News

Tour Rundown: Willett and Burns, oh my

Published

5 years ago

Oct 3, 2021

It’s not uncommon for me to fall asleep at my laptop, chin collapsed against my chest. Wife and traveling buddies have laughed repeatedly at the sight. After Ryder Cup week, especially the one we had, I feel that way as I begin this Tour Rundown.

Shoulder seasons are always interesting for professional tournament coverage. Not every tour has ramped up its play, and some have ramped it down for the year. The events that are played mean a lot to the communities they serve, and to the players who need to certify their place on the money list. For those reasons, they mean a lot to us. This week’s TR includes a Champions Tour event from last week. We hope that you enjoy it and that your Ryder Cup hangover is not nearly as crushing as mine!

European Tour: Dunhill Links to Willett by two

A couple of IFS to begin this segment: if an event is played at The Old Course, it automatically leads. If a golfer is the only one to shoot four rounds in the 60s (barring an annihilation and one-round hiccough by another competitor) said golfer wins. Now that that’s over with, let’s talk about the Dunhill Links championship, which featured two of four rounds at St. Andrews Old, and Danny Willett, the only golfer to sign card for four rounds in the 60s. Wait a second…we already did. Kudos to Willett on his first victory in two years, and his eighth overall. The Englishman’s brilliance at Augusta in 2016 left us wanting more majors, and perhaps at age 34, number two might be on the horizon. Today’s his birthday and this trophy is quite a present. Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren and England’s Tyrrell Hatton came second at 16-under, two back of Willett

Two holes to go.
Two shots clear. @Danny_Willett is looking to become the first man to win on his birthday on the European Tour since Ernie Els at the 2004 HSBC World Match Play Championship.#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/PJ1N1Qp2Ky

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 3, 2021

PGA Tour: Sanderson Farms Championship claimed by Burns in late going

If you’ve never listened to Jackson, by Mrs. and Mr. Cash, take the time to click the link below. Howza come? Well, they just finished up a tournament in Jackson, MS today, and depending on which Cash you believe, Sam Burns was either a “big-talking man” or the fellow who “teach’em what they don’t know how.” We think it’s the later. Burns waited for the front-runners to cool down and then, hotter than a pepper sprout, he made his move. Birdies at 11, then 13 through 15, shoved him past resurgent Nick Watney, upstart Cameron Young, and all the rest; they also gave him the cushion he needed to make bogey at the last and still claim a win.

Watney was the next big thing in the early 2010s, until he no longer was. This wasn’t his comeback week, but he sure come close. Young tried to continue the grand Wake Forest tradition of PGA Tour winners; it should come sooner, rather than later. In the end, it was UFlorida’s Burns, who found his way home to a second tour title, and the success that was predicted for him in college.

LPGA: Boutier earns 2nd tour title at ShopRite in Seaview

Celine Boutier has a solid international record when playing team golf. She is a combined 5-1-1 after two Solheim Cup appearances. Now the young woman from France looks to shore up her individual record, and New Jersey gave her just that opportunity. Boutier moved from 10th place to 1st on Sunday with a magical 63. She posted 31 against a 37 par on the outward half, then came home in two-under 32 to reach 14-under par and edge the lofty trio of Brooke Henderson, Jin Young Ko, and Inbee Park by one. Jin and Inbee began the day in a first-place tie, but could not build on their Saturday performances. Instead, it was Henderson (64) and Boutier who made day-three moves to ascend the leader board.

The putt that posted the winning score! ?@celineboutier earns her second Tour win at the @ShopRiteLPGA! ? pic.twitter.com/DOIEuyViSx

— LPGA (@LPGA) October 3, 2021

Champions Tour: Choi claims first senior title at Pebble

It was seven days ago today, that we once again cheered for KJ. The affable former power lifter from Wando became the first Korean to win first prize in a Champions Tour event, and he did so at the expense of the ageless Bernhard Langer and his countryman, Alex Cejka. Choi absolutely lit up the front nine at the pacific paradise, posting five birdies for 31. In the blink of an eye, the magic disappeared, and Choi closed with eight pars and a bogey, but still held on for a two-shot margin of victory. In complete contrast, Langer’s back nine was anything but boring. After a double at the 10th, the Teutonic Titan posted four birdies and a bogey coming home, for an inward 35. Cejka, twice a winner in May, had six birdies on the afternoon, but was undone by bogey at six and eight.

First PGA TOUR Champions win ?
First TOUR win since 2011 ?

What a week for K.J. Choi @PUREFirstTee. ? pic.twitter.com/zLxN7NJp97

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 26, 2021

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

2 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