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Tour Rundown: Whitnell whins | Taylor lifts the curse for Oh Canada

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11 months ago

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June is a pivotal month. No matter where you live, in the northern hemisphere, the good weather has finally arrived to stay (except for Wisconsin.) Even rainy June days are a delight. When she closes on the 30th each spin around the sun, we realize that the calendar has crested the mountain’s peak, and that the days are getting shorter. Not by much; we don’t notice a difference until August. Back to June: we extract as much as we are able out of the year’s sixth month. It helps that the US Men’s Open finishes on the third Sunday each year.

June’s second weekend brought five global events to our eyes. Women and Men vied for a single prize in Sweden, while seniors gathered in Wisconsin (one guess on who won in his home state?) The men found four days in Ontario to be typical, maple-leaf party, while the women took their best shots in the Garden state. Oh, lest we forget, those KFT guys traveled to upstate South Carolina for a little BMW bash. Time to run down the quintet of … wait, what just happened? Is that boarding? Five-minute major penalty for the security guard? You be the judge. Say a prayer for Adam Hadwin, while you’re at it.

DP World Tour @ Scandinavian Mixed: Whitnell Whins!

A year ago at this event, Linn Grant played flawless golf to become the first female to triumph on the DP World Tour. Dale Whitnell was in the throes of a 14-year, winless streak on the big tour. Since he turned professional in 2009, the former Walker Cup golfer has scratched his way from minor league to major league, but had never tasted victory until this week. After he opened with 66, the worst thing possible happened in round two: a 61.

For those uninitiated, such a round on Friday is more of a yoke than a blessing. You carry a large lead with you for 36 holes, and rarely do you build on it. Whitnell struggled mightily against expectation and self-imposed pressure over the next 48 hours. Saturday saw a brilliant day of seven birdies nearly undone with two doubles and a single. On Sunday, the yoke tightened ever more, and no dust had settled until the watery 17th. It was there that the Englishman played two sensible shots to within 17 feet of the hole, then calmly rolled the putt for birdie home. With three strokes in hand over the USA’s Sean Crocker, the leader managed to find the fairway at the home hole, then pitch inside of 15 feet. Two putts later, the 34-year old journeyman was finally a winner on the DP World Tour. As a bonus, Whitnell received the champion’s trophy from one of the all-time greats, host Annika Sorenstam.

LPGA @ ShopRite Classic: Buhai corrals first LPGA title in states

Ashleigh Buhai is the defending Women’s Open (aka British Open) champion, and having that sort of winning experience means a lot, coming down the final holes of any tournament. For much of the tournament, it looked like veteran Dani Homqvist might break through for a maiden LPGA win but, as is often the case, inexperience with closing the door took over. Homqvist could not settle the bogey nerves, ultimately scribbling five of them on her Sunday card. Her +1 on day three offered opportunity to the chasers, and it was a battle to the finish in New Jersey.

Yan Liu of China reached -11 with a final-day 67. Her hopes for victory were dashed when Hyo Joo Kim of Korea posted 68 for -13 on the week. Kim would see her number eclipsed by South Africa’s queen of golf, Ashleigh Buhai. Buhai sizzled on the front nine, tossing five birdies at the par of 37, to turn in 32. She survived a bogey bump at the 11th, and unearthed two more birdies coming home. Her four at the closing par five was the exquisite stroke that propelled her to a 21st professional win, and 2nd on the LPGA tour.

PGA Tour @ Canadian Open: Taylor lifts the curse for Oh, Canada!

Let’s begin with a moment of silence for hard-luck Tommy Fleetwood. Poor bustard needed a PGA Tour win for validation, and he ran headfirst into history. As we know, history always wins. Keep at it, Fairway Jesus. Your time is coming.

So many of our northern neighbors had tried in vain to lift the Maple Syrup Jug (or whatever the trophy is) since Pat Fletcher won in 1954, at Point Grey in Vancouver. Think of these gods of Canadian golf: George Knudson, Dan Halldorson, Mike Weir, Moe Norman, Adam Hadwin, Dick Zokol, Dave Barr, and Jim Nelford, for starters.  Until this year, nothing. Then came Nick Taylor, in the 97th year of Oakdale’s existence. What a time to end the drought.

