News

Morning 9: Kirk wins Honda | Howell III takes LIV opener | Siem victorious

Published

3 years ago

Feb 27, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

February 27, 2023

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Chris Kirk returned to the winner’s circle with a big playoff win at the Honda Classic.

1. Kirk wins Honda

AP report…”Chris Kirk waited nearly eight years to win a PGA Tour event again. Waiting one more hole on Sunday was no problem.

Kirk stuck his approach to the par-5 18th to tap-in range, and his birdie on the first hole of a playoff lifted him past Eric Cole for the victory at the Honda Classic on Sunday.

Cole had a chance, playing his third shot from the sand to just outside of 10 feet for a birdie that would have extended the playoff. But it lipped out, and Kirk nudged his ball in for his fifth career win — his first since prevailing at Colonial in 2015.

“I was obviously very, very nervous today having not won in so long,” Kirk said. “Coming down the stretch, I felt good.”

Full piece.

2. Vu takes title in Thailand

AP report…”American Lilia Vu rode a hot putter to claim her maiden LPGA crown with a one-shot victory over home favorite Natthakritta Vongtaveelap at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Sunday.”

“Trailing the local rookie by six strokes at the start of the day, 25-year-old Vu unleashed eight impressive birdies, including five straight from the eighth hole to end her campaign with an immaculate round of 8-under 64 for a 22-under 266 total at Siam Country Club Old Course.”

Full piece.

3. Charles Howell III wins in Mexico

BBC Report…”Charles Howell III claimed his first LIV Golf title at the season-opening event with a stunning eight-under-par 63 in the final round in Mexico.

The American won $4m (£3.33m), plus a quarter of the $1m prize for winning the team event with Crushers GC.”

Howell, 43, finished on 16 under, four shots clear of runner-up Peter Uihlein with Sunday’s bogey-free final round.

“I had a lot of experience here,” said Howell, who was playing the Mayakoba course for the 14th time last week.

Full piece.

4. Sim wins first in 14 years

AP report…”Marcel Siem ended his long wait for a fifth European tour title with victory at the Hero Indian Open by a single shot Sunday.”

“The German’s last win on the tour came eight years and 116 days ago at the 2014 BMW Masters. A closing 68 saw him edge out countryman Yannik Paul for the victory with a 14-under 274.”

Full Piece.

5. Bay Hill field loaded

Golf Channel report…”44 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking will tee it up next week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. No tournament has featured more top 50 players since the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews.”

The top 30 players in the FedExCup standings are all in the field, including all 13 winners on Tour this season.

19 of the 20 players in last year’s PIP will be teeing it up at Bay Hill, with Tiger Woods being the only exception.

Golf fans will see the top three players in the world battle it out once again with Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy making the trip to Arnie’s place. Scheffler will look to defend his championship after winning last year’s edition by a single shot over Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Billy Horschel.

Full piece.

6. Beef squashed

Golf Channel’s Max Schreiber…”During the summer of 2021, the major champions, who both defected to LIV Golf last year, had a high-profile feud that captivated the golf world. However, Koepka revealed Thursday during an Instagram Q&A that they have come to a truce once and for all. “

“Believe it or not, we squashed it,” Koepka said. “We’re good. I actually talk to him quite frequently because of what’s going on here at LIV. Pretty much on an every-other-day basis. We’ve got a good open line of communication, we’ve figured it all out and we’re good.”

Full piece.

7. Jack: Honda will make comeback

Tom D’Angelo for Palm Beach Post…”Jack Nicklaus is confident the rebranded Honda Classic is ready to make a comeback.”

Nicklaus said Sunday the PGA Tour will make significant changes to the 2024 schedule, helping the tournament. Honda’s fields have suffered in recent years because of its spot in the schedule. The event will be under a new title sponsor in 2024.

According to Nicklaus, an event in Mexico will be played between the Genesis Invitational and new Honda Classic. Additionally, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am will replace the WM Phoenix Open as a designated event in 2024 meaning just one event with a $20 million purse will be played the three weeks prior to Honda.

“The tournament’s going to be just fine,” Nicklaus said. “The tournament’s just fine anyway. Look at how this town has supported this event without having a great field. They stayed with it, supported it. I think they’ve done great.

Full Piece.

8. Shots fired

9 Winning WITB: Chris Kirk

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9 degrees @10.7)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (15 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (18 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 TX

Irons: Callaway Apex Pro ‘21 (4), Callaway Apex MB ‘18 (5-9)

Shafts: Project X LZ 125 6.5

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (46-10S @47, 50-10S @51), Vokey Design SM9 (56-10S), WedgeWorks (60-T)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S200

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG No. 5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Full WITB.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

1 day 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

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