News

Five Things We Learned: Thursday at the 2022 Masters

Published

4 years ago

Apr 7, 2022

About the only thing missing from the first round at the Masters was the late Tim Rosaforte. The docent of golf scribes passed in January. His contributions were honored by his fellow journalists in the days leading up to the first round of competition. Oh, and that left-hander, but that’s a can of worms we dare not open. Instead, let’s focus on those fine, Spanish-language tweets from @TheMasters. Take it from este chaval: aciertan.

Cameron Smith proved two things on Thursday: it is possible to open and close with double bogeys, and still shoot 68; and, his comfort with this golf course is palpable. The 2020 runner-up to Dustin Johnson demonstrated the same ease he employed to conquer TPC Sawgrass last month. Don’t sleep on the mullet.

With those opening remarks, another season of Five Things We Learned is underway, and it’s time to enter the ring for the main event. Stay with us all week and enjoy keeping up with our education.

1. Cameron Smith is fun to watch

As mentioned in the tease, our favorite Australian is in the mix at four-under par. Smith began the day in a manner we all know: lose your drive to the fade side and find a bunker. From there, Smith escaped in two, airmailed the green in three, and failed to get up and down for not just par, but bogey as well. Fast forward about four hours to the 18th tee, where again the block put him in trouble. He punched free to the fairway but, perhaps cognizant of his long third at the first, came up shy of the flag by about fifty feet. His par putt raced by, and he could not convert for bogey.

Sound familiar? The eight birdies in between probably weren’t. Smith played brilliantly from the second tee to the 17th green. He converted stroke-savers at the impossibly-difficult fifth and sixth holes, then added two more at eight and nine, to turn in 34. On the inward half, Smith made a deuce at the 12th, then added three more birdies from 14 through 16. In conclusion, the eight birdies impressed far more than the two doubles depressed. Smith will be around for a while this week.

Deft touch on display at No. 5. #themasters pic.twitter.com/AYiiMt9xs4

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2022

2. The amateur contestants struggled on Thursday

Bobby Jones always demanded an amateur presence at his tournament. Each year, the amateur champions from Latin America, Great Britain, the United States, and Asia are invited to compete. Joining them are the USGA Mid-Amateur titleist and the USGA Amateur runner-up. In some years, the amateurs shine, but 2022 was not to be one of them, at least not today.

Three of the non-professional entrants finished at nine-over par. A fourth signed for plus-seven on his card. Austin Greaser, the US Amateur runner-up in 2021, turned in one-under par, but suffered bogey at three holes on the second nine, finishing at an admirable 74. His total placed him firmly in the top half of the field of contestants.

Keita Nakajima was the class of the amateur set on Thursday. The reigning Asia-Pacific Amateur champion posted even-par 72. His round was a balanced one: three birdies, three bogeys, and a slew of pars. Perhaps inspired by 2021 wins by Tsubasa Kajitani (Augusta National Women’s Amateur) and Hideki Matsuyama (Masters), Nakajima positioned himself for a firm run at making the cut on Friday.

Keita Nakajima with a dart on the 15th ?

He ties the lead at -1??4?? pic.twitter.com/nQiVluQH17

— Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (@AAC_Golf) November 6, 2021

3. Welcome to Three-Under Land

A fine foursome sits at three-under par after 18 holes. Masters champions Danny Willett (2016) and Dustin Johnson (2020) reached the figure in different ways. Willett opened with bogey, but bounced back with birdie at the second. He made his second and final bogey of the day at the sixth, then began to chip away at Old Man Par. Birdies at eight and nine brought him to the red side of par. Two more on the inward par-five holes seated him at the table of minus-three. Johnson reached four-under at the 10th hole, suggesting that he would find a way to the mid-60s by days end. Instead, he avoided birdie at the two, reachable par-five holes on the back nine, and made bogey at 17. It was not the second nine he anticipated.

Joining the two of them at 69 are Joaquín Niemann of Chile, and world number one Scottie Scheffler. Niemann made a spectacular eagle at the ninth, then played even over the next nine holes to place himself inside the top six golfers at day’s end. Scheffler played brilliant golf all day, until a final-hole bogey dropped him one shot from minus-four. We haven’t seen either of these two in the mix at a major, so it will be fun to watch them try to establish a place in this echelon of professional golf.

Increíble águila de Joaquín Niemann en el hoyo 9. #elMasters #themasters pic.twitter.com/CLyCYOUCsm

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2022

4. Don’t Sleep on Us

This is the most risky and enjoyable thing to write. These combatants have a special something that earns our attention. For those of you who love bullet points, buckle in!

Patrick Cantlay: Patty Ice has nerves of steel and is aching for a major. Is it time?
Harold Varner III: HV3 gets better with age. The road from Akron to Augusta might end in triumph.
Corey Conners: The long-hitting Canadian has knocked on many a door in recent years. Augusta suits him.
Tiger Woods: One-under par defied all expectations. The mind and the game are present; the fitness will determine his tournament this week.
Daniel Berger: the Floridian was minus-three until his double at the last. He is gritty and wants respect.

From the pine straw to mere feet. Eagle for Harold Varner III. #themasters pic.twitter.com/uA0U7jQbUT

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2022

5. Sungjae Im is your leader in the clubhouse

Im Sung-jae has won twice on the PGA Tour. He won the 2020 Honda in Florida, and the 2021 Shriners in Nevada. Neither of those places bears a resemblance to Augusta National, but Im doesn’t seem to mind. Im opened his tournament with three consecutive birdies, then made another at the seventh, to reach four deep. He made mistakes at 10 and 11 to drop a pair of shots, then reclaimed both with an electrifying eagle at the thirteenth. A final birdie, at the par-five fifteenth, brought the Korean champion to the top of the podium with 67. Im will tee off in the ninth group on Friday, at 9:39, with Australia’s Marc Leishman and Webb Simpson of the USA.

Eagle on No. 13 and the co-lead for Sungjae Im. #themasters pic.twitter.com/v2aj0TihFz

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2022

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

2 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