News

Morning 9: Norman: Rahm move validates LIV | Åberg’s caddie on split | Cabrera’s first round back since jail

Published

2 years ago

Dec 14, 2023

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as we turn our attention to the PNC Championship.

1. Q-School in session

Golf Channel Staff…”For the first time since 2012, PGA Tour cards will be handed out this week via the final stage of Q-School.”

“The top five finishers and ties in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, will collect Tour cards for the 2024 season. The event will feature 168 players and will be contested over two courses, the Dye Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass (par 70, 6,850 yards on the scorecard) and the East-West course at Sawgrass Country Club (par 70, 7,054 yards).”

“There is no cut in the 72-hole tournament, and players will compete on each course over the first two days.”

Full piece.

2. Netflix details Full Swing’s strong performance

PGATour.com staff report…”On Tuesday, Netflix released widespread 2023 viewership data for the first time in the company’s history, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the success of its offerings.”

“The report showed “Full Swing” was watched for 53.1 million hours from the documentary series’ release through the end of June. The eight-episode series was the 267th most-watched title in the first six months of 2023, despite its release in mid-February. More than 18,000 titles were included in the report.”

“Full Swing” outperformed the first season of Netflix’s tennis docuseries “Break Point,” which had 30.5 million hours watched. Season 5 of “Drive to Survive,” the popular Formula 1 docuseries that sparked interest in a potential series covering the PGA TOUR, was watched for 90.5 million hours. All three shows were renewed for another season.

Full piece.

3. What would Arnie say?

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak spoke with Sam Saunders…”So, when asked to comment on how he thinks his grandfather, who died in 2016, would have felt about the friction in the game since the launch of LIV Golf, Saunders is quick to say he can’t speak for “The King,” but that doesn’t mean he can’t offer an educated guess.”

“It’s not fair to ever assume what anyone would think, period,” he said. “I can’t tell you I think he would think this, but based on my relationship with him and how I feel about the game of golf and how important it is to keep it accessible and fun, I can’t imagine he wouldn’t be disappointed because I know I am.”

Full piece.

4. Norman: Rahm signing validates LIV

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”LIV Golf League CEO and commissioner Greg Norman said last week’s addition of Spain’s Jon Rahm, the third-ranked golfer in the world, is validation of the circuit’s 54-hole format that incorporates individual and team golf.”

“Norman, speaking to ESPN from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday morning, said several players have contacted LIV Golf League officials to inquire about the remaining spots on a team that Rahm will captain.”

“I think word is getting out there amongst all the players around the world, even the top players, the best players in the world,” Norman said. “They love our format, they love our platform, they love the team spirit, the team atmosphere. And to be honest with you, I’ve seen it resonate very, very loudly this year. And obviously, Jon is an incredible addition to us.”

Full piece.

5. Storytime with Daly

Our Matthew Vincenzi…While sitting down for an interview with Tucker Carlson, John Daly told a story about the time he beat Tiger Woods while he was “still drunk” from the night before.

Carlson was speaking about Woods, and said to Daly, “You beat him hungover once?”

Daly replied, “I was still drunk, actually, but yeah, that was a funny story”.

“That was at Sherwood, early 2000’s (he later specified that it was 1994), there was only about 12 or 14 pros, but we didn’t play too good.”

“…So [the next morning] we tee off, my caddie was drunk with us. There’s only two times I’ve ever drank on a golf course. One, I had a few Coors Lights, we had a long wait to play the back nine at Riviera. I downed four or five Coors Lights; I was playing like shit. There’s like four groups waiting to tee off on the front, I downed those, shot -4 or -5 on that side and make the cut, think I ended up finishing 3rd”.

“But the funny thing about Tiger is, when I got on the tee, I had my caddie bring me a crown or a jack and coke, if you’ve never played Sherwood, the first hole, he’s walking and walking through all the cactuses on this hill trying not to spill my drink.”

“I grab my 3-iron and go on the tee. To make a long story short, I shoot like 65 he shoots like 71, he was shaking his head all day.”

Full Piece.

6. Åberg’s caddie on split

Our Matt Vincenzi…”This week, it was revealed that rising Swedish star Ludvig Aberg, has split with his caddie, Jack Clarke.”

Aberg’s new caddie will be Joe Skovron, who was previously on the bag of Rickie Fowler and Tom Kim, having a great deal of success with both.

While speaking with Bunkered, Clarke said he “didn’t see it coming.”

“He just turned around to me the week before last and said he was going to let me go, purely based on wanting more experience on the bag,” he said.

“Before the conversation I didn’t see it coming because of the results we had together but I totally respect his decision.

“I was shocked and disappointed by the decision, but at the end of the day it’s his decision to hopefully become what he wants to become.”

“When he said the experience in majors, I can’t say too much about it because I don’t have that.”

Full Piece.

7. Cabrera shoots level par in first comeback round

Ben Parsons for Bunkered…”First reported by Golfweek, Cabrera competed at the Abierto del Litoral (Coast Open) on the PGA Tour’s Latinoamerica Developmental Series in his native Argentina.”

“He shot an even par 71 in his opening round of the 72-hole tournament, which is his first competitive event since playing on the Champions Tour back in September 2020.”

Full Piece.

8. Tiger’s debut ball sold for huge fee

9. Photos from PGA Tour Q-School

Check out all of our galleries here!

Full Piece.

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

6 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