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Tour Rundown: Keegan’s Kareer Komeback | A Baltusrol win for Yin
Let’s get right to it.
LPGA @ Women’s PGA Championship: A Baltusrol win for Yin
Leona Maguire had an opportunity to climb a new rung on the women’s professional golf ladder, but Sunday at Baltusrol was not her day. The 54-hole leader did not make a birdie until the 13th hole of round four. By that time, she had three bogeys and was about to add a fourth. Her 74 dropped her from seven under to four under par, and into an 11th-place tie. Her stumble revealed opportunity for ten other golfers to take a run at the 2023 PGA Championship.
Jenny Shin, who was paired with Maguire, could not capitalize on Maguire’s bad fortune, and dropped six spots into a tie for 8th. Surging into the same place were Rose Zhang (-4 for -5 overall) and Ayaka Furue (-5 for -5 overall.) A quintet of golfers tied for third spot at six-under par. Xiyu Lin had the best shot at the title, turning in five-under par on the day. The birdie well ran dry, and a final-hole bogey dropped Xiyu from seven-under to minus-six. Matching her total were Stephanie Meadow, Megan Khang, Anna Nordqvist, and Carlota Ciganda. Spain’s Ciganda had the low round of the day (64) but was unable to make birdie at either of the closing par-five holes.
Japan’s Yuka Saso found her momentum near the turn on day four. She posted five birdies from hole seven through fifteen, but a crushing bogey temporarily derailed her train at the 16th. Birdie at the last brought her to minus-seven, but it wasn’t enough to catch the champion. China’s Ruoning Yin, a recent winner of her first LPGA event, was the only golfer to avoid Old Lady Bogey over the final 18 holes. Ruoning paired four birdies with 14 pars for 67, reaching 8-under par for the tournament. Her birdie at the last hole separated her from Saso, and gave the 20-year old her first major championship.
Fist pump-worthy ?
Ruoning Yin with the HUGE birdie on 18 to take the lead at -8!!! pic.twitter.com/hVMEuClRBZ
— LPGA (@LPGA) June 25, 2023
PGA Tour @ Travelers Championship: Keegan’s Kareer Komeback Kontinues
For those with a bit of memory, Keegan Bradley was the golfer most identified with the USGA’s decision to eliminate the anchored putting form of rolling the rock. Although the long putter didn’t go away, its use was severely curtailed, and Keegan’s burgeoning win total (three in 2011-2012, including a major championship) halted for six years. In 2018, the New England native won for a fourth time during the playoff run. Since October of 2022, the Vermont-born Bradley has won twice. Beyond the 2011 PGA Championship in Atlanta, this week’s win in Connecticut certainly means the most.
It was Keegan’s week, to be sure. Denny McCarthy may have opened with a near-epic 60, coming up just shy of a rare descent into the 50s, but he wasn’t going to win. River Highlands was in pristine condition, and receptive greens meant that scores would be low all week. Bradley was on track for a fourth-consecutive round below 66, until a Sunday spate of bogeys gave hope to the chasers. Chez Reavie began the final round one slim shot behind Bradley, but lost his connection to the birdie network. His first one came at Sunday’s 14th hole, and it was also his last. A blase round of one-over par relegated Reavie to a tie for fourth, four back of the top spot.
On Sunday’s 13th tee, Bradley’s scorecard read five-under par on the day, 26-deep on the week. His lead was nearly double-digits, and he simply lost his way. His drive went right, into the water, and Bradley made bogey on a par-five hole that others devoured with eagle. On the 14th, he chunked his approach shot short of the green and made another bogey. At the par-three 16th, Bradley nearly dunked another tee shot. He found the right rough and again, failed to get up and down for par. At this juncture, the lead was three and folks had to wonder. Fortunately for all of New England, their homegrown hero righted the ship, closed with two pars, and brought the region a native winner.
What a shot from @Keegan_Bradley ?
He leads by FIVE with seven to play @TravelersChamp. pic.twitter.com/YmnvVsJL70
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 25, 2023
DP World Tour @ BMW International: Lawrence of South Africa edges Luiten
Thriston Lawrence of Neispruit, South Africa, is having himself quite a run. His first DP World Tour win came in 2021, in Johannesburg. His second came on the continent, at the European Masters in Switzerland. Win number three came in his country’s home Open championship last December. Now Lawrence has a fourth career title on one of the world’s premier tours, this time in Germany.
The final round at München Eichenried was a challenge for the remaining field. The mid- and low-60s scores of Saturday morphed into challenges of all sizes and shapes on Sunday. Overnight leader Joost Luiten, like Reavie in Connecticut, was able to find but one birdie over the final 17 holes. His plus-two score on day four dropped him to 12-undr par, a total that would ultimately come up one shy of a playoff. It was Lawrence who found glory over the closing 18 holes.
