News

Tour Rundown: Women’s British honors another new face, Dustin Johnson on feeling 22

Published

6 years ago

Aug 24, 2020

It’s hard to imagine this level of golf, under these circumstances. So much has been made of the presence of fans and other ancillary humans. Tiger and Rory have eloquently stated how much the roar of the crowd impacts their ability to raise their games. Performances this last week demonstrated that others are capable of summoning greatness in the absence of supporters. Proven winners and unproven newcomers came to the fore in the penultimate week of August. Learn more about their performances in this week’s Tour Rundown.

Women’s British honors another new face

More than other major championship, British Open venues have a magic proclivity for recognizing worthy, new faces. Mo Martin in 2014, Georgia Hall in 2018, Hinako Shibuno in 2019, and now, Sophia Popov in 2020.

The Royal Troon weather was the early story in Scotland. The USA’s Amy Olson, hearty from a Minnesota upbringing, managed an unfathomable 67 in Thursday’s gusts and gales. Just like that, she slipped to 81 in round two, and went away to a 45th-place tie. Recognizable names moved about the leader board, but the only two that stuck were Minjee Lee and Inbee Park, who came 3rd and 4th, respectively. Popov seized the lead on Saturday evening, on the strength of a 67 of her own, and wondered if Sunday would bring the dream for which she worked.

For most of day four, pundits pondered two resolutions to the 44th playing of the event. Charging with fury was Jasmine Suwwanapura of Thailand. The 27-year old posted four consecutive birdies on the outward nine, and added two late ones, at the 16th and 17th. On this day, Jas needed perfection to catch Popov, and two bogeys did her in. Her run to second place was marvelous. and should serve as the confidence-builder she needs.

Popov was unmatched on Sunday. She followed her 67 with 68 on day four, and claimed a two-shot win with a safe, closing bogey. The former University of Southern California golfer demonstrated a complete command of diverse shots all week, including multiple drivers off the deck. In the end, it was an incredible putting performance that marked her as a major champion. Long birdies and mid-range par saves dotted her scorecards all week. In 2020, Germany has its first female major winner in golf, and she could not be more worthy.

Dustin Johnson on feeling 22

DJ played an event this weekend. He finished at 30 strokes below par, for his 22nd career title. A bunch of other guys played another event, for 2nd place, at the Northern Trust. That trophy went to Harris English, who posted an admirable minus-19. Some kidding aside, this should be a monumental performance for the lanky fellow from the Palmetto state. Johnson has won before, but not like this. Johnson has been raised up as a golfer for the ages, if only … An eleven-shot victory should give his psyche a surge in confidence, and should make him a recognizable favorite for every event played, to the end of this campaign.

The only laurel not worn by the 2016 US Open champion this week was low round. That went to Scottie Scheffler’s 59 on Friday, but even that note has humorous undertones. You see, DJ was 11 under par through 11 holes, on the strength of two eagles and seven birdies. Par out for 60, yawn, ho hum. We, of course, were pulling for a few more birdies and a silly number, like 57 or 58. DJ had none left, and seven pars later, he signed for 60. On the week, Johnson had five eagles, and a mere three bogies, two of which came on Thursday. Johnson became the fifth golfer in 2020 to claim the top spot in the world golf rankings. If he continues to play remotely close to the manner in which he conducted himself in Boston, he’ll hold on to that distinction for at least a month.

Langasque wins for the first time on the European Tour

For quite some time in Wales, it seemed that a north European might raise the winner’s trophy at the Wales Open in Newport. Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden held the 54-hole lead, but he went away on Sunday with 74. Rising past him was Finland’s Sami Välimäki, who posted 136 on the weekend to reach 6-under par, good for second place.

The spoils of triumph fell into the hands of one Romain Langasque, of southern France. Langasque tied England’s Sam Horsfield for low round on Sunday with 65. For Horsfield, the minus-six performance moved him into a tie for 44th. Langasque was able to parlay his six-birdie, twelve-par showing into a five-spot boost, from sixth to first.