Taylor isn’t the young bomber that Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith are. He is the middle-aged bomber with the savvy of a guy who knows how to get it done. Taylor and a host of golfers were welcomed into contention as 54-hole leader CT Pan got off to a bumpy start. +2 on the day after nine, he fought back with three birdies on the inward side, and tied for 3rd spot with Aaron Rai and Tyrrell Hatton. The third Englishman to make the top five, Fleetwood made birdie at 16 and 17, but struggled to save par at 18. The closing par five would be his doom, about two hours later.

Taylor had posted 63 on Saturday, and looked to be on his way to a large margin of victory in regulation. His clean card of five-under on the day through ten was brilliant, until the enormity of the task revealed itself to him. Bogey at 11, 12, and 16 left him one back of Fleetwood, heading to the home hole. With the calm of a Mountie, he coaxed a birdie putt home to secure a spot in a playoff.

Taylor and Fleetwood battled to a fourth extra hole, matching par-birdie-par. Returning to the home hole, Fleetwood pitched to 12 feet with his third, and considered his position enviable, even though Taylor was aboard in two, 72 feet away. With one mighty blow, Taylor’s arcing putt shaved away all the years of frustration and torment for the Maple Leaf. As the ball made its final curve toward glory, the crowd rose as one and cheered for all to hear, for all time.

Korn Ferry Tour @ BMW Championship: ADdC debuts on world stage with win

His Excellency, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, would like to extend his gratitude to all for attending his coronation celebration in the duchy of Greer, South Carolina. He would like to extend his condolences to Josh Teater, the foe that he vanquished upon field of battle and honor.

Thanks for humoring me. Adrien Dumont de Chassart? If that isn’t a name fit for royalty, then I’m not fit for publication. ADC for short, had some kind of run on the Thornblade course at the Carolina Country Club, SC version. He stood two-under par on the day through 12 holes, in position for a nice payday. And then, he saw God. Birdie-Birdie-Birdie-Eagle and suddenly, his royal highness was in the thick of things. What had looked like a decent shot for Josh Teater had turned into a dogfight.

Teeter stood four-under through seven on Sunday, but lost his mojo. He played the remaining eleven holes in even par, and was fortunate to reach the playoff session. It was over quickly, but not as you might expect. It was Teater who found the extra green in regulation, but it was Teater who took three putts to get down. It was ADC who missed the green, but it was ADC who got up and down for par. Golf is like that: maddening.

PGA Tour Champions @ AFI: When in Wisconsin, bet Stricker

Honestly, why do they even play the tournament? If it’s a PGATC event in Wisconsin, and Steve Stricker is in the field, just send everyone home on Friday. Doesn’t matter if Justin Leonard shoots a 62 on Friday. Doesn’t matter if Colin Montgomerie makes a charge on Sunday. Steve Stricker has two “S” on his shirt; he’s double-Superman, especially in his home state.

So it goes. That’s a line from Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. So it goes with Steve Stricker. He wins. He might have won more on the regular tour. He might have won a major on the regular tour, but he did not. Instead, he fought through injury, helped to raise a family, and bided his time for senior golf. He also captained a Ryder Cup side to victory in … you guessed it, Wisconsin.

On Sunday, Stricker kinda coasted home after opening 65-64. He posted 69 on the home course of his beloved Wisconsin Badgers, University Ridge. He made five birdies against two bogies, but no one made a run at him. It’s as if the others were afraid to challenge the lion in his den. Whatever, dude. The victory was his 15th on the retirement tour, and his fourth of 2023. Tell your kids to watch him now, so that they can say they saw him when.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

Published

18 hours ago

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May 14, 2024

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GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.

While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.

Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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Morning 9: Is it Rory’s time? | Stricker WDs | Why Valhalla is a great major venue

Published

21 hours ago

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May 14, 2024

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the PGA Championship from iconic Valhalla.

1. Is now the time Rory finally ends major drought?

BBC’s Iain Carter…”But given the imperious form he showed in Charlotte last week, perhaps this is the PGA Championship to rekindle the ruthless streak of old. And not just because he is back at Valhalla (the Nordic word for the hall of the fallen).”

