News

5 things we learned on day two of the Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

6 years ago

Jun 12, 2020

Comebacks play well across the swells of sports fandom. Give me a story on someone who battled through adversity, and I’ll eat it up. Comebacks offer hope at the same time they convince us that the immortals are momentarily, if unsustainably, mortal. Suspicion is that Thursday would be characterized by adrenaline rushes, at the thought of finally being back on the fairway. This worked well for some, not so well for others. Friday’s reaction to the rush was the crash. Rory McIlroy went 7 deep for 63, as two golfers did on Thursday.

5. Comeback 1: Harold Varner III

Harold Varner III made triple bogey at the 10th and bogey at the 18th. Fortunately for him, he started on inward half, so the entire front side offered a chance at redemption. Varner began his day with a tee shot to a bridge at the 10th. After a penalty drop and a succession of unfortunate slashes, he tapped in for a triple bogey and handed 3 shots back to Old Man Par. His calm was evident, as he notched birdies at 12, 13 and 16, to return to level for the day. The aforementioned bogey at the last (his 9th) offered two paths, and Varner found the proper one. He played the second nine in 5-under 30, thanks to 4 consecutive birdies from 4-7, and a 5th at the 9th. Varner missed makeable birdie putts (1o’ and 22′) at the 1st and 2nd, then made a mighty par save at the third. Buoyed by the effort, he reeled off birdie rolls of 31′, 3′, 3′ again, and 20′. He capped the day by knocking in a 10-foot putt for 3 at the 9th. Only a missed 30-foot putt at the 8th kept him from a six-birdie streak.

4. Comeback 2: Jordan Spieth

Forget macro-comebacks. Let’s focus on Jordan Spieth’s 2nd-round, micro-comeback for this moment. Like Varner III, Spieth started on the inward half. Unlike Varner, Spieth played it in 4 strokes below par. Birdies at 1 and 2 brought the 3-time major champion to 6 deep on the day, and 11-under for the week. His putter was on fire … until it wasn’t. Spieth ~~1-putted 2-jacked 3-jabbed~~ 4-whacked the par four 3rd hole from 33 feet. 3 of those came from inside 3 feet. He then missed a 10-foot putt for par at the next, and was back to 8-under. His comeback was immediate. Spieth birdied 5 and 6 and finished the day on -5, and -10 overall. He’ll be paired with Varner III in Saturday’s final grouping.

3. How did Bryson get jacked?

This writer doesn’t know and doesn’t currently care. Why not? It would be the greatest ego move to get strong by abusing disallowed methods. It would be career damaging and reputation slaughtering. DeChambeau is most intelligent and quite upstanding. We’ll leave it at that. On Friday, The Big Bang Theory (yup, you may use it) went low with no damage. He scratched 5 birdies into the scorecard, and joined Spieth at -10, one behind Varner III. If you had promised us this trio at the top, heading into round three, we’d have asked for seconds.

2. Rory roaries

There was something special on that 10th tee this morning. Rory, like Jordan and HV3, teed off at numero diez and played a 7-under round, to work his way to -8. If it weren’t for the final hole of the day (#9), McIlroy would have reached 8-under 62 and, well, that’s it. The North Ulsterman posted three birdies heading out, then eagled the first and birdied the 2nd to reach -6 on the day. 2 more birdies, at 6 and 7, had him smiling from ear to ear. Alas, a wretched lie in the right-side rough on number nine compelled him to pitch out, shy of the water, and take his chances with his wedge. His pitch was nearly as wretched, leaving him nearly 50 feet from the hole. Like a boss, he calmly two-putted for bogey, and escaped major collateral damage.

1. More Predictions

Most likely to rip his pants on live television: DeChambeau. Let’s be honest, how do you size clothing to those muscles?

Most likely to do self-commentary: Justin Thomas. He’s two back and handles the mic pretty well.

Most likely to fade away: HV3. Sorry, Harold. Use it as motivation.

Most likely to rise on Saturday: Xander Schauffele. This guy smells blood like sharks smell blood, if sharks indeed smell.

Most likely to bounce back on Saturday: Justin Rose. Blah Friday of -1, so he needs a bounce-back on Saturday, or he might switch clubs again.

Most likely to wave the Maple Leaf: Corey Conners. This Canadian can play, and will be the next northern heartbreaker for our neighbors across the line.

Most likely to elicit “oh yeah, I remember him”: Peter Uihlein. Also, most likely to play Titleist.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

7 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