News

Tour Rundown: Mr. Honest and Mr. Out-of-Nowhere

Published

5 years ago

Oct 17, 2021

October, when the trees are bare of all they wear. That’s Bono and U2 singing, way back when. Saturday brought colder temps to the northeastern USA, and Sunday confirmed them. Fall has arrived and with it, brought fewer golf tournaments. Gone are the weeks of five and six tours in competition. Like life, things wane in the closing months. Despite the dearth of competition, the three events that took place delivered every bit of drama that one could demand. Not until the final hole did things unfold for this trio of tourneys. Our mid-October Tour Rundown is worth your time, so have a read.

PGA Tour: McIlroy outsmarts the pundits this week in Vegas

Perhaps you caught the quote from Mr. Honesty, the one about the level of golf skill that lurks on the PGA Tour. McIlroy mentioned Keith Mitchell, with whom he had played at some recent point, as really good and capable of winning at any moment. For two days of 62-64, Mitchell made the Northern Irishman seem a druid. 73 derailed Mitchell’s run at the title, although he made a run at recovery on Sunday with 67. Mitchell finished three shy of the top spot, in a tie with 3rd round leader Rickie “Hardluck” Fowler, who flatlined with with 71 on a birdie-filled Sunday.

Second spot went to Open champion Collin Morikawa, who turned in 29 after seven birdies in nine holes. The Californian cooled down a bit on the back nine with only a birdie and an eagle to brag on. Morikawa reached 24-deep and looked for all the world a winner…until along came McIlroy! The druid himself capped a final-day 66 with an eagle at the 14th and clipped Morikawa by one to claim his 20th PGA Tour title. After a forgettable Ryder Cup last month, Rors needed (and got) an individual title.

Rory is rolling it. @McIlroyRory opens up a 3-shot lead with an eagle from off the green at 14. ? pic.twitter.com/x64XLWxHgV

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 17, 2021

PGA Tour Champions: Mr. Out-of-Nowhere comes out of nowhere to win

We’re going to stop short of saying that the 2021 campaign has been a hardluck run for Miguel Ángel Jiménez. The Canarian has notched eight top-10 finishes highlighted by five in the top three places. In his last four starts, MAJ has finished 2-4-2-2; if winning is the measuring stick, it’s a putt or two that makes the difference. Contrast his stretch with that of Lee Janzen; the two-time U.S. Open champion has one top-20 finish this calendar year, but it’s a win. And it came this week. And you know who he touched past in the end to win!

Janzen wins as often as Jiménez eschews a glass of tinto with dinner. It ain’t often. On this day in October, a few miles west of Raleigh, Janzen opened with bogey then played 17 holes in 6 under par…scratch that, played 18 holes in 7 under par. Why 18? It took one extra hole (which he birdied) to dispatch the Spaniard. Don Miguel did everything correctly to win: He made five birdies and limited his bogey output. Unfortunately, Janzen hammered out four birdies on the inward half to close the gap. Now, perhaps, he’ll finally be mentioned in greater company than that of Leslie Knope.

The real question is who's Leslie Knope?@ParksandRec slept on @LeeJanzen. pic.twitter.com/S9gfK861Cd

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 17, 2021

European Tour: Anyone want the Andalucía Masters?

As time wound down at Valderrama, the thought on the minds of many was, “Does anyone wish to lay claim to this title?” Laurie Canter was in the mix at the start of round four; after birdie at the fifth, the Englishman played the remaining holes in 6 over par and dropped to a tie for fourth position. Min Woo Lee got close, too., but he had an ugly three-in-four stretch of bogeys and finished in a tie for second place. Sebastian Söderberg got even closer. He reached 6 under par after 70 holes but closed double and bogey over Valderrama’s difficult close and dropped back with Lee into second at minus 3.

Who came out on top? A fellow who had a less-than-memorable Ryder Cup last month, who was desperate for an affirming victory. Matt Fitzpatrick had nearly as boring a round as one might imagine: 15 consecutive pars, two birdies, then one final par. On this day, his recipe for bogey-avoidance won him an unexpected, seventh tour title. It was his first since December of 2021, when he claimed victory at Dubai. On this day, Fitzpatrick lulled the course and the opposition to sleep and emerged with a three-shot victory.

Seeking his seventh European Tour title. @MattFitz94 is heading down 18 with a three shot lead.#EDAM2021 pic.twitter.com/I7gkfDjoPf

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 17, 2021

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

5 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