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5 things we learned Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

6 years ago

Aug 7, 2020

The Schefflers and the Schauffeles, the Kaymers, Koepkas, and Cauleys. It’s a dream leader board for an audiologists, this round one tally of the scores from Harding Park and the 102nd playing of the PGA Championship. Only once before has the PGA been the season’s first major championship. That was in 1971, when the event was held in February, at PGA National. With a west-coast, host course, the PGA finishes each night from eight to ten pm in all the other USA time zones. Chances are, you’re reading this quite late in the evening. No matter, it won’t put you to sleep. We learned five things today at TPC-Harding Park, and we are happy to share them with you.

1. Day and Todd share the round-one lead

Jason Day and Brendon Todd have a share of the opening-day lead at five under par. They aren’t clear by much; a mixed bag of nine golfers lurks one shot back, at minus four. Day is a former PGA champion (2015 at Whistling Straits) while Todd has been one of the hot golf stories of the wraparound season. He has two wins to his credit, and could have twice that many, with more luck and grit on his side. Day made the most of his day, with five birdies against zero bogies. Todd had seven birdies on the day, but a pair of late bogeys kept him from the solo lead. Day will see the course in the afternoon on day two, while Todd will tee it up early. As greens get bumpier by the minute, smart money is on Todd to remain near the lead. Day will need putting fortune on his side in the Friday PM.

2. Stars collide on leader board

Horses for tournaments might be the mixed metaphor of day one. Brooks Koepka, the defending champion, and Martin Kaymer, the 2010 PGA winner (also at Whistling Straits), sit in the nonagon at four deep. Major champions Justin Rose and Zach Johnson join them, along with a quintet of untested aspirants. Of the pentagon, the most interesting story is William “Bud” Cauley. An amateur contemporary of Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson (and their teammate on the 2009 USA Walker Cup side) Cauley suffered through injuries while his mates established their careers. Finally healthy, Cauley would be an even bigger, comeback story than the recently-injured Jason Day.

3. Bryson, of course

It figures that the fellow who avails himself best of the 2019 rules changes, would be the first visible beneficiary of the I broke my club and I can replace it change. Indeed, the large man of Physics #BigBangTheory leaned the wrong way on his driver and snapped the shaft off at the hosel. Thanks to the largesse of the USGA and R&A, Bryson is now able to replace the club mid-round. He reached minus-four twice on the back nine, before bogeys at 14 and 15 dropped him to minus-two.

4. Tiger’s day: a little of this and a little of that

El Tigre made five birdies on the day. That’s a good sign. He also made three bogeys. That’s a bad sign. TPC-Harding Park does not look like the type of course where a few under par will win the Wannamaker Trophy, so the recovering cat will need to get that oft-cited A Game back and quick. If anyone can, it is he. With four prior wins in the PGA, it is kinda-sorta his tournament, when he wants it to be. It has been 13 years since he won back-to-back titles, and a home-state course might be the thing that moves his needle.

5. What happened, Justin?

Last week’s winner, and current World Number One, Justin Thomas, had two double bogeys on the front nine, and fired a bumpy 71, one over par. If JT doesn’t reach deep and go low on Friday, he’ll have the weekend off. He’s not alone in the black figures, among top golfers. Last week’s other winner, Richy Werenski, also signed for 71. Webb Simpson, Tyrrell Hatton, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Cantlay joined them in the struggle zone. The constellation is large, but it doesn’t include all the stars. Stay tuned on Friday.

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

Published

6 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!

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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.

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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