News

Morning 9: Another Tiger surgery | Ko looking to end major drought | Lexi playing hurt at first major

Published

3 years ago

Apr 20, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Zurich Classic and Chevron get underway.

1. Another surgery for Tiger

2. Koepka: Masters showed LIV, Tour players can coexist

Via the Golf Channel digital team…”Speaking ahead of the LIV Adelaide event, Koepka said an incident-free week at the Masters – save for CEO Greg Norman calling Augusta National’s decision to not invite him “petty” – was “the best thing for the fans to see.”

“We experience it all behind closed doors at home,” Koepka told reporters. “It was just good for the fans to see that we still communicate, we still play together, we still practice together, do everything the exact same. We’re still the same people.”

Full piece.

3. Ko on ending major drought

Golf Channel’s Mercer Baggs…”For the first time in this major’s history, dating to 1972, Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, will not play host. Instead, it will be Carlton Woods’ Nicklaus Course.”

“Ko won the event in 2016 for her second major title. It remains her most recent major victory. She’s since endured a lengthy slump and risen from the depths. She won three times last year, including the lucrative season finale, and reached world No. 1 for the first time since 2017.”

“The major drought, however, has continued. Ending that dry spell this week would not only give her a second Dinah Shore Trophy, it would give her the necessary two points to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.”

“It would be pretty cool to get it done in the first major of the year and be in the Hall of Fame, but that’s not what’s important to me,” Ko said on Tuesday. “For me, I just want to have a good week and put myself in position, and if I have a chance at it and be the one that’s holding the trophy at the end of the week, that’s pretty awesome. But I don’t think that’s going to be like my driving force going to any of these events this year.”

Full piece.

4. Another impressive feat for Rose Zhang

Alex Myers for Golf Digest…“The Stanford sophomore isn’t even halfway through her college career, and yet she’s already spent more time as the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer than anyone. Zhang has now spent a total of 136 weeks at No. 1, surpassing the previous record of 135 established by Leona Maguire in 2018.”

“Last month, Zhang topped Lydia Ko’s mark of 130 consecutive weeks in the top spot.”

“It’s an unbelievable honour and a testament to a lot of hard work not just by me but by my team as well,” Zhang said in a statement. “Passing names like Lydia and Leona on any list is incredible; they’ve both gone on to have such impressive professional careers and are great role models in golf. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received and look forward to continuing to pursue my dreams in this game.”

Full piece.

5. Gary Player says he has shot his age 3,000 times in a row

Tom D’Angelo for the Palm Beach Post…”The only challenge for Player each day he decides to play 18 holes is to beat his age — by 15 shots.”

“According to Player, his 76 at Augusta National this past Sunday — in which he said he used the cart only to go uphill — was the 3,072nd time in a row he has shot his age or better.”

“Impossible? Sure sounds it until he reveals the first time he shot his age was in the year 2000. At the age of 64.”

Full piece.

6. Norman wants to “sit down and talk” with PGA Tour

Joshua Lees for the Mirror…”Since then the two rivals have traded blow for blow, which has eventually led to their battle becoming a legal one. Norman has found himself as one of the saga’s leading protagonists, with the Aussie CEO never far from the centre of golf’s ongoing drama.”

“Now though Norman is seemingly out to call a truce with Monahan and co nearly a year on from when battle lines were drawn. Asked if it was time for the two tours to settle their difference, he told the Daily Telegraph : “Yeah, maybe we should sit down and talk.”

“It’s going to happen somehow and somewhere down the line. And why shouldn’t it be sooner rather than later? They must realise by now that we aren’t going away.” The idea of the Saudi-backed series going toe-to-toe with the PGA Tour 12 months ago was nothing more than a pipe dream for Norman and his team.”

Full piece.

7. Will Ferrell set for LIV-style role in new sitcom

Nelly Andreeva for Deadline…”In what is shaping up to become one of the biggest TV comedy packages to hit the marketplace in awhile, Will Ferrell & Jessica Elbaum’s Gloria Sanchez Productions and Rian Johnson & Ram Bergman’s T-Street have teamed up to develop a comedy TV series as a starring vehicle for Ferrell, I have learned.”

“No one would comment but I hear the series revolves around a professional golfer who becomes the face of a controversial new league competing with the PGA.”

“While fictional, the story would inevitably draw parallels to the controversial LIV Golf startup. It also evokes one of Ferrell’s signature movies, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. The series is in a similar tone, I hear, bringing Ferrell back to the sports arena he also explored in Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro.”

Full piece.

8. Lexi playing hurt at first major

Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek…”From a scheduling standpoint, Lexi Thompson has eased into the year’s first major, teeing it up only twice so far in 2023 – once on the LPGA and once in Saudi Arabia.”

“But all that time off didn’t exactly lead to a rested approach, at least physically. Turns out Thompson, 28, grinded so hard back home in south Florida that she arrived at the Chevron Championship with a taped-up right wrist. The pain started about a week ago.”

“I’ve just been hitting so many golf balls at home,” said Thompson, when asked about the black tape that ran up past her elbow, “and I’ve kind of — I’m not going to say injured, but it’s hurting a little bit. But I’ve gotten work done the last few days and getting it taped up.”

“But yeah, I think I just overworked it. It’s nothing crazy severe, but it’s there. But we’ll see.”

Full piece.

9. Photos from the Zurich Classic

Check out all our photos from New Orleans in the GolfWRX forums!

Full piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

25 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