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5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the Women’s PGA

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4 weeks ago

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The 2024 Women’s PGA Championship features a return to Sahalee, near Seattle, where Brooke Henderson won her first major title. Henderson defeated Lydia Ko in a playoff, and the tournament featured play over the club’s North and South nines. This year’s tournament will showcase the same 18 holes, with expectations high for another dramatic finish.

Sahalee runs against the grain of golf’s current championship trend. The northwest USA course is known for its well-treed fairways and its narrow fairway corridors. You’ll not find the land-and-release style of architecture and conditioning that featured so prominently last week’s US Open at Pinehurst. Instead, players will have the opportunity to strategize carry-and-hold distances, more closely associated with the American style of play.

Regardless of your preference, welcome to another major championship week. The Women’s PGA championship celebrates its 10th playing this year, and it won’t be too heavy a lift to learn a quintet of news items each day from the field’s play. Settle in with a nice cup of coffee and enjoy the five things we learned on day one at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship.

1. Lexi will not go quietly into that good night

Lexi Thompson has been, on many occasions, the featured competitor in the resolution of major titles. At far too many of those events, victory has fallen away, to the opposition. In Lexi, we see ourselves. She experiences in front of the camera, what often happens to us each weekend. She rises, time and again, to confront the impossibility of closing a tournament, of claiming glory. No matter how easy it may seem, it isn’t remotely easy to do.

When Lexi announced that the 2024 season would be her last, we both understood and regretted. She has taken time away from competition over the last five years, to recenter her life and balance her emotions. She has been vocal and public about the challenge and the struggle of growing up in competitive golf, and playing so hard, for so long. The announcement, and fate, have made us desperate for one final and great victory for the Floridian, so that she might ride off into this sunset with a triumphant smile.

On Thursday at Sahalee, Lexi rose to the first-round lead, thanks to six birdies. A pair of bogeys brought her back to minus-four, but she stands one shot clear of Nelly Korda and Patty Tavatanakit. Lexi isn’t one to fear the bogey lady, so her performance this week will depend on her ability to seek the birdies, and not hold back. Aren’t all of our fingers crossed?

2. The Chasers

Nelly needs no introduction; she is the top-ranked player in the world, with six wins (one of them a major) thus far in 2024. Tavatanakit burst onto the LPGA circuit with a 2021 major championship win at the ANA. Her second tour title came this year, at Honda Thailand. Last month, Nelly missed the cut at the US Open, while Patty did not figure in the outcome. One is at the top of her game, while the other seeks a return to the elite tier of women’s professional golf. Sahalee plays right into both golfers’ hands, so expect both to around through Sunday.

Like Lexi, Nelly had six birdies on the day. Her engine was momentarily derailed by a double bogey at the fourth hole, but she returned to the tracks and finished off a minus-three 69 on day one. Patty offered a streamlined round of three birdies and zero bogies, to match Korda’s performance. That’s what makes Sahalee so compelling: there will be rounds of high drama, with many birdies and a few others, alongside others with clean cards but fewer shots saved. We have no idea how this one will play out, and we’re engulfed by intrigue and mystery.

3. Eleven is a lucky number

Eleven golfers are tied at two-under par, a pair of shots off the lead. Among that assemblage are European golfers Celine Boutier (the Nelly Korda of wins in 2023) Leona Maguire, Charley Hull, and 2023 US Open champion Allisen Corpuz. That quintet of golfers sits at either one or zero major championships over their career arcs. As aficionados of the game know, majors elevate you to a higher strata, and each opportunity offered is a chance to ascend.

Among the Sahalee’s Eleven, Madalene Sagstrom offered the most interesting tour of the high 18. She posted five birdies, offset by three bogeys. Hinako Shibuno arrive next, with four birdies on the day, including a run of three in five holes, over the second nine.

4. Who struggled?

That’s the part of tournament coverage that no one relishes … finding out who didn’t have her best game, and what the second day might have on offer. Minjee Lee appeared to have one hand on the US Open trophy last month, only to lose her way over the final nine. She opened with 74, and has work to do to make the cut and contend.

Lydia Ko is one win away from the earned LPGA hall of fame, a hall like no other. Votes don’t get you in; wins do. 75 in round one doesn’t help her cause, but she has history with Sahalee, going back to that runner-up finish in 2016. A comeback from Ko would be an amazing story for the Return to Sahalee.

Lilia Vu has been on the PUP list for a few months, and was champing at a return to competition. Like Ko, she posted 75 and will need to reverse course to be around for the final 36 holes. Most confusing of all is the 76 turned in by Rose Zhang. Despite bursting onto the tour with a first-event win in 2023, and following that with a victory at the 2024 Founders Cup, the former, world top amateur has struggled to find her game in major championships. Perhaps that’s part of the learning curve. The curve continues this week for Zhang.