If Välimäki had summoned the frenchman’s flawless performance, he’d have won the event. Bogies at 3, 10, and 12 on Sunday were his undoing. A stout eagle at the ninth, paired with three birdies, were enough to move him past two Englishmen (Matthew Jordan and David Dixon) into the solo runner-up position. The European Tour remains in the United Kingdom for one more week, then journeys to southern Spain to open September.

NCHC 2020 recognizes (P)Luck in its champion

If ever an event called out for an abbreviated acronym, it’s the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. A worthy cause whose title offers a plethora of syllables for media types. The NCHC, long played at The Ohio State University’s Scarlet course, was a mighty battle this year. No one golfer held a sizable lead at any juncture, and the final outcome came on the strength of pluck.

Curtis Luck added the consonant “P” to the front of his name this weekend. The Australian golfer had been in position before to claim an inaugural title, but the opportunity had so far gone to someone else. On this day, he was paired with Cameron Young, he of the four consecutive, top-15 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour. In any other year, Young would be prepping for a promotion to the big tour. 2020 is like no other year.

Back to Pluck, errr, Luck. The man from Oz had little cause for celebration for most of Sunday. Stuck in first gear, with two bogies and a bushel of pars through 14 holes, his saving grace was that no one, including Young, was able to gain separation. In the blink of an eye, birdies fell his way, at 15 and 16, and Luck was able to surge past a trio of runners-up, into the top spot.

Had Luck looked over his shoulder, he might have seen Will Zalatoris, the hot man earlier this season. Zalatoris reached the winning tally of minus-eleven at the sixteenth green, but closed with consecutive bogeys and dropped to a tie for fifth. He might also have seen Stephen Jaeger, racing toward a second consecutive win. The German came close, tying Zalatoris for fifth. The PGA Tour is entertaining, for sure, but these guys are playing for their professional lives! For them, it’s pressure. For us, it’s incredible drama.

Eagle flies the Bertsch flag at Buffalo Ridge

Shane Bertsch shouldn’t have won on Sunday in the Ozarks. After opening with twin 64s, the journeyman pro found himself in a playoff with guys like Bernhard Langer, Kenny Perry, and Glen Day. Let’s be realistic: Langer is the most decorated Champions Tour golfer in history. That’s scary. Perry won 14 times on the regular tour, then added 10 wins on the Champions Tour. Day? Well, he birdied the 18th to reach the playoff, the only one of the four to do so. In other words, Bertsch had zero momentum as the foursome returned to the 18th tee.

Of course, it would be Bertsch who jockeyed a six-iron approach from the best drive of the group, to 25 feet for eagle. And it would also be Bertsch who stroked the putt with precisely the amount of pace it needed to fall into the left edge of the cup, for a winning eagle. The unheralded winners who emerged last week have Bertsch to thank; his victory on Friday showed the way to all of them.

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

6 hours 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

Driver: Ping 440 LST
Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Ping PLD Anser

News

Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

21 hours ago

May 31, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

News

Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider

Published

3 days ago

May 29, 2026

Alistair Cameron

There must be something in the water. Or potentially on the greens. A whole host of big-time players decided that the Charles Schwab Challenge was the perfect place to test out new putters.

With the 2026 U.S. Open just around the corner, defending champion J.J. Spaun made a surprising switch away from his center-shafted Df3 and into L.A.B. Golf’s OZ.1i HS – the heel-shafted mallet putter.

“Just something I kind of wanted to change the way the putter was looking, just a completely different look than the DF3 that I’ve been using for the last year and a half,” Spaun told GolfWRX about the swap. “So it’s just easier to line up for me with less onset looking design, and it’s just something I felt like switching it up and seeing how it goes.”

You can find more about the putter and the reasoning behind Spaun’s change here.

Robert MacIntyre also decided to change the flatstick at Colonial Country Club. He’s using a custom Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R. The Scotty team created a specially-milled face featuring horizontal grooves and shortened the plumber’s neck to increase toe hang.

Another custom feature of the build is the welded wings added to the rear of the putter, similar to those found on the Phantom 11 head.

It’s potentially part of a major overhaul to his bag. The Scot has recently switched from the Titleist Pro V1 to the Pro V1x golf ball, added the new GTS2 driver, and is currently testing a GTS 3-wood that could replace his ancient TaylorMade AeroBurner 3-wood.

