News

Five things we learned: Friday at the PGA

Published

5 years ago

May 22, 2021

The winds were up on Kiawah Island on Friday, and one man took advantage of a morning tee time to work his way up the leaderboard and assume the top spot at the halfway point. The youth movement that surged on Thursday, stepped aside on Friday as the wily veterans took over the room.

The cut fell at 5 over, and an astonishing 81 players survived. Every golfer remaining is within 11 shots of the lead. Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course is not one that allows for big comebacks, but don’t count Harold Varner, Patrick Reed, and Jason Day out of the running. Stranger things happen.

Five things that we know we learned, that happened on Friday are laid out for you here.

1. Young Lefty

Phil Mickelson, who recently looked like a prime candidate for a leap to the Champion’s Tour, is tied at the top with Louis Oosthuizen. Phil began his day on the inward half, the side that has frayed the nerves through two days. He came home in 2 over, returning to even on the week through 27 holes. On the outward half, the California native coaxed five birdie putts into the hole for 31, the low nine of the first two days. Mickelson nearly doubled his driving accuracy from day one, and the results were apparent. The 2005 PGA Championship winner leads the strokes gained: overall category and is putting as if he were on his dining room carpet. It’s a killer combination, and he just might have a shot to stay near the lead on Saturday.

.@PhilMickelson has been working his magic at @KiawahResort. And there are still 36 holes to go! #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/kzwZtCy4Ev

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 22, 2021

2. King Louis

South Africa’s British Open champion in 2010 still swings the club as he did during that magical week in St. Andrews. What was considered a coming-out party for a young champion turned into his sole major victory after his 2012 Masters playoff loss. Like Mickelson, Oousthuizen is far from a sure bet, but he’s a safe play for the oddsmakers. Guys like him win PGA Championships (think Jeff Sluman, Larry Nelson, Shawn Micheel), and his complete game has him on page one. No matter where he drives the ball, Louis gets it on the green in regulation. His putting and chipping have been exquisite, and he’s tied with Mickelson at 5 under, one shot clear of Brooks Koepka.

Have a day, @Louis57TM!#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/rBVE8fGxsD

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 21, 2021

3. BK Broiler

Brooks is an enigma. He seems injured, but he played the Masters and is challenging at the PGA. He has won this august event two times and fears no golfer ahead nor behind. Brooks is grinding an ax, thanks to the November Masters win by Dustin Johnson. Something about DJ gets Brooke going like no other competitor. Former training partners and bros, Koepka wants no part of Lanky catching up in the majors department. Koepka had eagles Vegas-style, at the 7th and 11th holes. Both par 5’s that exceed 570 yards, he was on in two on both greens, and maneuvered longish putts into the hole for three. If he keeps doing things like that all weekend, he’ll have more margin for error than the rest of the chasers.

? ANOTHER ONE!

Brooks Koepka sinks his second eagle of the day, bringing him one back of the lead.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/oc7ZTwictc

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 21, 2021

4. Grand Slam talk?

Hideki Matsuyama was minus-five on the day, before the requisite five at the last (seriously, how is it listed as a par 4?) dropped him to 3 under on the week, tied for fourth position with two members of the South African contingent. Matsuyama has confidence after breaking through the major glass ceiling at Augusta in April. His flatstick continues to save him. Consider how he butchered the 18th before holing a putt of seven feet for bogey. If there is a golfer that Koepka considers a threat, it’s Hideki. Koepka expects to dispatch Mickelson and Oosthuizen by the 10th tee on Saturday. The bearer of the green jacket will be there until the end.

First major start as a major winner. ?

Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama will finish ____ this week. #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/KaA5KCc5h8

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) May 18, 2021

5. #TeamOf20 update

Is 10 percent always 10 percent? Two of the twenty PGA professionals sit a 5 over or better, assured of weekend rounds at Kiawah. Brad Marek has looked like he belonged all week. Two rounds of 73 have him at 2 over on the week. Marek birdies and eagles like a tour pro, but he makes bogeys like a club pro. Is top 30 possible? Yes. Top 20? That would be massive. Any higher is super unlikely, but he’s putting on a nice show.

Ben Cook does not like the closing stretch. By closing stretch, we mean the final six holes, which we might as well call the closing third. The pro from John’s Island Club in Florida has played that portion in 4 over both days. Saturday and Sunday won’t be any easier, so for him to move up at all, he’ll need to go Full Lefty on the outward half. Can he? Sure. Will he? \_*_/. Thing is, he’s through to the weekend, and that’s worth a lot.

Team of 20 Member Benny Cook came away with a title at the Four Ball Stableford Team Championship earlier this week…

Looks like he's ready to make another run at a @PGAChampionship appearance. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/5PjMGiGAtV

— PGA of America (@PGA) February 4, 2021

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

11 hours 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

2026 The Memorial – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

22 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