Opinion & Analysis

Golfing gods smiling on Australia at last

Published

13 years ago

Apr 16, 2013

Troy Vayanos

As a proud Australian and passionate golfer I know more than most what being second best feels like.

Behind the beauty and splendor of Augusta National hides the frustration felt by a nation of so many near misses.

I wasn’t alive or playing golf when Jim Ferrier, Bruce Crampton, Jack Newton and Greg Norman in 1980 and 1987 all came up short in the Masters. I remember agonizing through Greg Norman’s final-round 78 in 1996 that left me feeling guttered and distraught. Every year we get reminded how close we’ve come and ask the question, will this be the year?

Adam Scott’s victory in the Masters didn’t just win Australia its first green jacket, he won our faith back in the game. It would be easy to sit back and sulk about missed opportunities and complain that the Masters was never meant to be. However, Scott’s victory showed us that if you keep knocking on the door, eventually it will open.

Tiger Woods once said you some need luck to win a major, something to go your way, a lucky bounce or a lucky break. While Tiger’s luck deserted him on No. 15 during the second round, Scott enjoyed his own slice of good fortune during the final round. His second shot to the par five No. 13 from 190 yards hit the front of the green only to spin back and roll down the bank. Almost every ball that lands short of the 13th green rolls back into the water. As I watched and saw the ball come to rest safely before the waters edge, I wondered if at long last our luck was changing. Perhaps destiny was calling Adam, this is your time.

Adam Scott’s fortunes on No. 13 reminded me of Freddie Couples tee shot to No. 12 in 1992 that amazingly held up on the front edge of the green. The gods were smiling on Freddie that day also. He too took full advantage of his good fortune and played his way to victory and his first and only green jacket.

Adam Scott’s victory hasn’t just buried the demons of a golfing nation, it’s given hope and inspiration to golf lovers worldwide that if you keep believing and keep persisting your dreams can come true.

Opinion & Analysis

AVL: My U.S. Amateur local qualifying experience

Published

4 hours ago

Jun 5, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.

I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.

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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.

With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.

Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!

Club Junkie

Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast

Published

1 day ago

Jun 4, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.

Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.

If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.

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Club Junkie

Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of Club Junkie, I put the new Tour Edge Exotics Mini Driver to the test and break down the performance, forgiveness, distance, and where it fits compared to a traditional driver or strong fairway wood. If you have been curious about adding a mini driver to the bag, this one is worth a look.

I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.