Mexico Championship for his first Korn Ferry Tour title.”

“Kocher closed with a 3-under 69 and joined Paul Barjon of France (71) and Chad Ramey (66) in the playoff at Bosque Country Club. Barjon three-putted for par on the final hole in regulation.”

Full piece.

5. …and in New Zealand…

AP report…”Australian Brad Kennedy shot a flawless final round 63 on Sunday to overtake compatriot Lucas Herbert and win the New Zealand Open for the second time.”

“The 45-year-old Queenslander hit the front for the first time at the 14th hole, then showed icy nerves to hold out Herbert and reclaim the title he first won in 2011.”

“Kennedy came to the par-3 closing hole at 21-under and made a regulation par while Herbert missed an eagle opportunity on the 17th that would have brought him level.”

Full piece.

6. Bernhard: 62 and going strong

Golf Digest’s John Strege…”Langer, 62, won the Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National in Tucson, Ariz., on Sunday. He started the final round trailing by four, then shot a seven-under par 66 to win by two over Woody Austin.”

“It marks the 14th consecutive season the World Golf Hall of Famer has won on the PGA Tour Champions, and a record that only a few years ago seemed unapproachable suddenly is in play.”

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

15 mins ago

Jun 3, 2026

Ben A

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