News

Tour Rundown: Kim defends in Sin City

Published

3 years ago

Oct 16, 2023

Leaves turned orange and yellow across my American northeast, and golf marched on in Shanghai, Las Vegas, Madrid, and North Carolina. The LPGA is immersed in its swing across Asia, while the PGA Tour has turned the page to the 2023-2024 season. The DP World Tour edges closer to its tour championship, while the PGA Tour Champions winds down its events, in anticipation of the Schwab Cup. International team play is behind us for 2023, and the focus lays on individual exploits. Four events give us plenty to corral in this week’s Tour Rundown. Saddle up, friends.

Lexi Thompson drives the 296-yard, par-4 15th (her sixth hole) and makes her third birdie of Round 2. She's at even par and one off the cut line at the Shriners Children's Open.pic.twitter.com/RjTsDDdYea

— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) October 13, 2023

Oh, did we forget to mention that Lexi Thompson came so-darned-close to making the cut at Summerlin? You just saw one of her best swings. Hopefully, there will be more opportunities for Lexi to tee it up with the lads.

PGA Tour @ Shriners Classic: Tom Kim defends in Sin City

They go low in Vegas, and low wins at every table at TPC Summerlin. Adam Hadwin knew that there would be chasers after him and Kim. Hadwin got off to a slow start (-1 through nine) but had it motoring, until a crushing bogey at the par-five 16th. He managed birdie at the last to ease past a quartet at -18, to finish solo 2nd.

Erik Cole, who seems to be in the mix every week, lit the course on fire with a 62. Cole posted nine birdies, but also walked away from 16 feeling let down by a par. He matched with Alex Noren, J.T. Poston, and Taylor Pendrith for third.

It was Tom Kim, the 2022 media darling and defending champion, who found the victory elixir. After a bumpy front nine of four birdies and two bogies, Kim kruised home in three-under 33, to escape Hadwin’s comeback. After a celebratory piece of chocolate, Kim hopped a 6:30 am flight this morning to Japan for the Zozo Championship.

3 birdies in his last 4 holes ?@JoohyungKim0621 has found his stride. pic.twitter.com/wnnr3R92Kw

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 15, 2023

LPGA @ LPGA Shanghai: Angel collects first tour win

Angel Yin came oh-so-close to her first tour victory last spring, at the Chevron Championship. She matched Lilia Vu through 72 holes, but lost out to Vu’s birdie on the first extra hole. It must have felt like Groundhog’s Day for Yin, when she finished up at 274 in Shanghai, to find that Vu had also reached that number, and that the pair would once again do battle in overtime.

This time, it was Yin who struck first. The L.A. native and best Twitter handle (@angelyinlol) coaxed in a ten-feet putt for birdie and claimed her inaugural tour title. Five golfers tied for third place, one shot out of the playoff. The tour moves on to the BMW Ladies Championship this week in Korea.

The winning putt by @angelyinlol ? pic.twitter.com/HbHLGoBW19

— LPGA (@LPGA) October 15, 2023

DP World Tour @ Spanish Open: Pavon wins a national open

Unlike previous years in Madrid, there was no Spanish presence near the top of the board, which meant that there was no Jon Rahm to fear. Golfers from England, France, South Africa, Germany, and Paraguay were poised to claim victory. In the end, it was first-time winner Matthieu Pavon who ran the table with 64, for a four-shot win over Zander Lombard.

In truth, it was always Pavon. He opened with 63, then stumbled to 68 on day two. Clearly irked, the Frenchman buckled down with 66-64 on the weekend. On Saturday, Pavon made one bogey, to go with his five birdies. On Sunday, he was even better. Seven birdies and nary a bogey separated him comfortably from his chasers.

The professionals will all take the rapid Ave south to Andalusia, where they will reunite at Sotogrande for the Andalucía Masters. Unfortunately for Pavon, we have no good footage from his win, so a man-bun hole-out for eagle will have to suffice as a highlight.

THAT @SiemMarcel hole-out and celebration ? #EmiratesFlyBetterMoments | @emirates pic.twitter.com/0MKyi3OLG7

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 16, 2023

PGA Tour Champions @ SAS: Pampling holds off Alker for #2

In 2022, any appearance by Steven Alker was cause for concern and a dose of stomach-calming medicine. This year, the New Zealand ace has been there, just not there. Alker has missed out on a number of victory opportunities, and the beneficiary of the latest was Australian acrobat Rodney Pampling. Pampling first won on the Tour Champions in Seattle, in 2021. This week, Pampling was the class of the ball with 15-under 201 as his total. Alker was a pair of strokes back, at 203.

Over the course of the week, the champion amassed 19 birdies, and kept his bogey level to a manageable number. His Sunday card was clean through 17 holes, at which point he had a three-shot advantage. Pampling played the final hole safely, in bogey figures, to claim his second tour title. As for Alker, he needed to be perfect on Sunday, and a bogey at the 14th hole, paired with a Pampling birdie, derailed his effort.

Slamming the door ?@RodPampling has a three shot lead with one hole to go @SASChampionship. pic.twitter.com/Qk0XsBoEW9

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 15, 2023

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

13 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

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

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