Ludvig Åberg joined the trio of superstars making alterations on the greens. He’s added a Scotty Cameron Phantom 3.2.

It’s not Åberg’s first putter switch of the season. He had been using different versions of his usual Odyssey Versa #1 head to try to get better speed control on the greens.

? Ludvig Åberg is using a new putter! He’s playing a @ScottyCameron Phantom 3 head. First major putter switch, although he has been changing loft and heads in the Odyssey #1 style this season.
Here’s a Phantom 3 built for him earlier in the season https://t.co/oGrNk6p0hz pic.twitter.com/edRbpk22m4

— Alistair Cameron (@ACameronWRX) May 28, 2026

Currently, a Tour-only offering, the Phantom 3 head is a half-moon mallet shape. Like the previous version that GolfWRX captured at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which Åberg never put in play, the current version appears to feature the Studio Carbon Steel face insert and chain-link face milling. Instead of the all-black version one, Åberg’s current flatstick is in the metal finish.

Rico Hoey’s make-shift Jailbird

Some of the best builds on Tour have a certain Frankenstein theme to them.

Odyssey decided to do this when breeding a turtle and a bird together. The result, Rico Hoey’s latest broomstick.

The custom Jailbird S2S Tri-Hot head includes an aluminium-milled insert from the unreleased TRTL head, which the team machined down to fit the face of the Jailbird after removing the usual Ai-Dual insert.

The team also filled the wings of the putter with epoxy to redistribute mass away from the face, with the metal insert weighing more than the original.

Hoey was also spotted with a custom Damascus Milled Jailbird Mini broomstick. Check out the full gallery here.

Brant Snedeker’s full WITB

Arguably, the PGA Tour’s feel-good story of the year so far was 45-year-old Brandt Snedeker returning to the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly 8 years.

His victory didn’t come without some equipment updates, either. The Presidents Cup Captain added the 2016 M2 driver equipped with a Fujikura Speeder Evolution 661. It’s a shaft that’s even older than the driver.

The historic driver setup might have been added because Snedeker was missing some antique vibes. He recently switched out his 2-decade-old Odyssey Rossie White Hot XG for a TaylorMade Spider Tour X.

He first put the Spider in play at the Cognizant Classic. Still, at the Valspar Championship, he tested TaylorMade’s True Path Alignment versus without, and preferred the added aim benefits he was getting. In previous testing, the biggest thing Snedeker noticed was the launch and how quickly the ball got to true roll from the Spider and its Pure Roll insert compared to anything else he had tried.

Check out Snedeker’s full what’s in the bag during this week’s episode of “Inside the Ropes” from Colonial.

Everything’s bigger in Texas

TaylorMade Golf chose the second stop of a Texas two-step in Dallas as the spot to launch the tour’s latest Spider putter.

On-site Monday at Colonial Country Club, GolfWRX’s Tour Photographer Greg Moore captured the new Spider ZT Max putter ahead of the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The Max version of TaylorMade’s zero-torque putter style has a larger footprint than the original ZT, which will likely lead to a higher MOI thanks to wider perimeter weighting.

The original ZT is made of high-density 303 stainless steel at the front, and then a lower-density 6061 aerospace aluminum on the back to create a high-MOI foundation, with a center shaft featuring slight forward shaft lean and 25mm onset behind the leading edge.

The Spider ZT Max also appears to use the ZT cambered sole, which is also seen on the recently Tour-launched Spider Tour, Tour X, F and V models, which were first spotted at the RBC Heritage.

Brian Harman gamed the original Spider ZT for his victory last year at the 2025 Valero Texas Open, and the putter also saw victory on the DP World Tour in the hands of Michael Kim for his FedEx Open de France win.

Check out the full gallery here.

Odds and Ends

Project X officially Tour launched the Titan Yellow shaft, just a few days after Wyndham Clark played it for the first time and won The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The shaft features a smoother feel in the handle compared to past Project X wood shafts, along with a firm midsection and firm tip. The Synex Technology allows a player to feel more load in transition without losing the feel of the clubhead. Titleist launched the GTS300 back at Quail Hollow, and just a few weeks later, it’s in the bag of Justin Thomas. Could this be a test run for Shinnecock?