You might think that a fellow who inked five bogeys onto his scorecard would have little chance of a top-five finish, much less a victory. Lawrence also posted eight birdies along the closing trace. His birdies at 15 and 17, paired with Luiten’s bogey at the penultimate hole, brought Lawrence from two behind to one in front. Pars for both at the final hole put the final touch on a single-shot victory for South Africa.
The perfect time to make birdie!@ThristonL moves level with @joostluiten ?#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/qB0q7iNr2u
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 25, 2023
Korn Ferry Tour @ Compliance Solutions: Stanger stays the course
With scores of 65, 64, and 63 posted at various times this week, one might think that Jimmy Stanger should have been a bit envious, if not outright anxious. The 2023 campaign has been a decent one, with a few, top-fifteen finishes for the UVA alumnus. That all changed this week in Oklahoma. Stanger posted rounds of 67-66-67-66 and stared veteran Rafael Campos down with birdie at the final hole. Campos was just off the green at the par-five closer, but his pitch was too strong, and his putt, too high. He settled for par. One group later, Stanger would secure the four that Campos lacked, and claim a life-changing KFT title by one shot.
Birdie ?? birdie. ??
Co-leader @jimmy_stanger is 3-under thru 8 @cschampgolf. pic.twitter.com/JzhwmsC7oF
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) June 25, 2023
PGA Tour Champions @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Open: Powerful Paddy powers home
If you’re following all the tours these days, you know that Ireland’s Padraig Harrington does double duty on the regular and senior circuits. Although he hasn’t won on the junior circuit since 2018 in Portugal, Harrington does more than show up, make a cut, and collect a check. As for the Tour Champions, the three-time major winner has five victories in little more than a year, including the USGA Senior Open in his debut appearance.
This week, Harrington and company were staring up at Joe Durant, who seemed ready to collect a fifth Senior title in Endicott, New York. Durant was cruising through twelve holes, enjoying seven birdies and a six-under round. Inexplicably, the Chenango River that flows through town reduced to a trickle for the Pensacola native. Durant came home with six consecutive pars and watched, helplessly, as Padraig surged.
Beginning at the par-five twelfth hole, Harrington pealed off four consecutive birdies. At the drivable par-four 16th, his tee shot found the left edge of the green, and his fifteen-feet putt for eagle caught enough empty space to tumble home. In the blink of an eye, Harrington was tied for the top spot. Another birdie at 17 gave him solo command of the ship, and Harrigton guided it home with par at the last. His closing 63 was the week’s low round, quite fitting for a champion of the world.
Launching to T1 ?@padraig_h eagles the par-4 16th to grab a share of the lead @dicksopengolf. pic.twitter.com/gFtRGvbUWC
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 25, 2023
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship
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
- Michael Block – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Patrick Reed – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cam Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Josh Speight – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Takumi Kanaya – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kyle Mendoza – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Adrian Meronk – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jordan Smith – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jeremy Wells – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jared Jones – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Somers – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Larkin Gross – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tracy Phillips – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jon Rahm – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Keita Nakajima – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Kazuma Kobori – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- David Puig – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Ryan Van Velzen – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brad Marek – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rich Beem WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Phil Mickelson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Matt Dobyns – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Lucas Herbert – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Jason Dufner – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- John Daly – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Taylor Gooch – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dean Burmester – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
- Dustin Johnson – WITB – 2024 PGA Championship
Pullout Albums
- Ping putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Bettinardi covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Cameron putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
- Max Homa – Titleist 2 wood – 2024 PGA Championship
- Scotty Cameron experimental putter shaft by UST – 2024 PGA Championship
- Joaquin Niemann – new Ping putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Brooks Koepka’s new Cameron putter – 2024 PGA Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s Cobra bag and Aerojet driver – 2024 PGA Championship
- Super Stroke grip – 2024 PGA Championship
- Tiger Woods – 2024 PGA Championship
- Michael Block’s new TaylorMade “Proto” 7-iron, from address – 2024 PGA Championship
- Odyssey putter covers – 2024 PGA Championship
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News
Morning 9: Is it Rory’s time? | Stricker WDs | Why Valhalla is a great major venue
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News
Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls
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.
Take a look back at hole No. 1… @rosezhang is living life on the edge ? pic.twitter.com/o6z6SK7TRA
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 12, 2024
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.
HOLE-OUT EAGLE FOR RORY!!!
He now leads by SIX! pic.twitter.com/UE49lwfwNC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
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.
Leader by SIX!
@ChrisGotterup | @MyrtleBeachC pic.twitter.com/TVdA6ZPYc4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
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.
At the @RegionsTrad, all champions receive a green bike.
Doug Barron decided to take a victory lap ? pic.twitter.com/bEzENMjZwv
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 13, 2024
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LivvyDivvy
Jun 28, 2023 at 1:17 am
Several days later… and wrx still has the “K K K” headline. Dog whistle anyone?