News

Five Things We Learned: Thursday at The Open Championship

Published

3 years ago

Jul 20, 2023

In one of my tweets earlier in the week, I screamed “It’s Scotland.” Fortunately, no one called me on the carpet for that error. Make no mistake: we are near Liverpool, the land of the Beatles, football, and the Mersey river. Royal Liverpool is called Hoylake among the golf-knowledgeable, and it is a proper golf links. It has a wonderful history of winners, including Rory and Tiger as its previous two, champion golfers of the year. Royal Liverpool saw a fair bit of precipitation in the weeks leading up to this year’s playing, so even with the quick-dry nature of a sand base, it’s still a bit soft. The fairways are narrow, and the new 17th hole has everyone abuzz. We’re abuzz, as well, over the five things we learned today, after morning coffee and watering the shrubbery. Let’s have a look.

Wonderful imagination. Perfect execution.

A quite incredible shot on 18 from Sepp Straka. pic.twitter.com/7c4lUDGyXR

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023

1. An amateur posted five-under par on day one

Christo Lamprecht is a tallish South African youth, who selected Georgia Tech for his university studies and golf seasons. He negotiated the Royal Liverpool links as if he had some sort of insider information. The six feet-eight inch Yellowjacket posted three birdies on the outward half, then added a fourth at the tenth hole. At eleven, he missed the fairway, then overshot the green with his second. His pitch left him eight feet, but his putt for par was off the mark. At the par-four 16th hole, Lamprecht again missed the fairway, and was compelled to chop out to the short grass. His pitch from 30 yards left him a dozen feet for par, but again, the putt erred.

Fortunately for Lamprecht, those two bogies were offset by three birdies, including a five-feet make on the final green. Lamprecht won The Amateur Championship in late June, securing his position in this championship. He defeated Ronan Kleu of Switzerland, by a healthy margin.

And please, discount what the clip says below. Lamprecht drove his ball into the greenside bunker at four, so the recovery was his second, not his third, swing. He took two putts from 26 feet for par.

Links golf on full display @TheOpen ? pic.twitter.com/aU3ScybUkh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 20, 2023

2. The US Open champion is in the hunt

Wyndham Clark, the most recent major champion and newly-minted champion of the United States Open, found his way to a scorecard that totaled four birdies against a solitary bogey … more on Mr. Bogey later. After nine pars to open his round, Clark set to work with birdies at the 10th and 11th holes. A 200-yard approach to the green at number ten, left him a wee effort for three of 2.5 feet. On eleven, Clark escaped the rough from 90 yards, and faced another putt for three, of just less than eight feet. He converted.

Clark’s only moment of trouble (see below) came at the 14th hole. A drive into the right rough necessitated a mighty thwack with a wedge, to return to safety. Clark’s first swing moved the ball one meter. His second effort (third of the hole) crossed the fairway, into deeper rough. Another massive swipe brought the ball to a rest, 18 feet from the hole. With mental and mathematical elements on the line, Clark holed for bogey, and saved his round. Two birdies coming home brought him within two of the day-one lead.

Find the wrong spot at @RLGCHoylake and you'll get big trouble.@usopengolf winner Wyndham Clark found that out the hard way. pic.twitter.com/bApMttgZtk

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023

3. Two professionals join Lamprecht at top

Neither Emiliano Grillo nor Christo Lamprecht was expected to ride the lead horse after 18 holes, but local lad Tommy Fleetwood certainly was at the top of everyone’s list to figure in this event. Both Grillo and Fleetwood followed the lead trail carved by Lamprecht, and each did it in a different wave. Fleetwood was out in game 18 of 54, while Grillo worked his magic from the 37th game.

Fleetwood sandwich his lone bogey betwee n birdies at five and seven. He awakened on the inward half, posting four birdies from the 11th tee to the 16th green. He looked to be in some trouble on 18, but recovered nicely on two occasions. First, the Englishman pitched out of a rotten lie in the rough with his second, which allowed him to reach the green with his third. Then, Fleetwood navigated a curving, 45-feet putt to near perfection, holing in par.

All things being equal, Grillo should fade away over the next 54 holes, alongside Lamprecht, while Fleetwood should remain in the hunt until the last putt is holed. In major-championship golf, over a links, all things are unequal. A stout heart and head are required to navigate the turbulent trace of Royal Liverpool.

From downtown Liverpool ?@GrilloEmiliano finishes with a birdie and share of the lead @TheOpen. pic.twitter.com/zN0jZN8a68

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 20, 2023

4. Those who went away

Forget that I had Rasmus Højgaard in a pool, and forget that he opened with a quadruple bogey, ultimately posting 78. The ones that caught everyone’s eye are Justin Thomas (+6 for T130) and Joaquín Niemann (+7 for T143). Niemann has spent the last year on the LIV series, and seems out of touch with 72-hole, championship golf. He began the day with birdies on holes one and three, but that pair represented the last strokes he would gain on Hoylake. His run of four bogeys and a triple, from eight through twelve, took him from minus-two to plus-five. Niemann lost another two strokes to Old Man Par in his run to the clubhouse.

Justin Thomas, frankly, is lost. His game has left him. Until the 18th hole, it was a series of small cuts that sapped his resolve. A bogey here, another one there, and but two birdies on the day. It all came undone on the 18th. Thomas went OOB to the right, reached the greenside bunker in four, left a shot or three in the sands and rough ’round the green, and signed for nine. 82 was his day-long tally, with only an 83 between him and the basement.

Another who struggled, was Sahith Thegala. His play in the states has brought him close to an inaugural tour victory. His play at Hoylake reminds us all of the difference between golf architecture and climate. Consecutive doubles at holes three and four dropped the man from California to plus-five, and his round had barely begun. One birdie was suffocated by three more bogies, and Thegala finished at plus-eight on the day.

5. Guys that held it together

Neither Scottie Scheffler nor Rory McIlroy had their best games on Thursday. What each was able to do, was hold the moving parts together, and stanch the bleeding when it came. Scheffler putted horribly and didn’t drive the ball much better, but he found the manner of getting around in 70 strokes, just four behind the lead. McIlroy was one shot worse, which may be attributed to his struggles in the greenside pot on the 18th. As with Scottie, Rory remained patient all day, and remained in the hunt for the Claret Jug.

Joining the pair around par were Viktor Hovland, 2023 PGA Champion Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay, and Tyrrell Hatton. Regardless of what the leading trio does, these chasers will need to find a 67 or a 66 on Friday, to avoid losing more ground.

Avoiding disaster on 18.@McIlroyRory with an incredible par save from a pot bunker @TheOpen ? pic.twitter.com/4TFhwVJkNW

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 20, 2023

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

14 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

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

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Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

3 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.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 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