  • “It also became clear last week that McIlroy is somewhat persona non grata to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. His views on a global future for this damagingly split sport do not seem to chime with the American dominated body.”
  • “His offer to return to the board from which he resigned earlier this year was rejected and he has been left as a mere non-voting member of the “transaction committee” dealing with a potential deal with Saudi Arabia.”
  • “McIlroy insists there are “no hard feelings” but there should be.”
  • “No player has worked harder for their sport during this period of unprecedented tumult and the board has rejected someone many people regard as the game’s most articulate and enlightened international voice.”
  • “Now is, surely, the time for McIlroy to feel slighted and respond with his clubs. Play as though he has a chip on his shoulder, but in the knowledge that he is generationally the most consistent golfing force out there.”
Full piece.

2. Scheffler in for PGA Champ after birth of child

Jaclyn Hendricks for PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler and wife Meredith’s bundle of joy has arrived.”

  • “The couple welcomed their first child, just weeks after Scheffler claimed his second Masters victory in three years.”
  • “Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig tweeted Saturday that the baby was born and Scheffler will play in this week’s PGA Championship — the second major of the season.”
  • “There’s been nothing official from Scottie Scheffler, his team or the Tour… But word is he will be at Valhalla for the PGA next week after winning four of his last five tournaments, including the Masters. He is currently on the Tuesday interview schedule for 3:30 p.m. #babyborn,” Harig wrote over the weekend.”
Full piece.

3. “Erik van Rooyen, friends and family live in honor of ‘Trazzy’”

  • That’s the headline of Ryan Lavner’s superb piece on Erik van Rooyen and his departed best friend Jon Trasmar. An excerpt would be an injustice. Go read it!
Full piece.

4. Stricker out of PGA citing fatigue

AP report…”Steve Stricker decided Sunday to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Valhalla, citing the difficulty of playing four times in a span of five weeks.”

  • “Stricker, 57, was eligible by winning the Senior PGA Championship last year. He, John Daly and Phil Mickelson are the only players to have competed at Valhalla each of the previous three times the PGA Championship was held there.”
Full piece.

5. Why Valhalla is a great venue for major championships

Garrett Morrison for The Fried Egg…”But before we start slinging mud (of which there will be plenty in Kentucky this week), let’s pause to think about why Valhalla tends to generate close final-round battles featuring elite players. It’s not magic: the course has long par 3s and 4s, narrow fairways, and smallish greens surrounded by rough and bunkers. This style of design and setup, which practically defines the PGA Championship’s modern brand, gives an outsize advantage to a skill that many star players share: power. Length off the tee and the ability to muscle the ball out of rough to a well-protected green will be near-prerequisites for contending at this week’s PGA Championship. If Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau show up with any kind of short-game and putting form, they will be in the mix on Sunday. And the presence of such A-listers on the leaderboard will further burnish Valhalla’s reputation as a serious venue.“

  • “It does not follow, however, that Valhalla is a great golf course. In fact, I find it a fairly mediocre and bland one. Very few holes offer multiple options of the tee (the exceptions being the short par-4 fourth and the double-fairway par-5 seventh), most of the greens lack memorable contouring, and the recovery shots from around the fairways and greens are one-dimensional and repetitive. So even if Sunday turns out to be a barn-burner, the first three rounds, when the focus will be on the course and the shots demanded, will probably be sleepier, aside from the inevitable Blockie walk-and-talk.”
Full piece.

6. Dunne resigns from policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Jimmy Dunne, who last year helped negotiate the PGA Tour’s controversial framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, resigned from the tour’s policy board on Monday.”

  • “In Dunne’s resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, Dunne wrote that “no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with PIF” and that “my vote and my role is utterly superfluous” now that player directors outnumber independent directors on the policy board. Dunne’s resignation was effective immediately.”
  • “It is crucial for the Board to avoid letting yesterday’s differences interfere with today’s decisions, especially when they influence future opportunities for the tour,” Dunne wrote. “Unifying professional golf is paramount to restoring fan interest and repairing wounds left from a fractured game. I have tried my best to move all minds in that direction.”
  • “Along with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Dunne and policy board chairman Ed Herlihy secretly negotiated the framework agreement with the PIF, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League. Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced the deal on June 6. Most PGA Tour players — including some player directors — were unaware of the deal until it was announced on TV.”
Full piece.
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Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls

Published

2 days ago

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May 13, 2024

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This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)

This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.

LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms

There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.

This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.

Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.

PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte

Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.

Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.

PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week

It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.

The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.

Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.

PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie

Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.

In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again.  Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.

Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.

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