News

Tour Rundown: CJ Cup rides off with Rory again | Ko sizzles

Published

4 years ago

Oct 24, 2022

The golden season for leaves in the American middle and north countries arrived this week, with fireworks of gold, red, and orange dressing all sorts of trees in fall glory. The golf world reminded us of the extension of seasons around the world, well into November. Four events took place over these seven days, in Korea and Carolina, as well as Spain and Virginia. As the leaves drop, so does the number of remaining tournaments. If we’re fortunate, the competitors will continue to give us memorable moments, until the snow flakes arrive. Let’s dive into this week’s Tour Rundown with a bit of Autumn enthusiasm.

PGA Tour: CJ Cup rides off with Rory again

There’s a pretty good chance that Rory and the McIlroys are now officially scouting a piece of land in South Carolina’s low country. It’s not just the seafood boils that prove attractive; it’s the employment opportunities. For the second consecutive year, the pride of Holywood Golf Club secured a win at Congaree, although the new/old world number one decided to make it just a bit dramatic.

Jon Rahm and Kurt Kitayama held a joint, 36-hole lead at 11-under par, with McIlroy one shot back. On Saturday, the 2021 PGA Championship at nearby Kiawah Island made a move with a second-consecutive 66. With nothing assured, Roars played nearly-flawless golf through sixteen holes on Sunday. Seven birdies agains one bogey gave him a three-shot advantage with two to play. On the penultimate hole, his drive found a waste bunker, and his second bogey of the day was the result. At the last hole, a less-than-stellar approach left him 50 feet for birdie. With no desire to risk a week’s hard work, McIlroy eased into the hole in three putts, giving him a one-shot win over Kitayama. K.H. Lee of South Korea came third, at 15-under par.

Leader by 2 with 3 to play.@McIlroyRory gets up-and-down for birdie on 15. pic.twitter.com/YDq4V64QEo

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 23, 2022

LPGA: BMW Ladies Championship to Ko in sizzling fashion

Atthaya Thitikul began the week in wondrous fashion. Her nine-under 63 staked her to a one-shot advantage over amateur Minsol Kim. The amateur would ultimately tie for tenth position, earning the respect of her fellow competitors. Thitikul would hold the lead until Sunday, when her game left her and she closed with 74. Thitikul’s departure opened the door for a host of challengers, and a familiar name was the one to close the door.

After earning 14 tour victories over a four-year span last decade, Lydia Ko passed through a few lean years. Over the past two seasons, she has earned three victories, with the latest coming this week in Korea. Ko and Andrea Lee began round four a shot behind Thitikul. Ko reminded us of the closer that she once was. Her final-nine 31 featured five birdies, and allowed her to pull away from Lee and claim her 18th LPGA title. Lee’s final-round 69 might have won the event on a different day, but with Ko in fabulous form, a solo second was Lee’s destiny.

Victory in Korea! ??

Check out Lydia Ko's final round highlights from the BMW Ladies Championship! pic.twitter.com/2lVsbVfSGh

— LPGA (@LPGA) October 23, 2022

DP World Tour: Mallorca is milestone for Paul

How does one top a three-birdie, three-eagle Saturday? One that totals 62, and gives you the 54-hole lead? Nothing spectacular, just good-enough golf to claim your first DP World Tour title by a single stroke. Yannick Paul of Germany had earned top-ten finishes in recent starts at Madrid and Paris, so he might have had an inkling that a shot at a title wasn’t far off. Mallorca, in the Mediterranean off Spain’s eastern coast, gave him that opportunity and he seized it.

Winning isn’t easy, nor is it ever comprehensible. After rounds of 64 and 62, Paul found himself with a lead and a weight on his shoulders. Sunday began as it often does for the non-winner: the game that brought him to 71 on Thursday, and threatened to eviscerate his title hopes. Bogeys at one and seven turned him the wrong way, but birdies at eight and 11 stabilized the flight pattern. With a chance to separate from Paul Waring and Nicolai Von Dellinghausen, the golfers who would ultimately tie for second at 14-under par, Paul made another pair of bogeys at 14 and 15, in an effort to release his hold on the title.

With everything on the line, Yannick Paul found a way to coax his approach at the 18th to the right fringe. The rest, for him at least, is glorious history. Have a watch below.

The moment @YannikPaul became a DP World Tour winner ?#MallorcaGolfOpen pic.twitter.com/e4U3F26ma9

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 23, 2022

PGA Tour Champions: Dominion Energy Classic is Alker’s fourth of 2022

Is it a mild slump when, after three wins (including a major) in April and May, you don’t win again until October? Not really, although some pundits and aficionados might be misled into thinking just that. Toruing professionals are well aware that greatness flies away without warning, and success might be one adjustment away. Steven Alker spent a lifetime in the grind on the regular tours, winning just enough to keep the dream alive. His second chance at glory, on PGA Tour Champions, is one that he plans to hold close, for as long as possible.

In Richmond, Virginia, Alker had a high finish in his sight scope, although Jerry Kelly seemed determined to snatch it away. Kelly began the week with 65-67, and posted birdie on Sunday’s opening hole. An unforeseen double at the par-three fourth stalled the engine. A pair more of birdies against a bogey followed, but when a guy like Alker reels off four birdies on the inward half, including three consecutive, it’s not your day. Kelly ultimately finished in a tie for third with Doug Barron and Padraig Harrington, one behind K.J. Choi and two back of Alker, who secured win number four of the year.

After the signing of the cards, Alker let his guard down a bit. When you win, however, moments like these are easy to manage!

The first mistake Steven Alker has made all year ? pic.twitter.com/2XovoGZzrj

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 24, 2022

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

27 mins ago

Jun 3, 2026

Ben A

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

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