News

KoFecta! Lydia Ko claims third Olympic medal and more

Published

2 years ago

Aug 11, 2024

Imagine that you’re at the hub of a wheel, with spokes that lead in every direction on the compass. That’s the wealth of story lines that Lydia Ko provided the legion of golf journalists today. It’s easy to get elated by these opportunities, but elation leads to distraction, and then, who knows where the story goes?

It’s best to begin with the facts. Lydia Ko began the final day of play at the 2024 Olympic Games, in a tie with Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux. As Metraux faded from medal contention, perhaps due to unfamiliarity with the situation, Ko shined. She posted a one-under 71 and reached 10-under par. A spirited, final-day rush from unheralded Esther Henseleit of Germany was not enough to catch Ko, and the wunderkind from New Zealand captured the gold medal by two shots. China’s Xiyu Lin reached seven-under par and held off a quartet of golfers at minus-six, for the bronze medal.

These facts would be a spectacular story on their own, but there is much more to the story. Ko collected her 20th LPGA tour victory in January of this year, and moved within one point of earned entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. This particular HOF is the hardest to reach of all in sport. There is no voting, no lobbying the electors, just performance. On more than one occasion from January to July, Ko entered the final round in contention for victory, but could not complete the puzzle. With her victory at the Paris Olympics, Ko became the 34th member of the LPGA hall of fame.

Not enough? Jump in a time machine with me, and travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, for the 2016 Olympic golf tournament. The first of its kind in over a century, and Lydia Ko earned herself a silver medal. Inbee Park, the queen bee of LPGA at the time, ran away with the gold by five shots. Forward we go, to Tokyo in 2021, when the 2020 Olympic games were finally celebrated. There, Ko lost a playoff for a second-consecutive silver medal, to home-country Mone Inami. The lost playoff may have been the best thing to happen to Ko, as it set her up for the KoFecta, the collection of all three Olympic medals.

Ruoning Yin chips in for EAGLE on the 3rd to reach 6-under. ???

? Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/3SQC6zSYrQ

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 10, 2024

Consider the weight of this achievement. Lydia Ko batted flawlessly, for the cycle, in three Olympic attempts. The medals at Rio fit within a six-shot margin, from 268 to 274. In Tokyo, it was even tighter. All three medalists posted 267 or 268. In Paris, three shots. from 278 to 281. Lydia Ko was able to reserve a space at the table for all three dinners. It makes you wonder if she even should bother with the 2032 games in Brisbane, Australia. What’s left to achieve?

Day four at Paris envisioned a series of potential resolutions. Morgane Metraux of Switzerland potentially could secure a podium spot from nowhere, and collect a medal for the Swiss Guard. Nelly Korda might finally find her game, and surge a la Scottie Scheffler last week, on day four. Rose Zhang could continue her trend toward the top, and collect one of the coveted discs. Sadly, none of the three was able to match par, much less break it. Metraux ballooned to 79, and fell out of the top 15. Korda signed for 75, and slipped to a tie for 22nd. Zhang smacked the golf ball 74 times on Saturday, and tied for eighth.

Esther Henseleit moves into silver position with a birdie on 17! ???

? Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/iNjiyh9kCD

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 10, 2024

So what happened? Well, let’s keep it to the medalists. Xiyu “Janet” Lin finished birdie-birdie-bogey-birdie, to move one shot past Bianca Pagdanganan, Hannah Green, Amy Yang, and Miyu Yamashita. Germany’s Esther Henseleit, a two-time winner of the Magical Kenya Open on the Ladies European Tour, dropped the day’s top round (66) and surged past all but Lydia Ko. She notched birdie on her final two holes, moving to -8, a shot past Lin.

It was left to Kween Ko to polish the final medal in the collection. She turned in 34 shots, survived a chunked approach to the water, at the 13th hole, and made an elegant birdie at the last, to win by two. Let’s recall that the 18th hole has been the waterloo of many a golfer over the past two weeks. Ko’s drive found the fairway, 209 yards from glory. She eschewed a heroic hybrid over the H2O. Instead, she laid up, fairway right, and pitched to just under eight feet. With the flair of a three-time medalist, a hall of famer, and one of the greats of her generation, Ko stroked the putt home, waved, and smiled the greatest of smiles.

Gold medalist and Olympic champion, LYDIA KO! ??

? Golf Channel and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/QFmpHkPpKo

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 10, 2024

Tour Photo Galleries

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

Published

1 day 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

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.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

4 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