News

Morning 9: TW talks MJ | Where will the Match 2 take place? | PGA Tour prioritizing ShotLink in restart?

Published

6 years ago

Apr 27, 2020

1. Pros, Romo turning up for Texas fundraiser?

Ryan Herrington at Golf Digest…“As the PGA Tour eyes a June restart for 2019-’20 season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a handful of tour pros anxious to compete again will reportedly get that opportunity much sooner.”

“According to GolfChannel.com, officials at Maridoe Golf Club outside Dallas are organizing a 54-hole fundraiser that will be played next week and include the likes of Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler, Harry Higgs and, possibly, Jordan Spieth.”

“The event, set for April 28-30, is expected to have a 72-player members-only field. However, members at the nearly three-year-old private facility in Carrollton, Texas, include the aforementioned tour pros, along with former Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo and former NBA guard Deron Williams, who are both expected to compete.”

Full piece.

2. Tiger talks MJ

Tiger Woods’ personal interviewer, Henni Zuel, video chatted with the 15-time major champion, who was, once again, inside what appears to be a padded cell…

Daniel Rapaport for Golf Digest transcribed a few morsels…On playing golf with Michael Jordan the day of a 1997 playoff game: “They were playing the Knicks in the ECF. I went up there and hung out with him for a few days. It was neat to be a part of…The mindset-I can relate to that. I can relate to the intensity.”

“On whether he’s ever known an athlete as competitive as him:”I would say 1A, 1B, myself and Michael. He’s more, I think, outwardly competitive than I am. But I have my tendencies to be a little competitive at times.”

Full piece.

3. ShotLink a top priority for the Tour?

Geoff Shackelford…”GolfDigest.com’s Joel Beall and friends took a comprehensive look…at everything required to get a scaled back PGA Tour event to be played in a time of pandemic.”

“Combined with the Commissioner saying testing is paramount with the continued testing shortfall and the likely need for some from certain locales to 14-day quarantine before turning up in certain regions, and the chances seem remote of a June restart.”

“As a fan of ShotLink, this part struck me as an odd priority given the tight working space for a ShotLink truck crew and the need for some volunteers to run the system.”

“‘However, there are areas the Tour has identified as essential, chief among them Shotlink. The Tour’s proprietary data content is key for scoring, stats and its gambling relationships, such as with daily fantasy site DraftKings. A fully-operational Shotlink system, according to multiple officials, ranks only behind the players in tournament priority.'”

“Outside of scoring, I’m not sure how eager fans and players are to have that information versus a simple return to play when it’s safe to do so. Especially if setting up Shotlink impacts COVID-19 testing for those more in need.”

Full piece.

4. Golf as one of the safest sports?

Golf Digest staff report here…”In consulting a series of infectious disease specialists, all of whom are still learning more about the virus themselves, several consistent themes emerge. The good news? Golf is relatively safe, especially during a time when so much else seems rife with hazard. “Golf has got to be one of the safest sports under the current circumstances,” said Dr. Charles G. Prober, a professor of pediatrics (infectious diseases) and of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.”

“But since nothing is without risk these days, we put a series of common golf-specific questions to three experts, Dr. Prober of Stanford, Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Senior Scholar at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Health Security, and Dr. J. Trees Ritter, DO, Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America. Their responses should help you understand what should and shouldn’t be off limits, and where uncertainty remains. Above all, they might provide assurance that a golf course, navigated properly, can still be a refuge.”

“Can I contract the virus just walking by other golfers at the course?…“This you shouldn’t sweat. Though the virus’ main form of transmission is through person-to-person contact, all three experts emphasized just walking by other players on the course or in the parking lot was not a significant risk. “The virus doesn’t teleport from one person to another. It has to have some mechanism to get there,” Adalja said. Yes, an infected golfer could emit respiratory droplets by sneezing or coughing in your direction, but that’s why the doctors all cited the now-standard practice of maintaining a six-foot gap as a precaution. “More is better, but these respiratory droplets really don’t spread much more than spitting distance,” Dr. Ritter said. “When you’re outside, the risk is even lower.” Of course, the most important advice in this context is to tell anyone who is sick or symptomatic to stay home.”

Full piece.

5. Two more cancellations

Golf Digest’s John Strege…”The golf schedule took another COVID-19 hit on Friday, when the United States Golf Association announced that it has canceled the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior.”

“Our primary focus when making determinations around championships continues to be the safety and well-being of everyone involved,” John Bodenhamer, senior managing director of Championships for the USGA, said in a news release. “While we are incredibly disappointed to have to make the decision to cancel our two junior championships, we know it is the right one.”

“Part of the concern with moving forward with the tournaments is holding qualifiers in areas where large gathering are prohibited.”

Full piece.

6. What course matches with the Match 2?

Craig Dolch, Special to USA Today Network…“The Medalist in Hobe Sound, Florida, is home to many of the world’s top golfers.”

“It also may be home for next month’s charity golf match between Tiger Woods-Peyton Manning vs. Phil Mickelson-Tom Brady.”

“A Medalist member confirmed Friday the Hobe Sound-based course has been approached by event organizers about hosting the event, probably on Memorial Day weekend (May 24). Turner Sports will air “The Match: Champions for Charity” on TNT.”

“The Medalist makes sense. Woods, a Jupiter Island resident, is among the many superstars who are members at the club co-founded by Greg Norman in 1991. Brady recently joined nearby Seminole Golf Club and Mickelson is moving to Jupiter Island this year.”

Full piece.

7. Another mini-tour win for Cejka

Golf Channel’s Will Gray…”Even with most of the professional golf world still on hiatus, veteran Alex Cejka continues to rack up trophies.”

“The 49-year-old German has won four times on the European Tour and has earned more than $12 million in his PGA Tour career, including a win at the 2015 Puerto Rico Open. But with those circuits frozen by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cejka has stayed busy by making the rounds on the Arizona mini-tour circuit. The latest highlight came Sunday when he made a furious final-round rally to capture the 54-hole Parker Open in Parker, Ariz.”

“Cejka was trailing by six shots with six holes remaining, but played the next four holes in 6 under including a hole-in-one on the 198-yard 14th and an eagle on No. 16. A closing 68 got him into a playoff with Ed Olson at 14 under, which Cejka won on the first extra hole.”

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

1 day ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

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