5. What’s in store for round two?

Despite hosting major championships adjacent to the LPGA, PGA, and Champions tours, Sahalee is an unknown commodity. Out of the public eye for vast stretches of time, it doesn’t boast signature holes and familiarity, as happens with other tracks. What is known is this: the putting surfaces will reward a true roll of the rock, so the emphasis will continue to be on the driver. Bomb and gouge doesn’t play well in Washington, due to the influence of the abundant tree population. Your accurate driver will have the best opportunity to stand tall through 36 holes. We’re going to pull out a surprise, second-round leader, by the name of Cheyenne Knight. We see the Texan reversing course in round two, with way more birdies than bogeys, with her reward being a place at the main table.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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Tour Rundown: Furious finish from Furue | Mighty Mac wins for country

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1 day ago

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Jul 15, 2024

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The second week of July brought two major championships to the professional tours. The LPGA held its Evian Championship at Evian-Les-Bains, while the PGA Tour Champions celebrated the Kaulig at Firestone. The DP World Tour and the PGA Tour collaborated on the Scottish Open, while another PGA Tour event took place in Kentucky. Finally, the Korn Ferry Tour held The Ascendant at TPC Colorado.

To say that the drama was real is an understatement. Eagles and birdies won two tournaments on the final hole, and one event finished with a five-golfer playoff that lasted three holes and 36 shots. The one competition that concluded with a four-shot win was tame by comparison. It’s mid-season and it’s total tour golf. Time for another Tour Rundown.

LPGA @ Evian Championship: Furious Finish from Furue

Ayaka Furue made a run at the past two US Open championships, finishing T6 at both tournaments. She made an even bigger run at the fourth LPGA major championship of 2024, the Evian. Furue held the lead after two rounds, only to find herself one behind Stephanie Kyriacou through the end of day three. The top pair did mighty battle on day four, with Kyriacou closing with 67 to reach 18 under par. Her finish included three birdies over the final four holes, marred only by a bogey at the penultimate green.

Unfortunately for Kyriacou, Furue made a trio of birdies of her own down the stretch, made a par at 17, then closed with a thunderous eagle at the last, to win the title by one slim stroke. The win was Furue’s second on the LPGA circuit, coming nearly two years after her inaugural win, at the 2022 Scottish Open. For Kyriacou, the Evian was a painful step closer to her first LPGA win. The solo second represents her first top-five finish on the tour.

DP World Tour/PGA Tour @ Scottish Open: Mighty Mac wins Scottish for country

Adam Scott appeared to have his hands around a comeback victory at the Rennaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. The Australian held the lead in the closing moments, but Robert MacIntyre came from nearly nowhere, to bring victory to his countrymen.

Scott teed off in the penultimate pairing, with American Collin Morikawa, and posted 67 to reach 17 under par. The final duo contained MacIntyre, who electrified the assemblage with a 16th-hole eagle, surging into a tie with Scott. On the 18th hole, the same one that Rory McIlroy birdied last year for victory, MacIntyre ripped driver into the right rough, then ripped his approach to 22 feet. With nothing but homeland glory on the line, the lefty dropped his putt for three and a one-shot win over Scott. In the space of two months, MacIntyre has climbed from the ranks of decent tour players to proven winners. He certainly emerges as one of the favorites for this week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Korn Ferry Tour @ The Ascendant: Del Solar is no longer “just” Mr. 57

Cristobal Del Solar is a mighty talent from the world’s thinnest country. The Chilean was known best for his four PGA Tour Americas titles, and the 57 that he shot in February of 2024, at the Colombian stop on the Korn Ferry Tour. After a 22-under-par performance at TPC Colorado this week, Del Solar now adds another line to his Wikipedia entry: tour champion. Del Solar outpaced runners-up Brian Campbell and Matthew Riedel by four shots, to win for the first time on the KFT.

Del Solar had just four bogeys on the week in the elite air of the Rocky Mountains. He nearly matched that number with eagles, including two on the closing day. The champion reached the 646-yard fifth in two mighty strokes, then holed a 33-foot putt for the rare bird. He followed that master sequence with another, at the 585-yard 15th. Despite the watery beckons on the right, Del Solar again reached the putting surface in two, then sent a 40-foot effort to the bottom of the tin. He added birdies at 16 and 18, turning a compelling finish into a runaway victory.

PGA Tour Champions @ Kaulig: With no Bert in sight, Ernie takes care of business

Since he turned 50 in 2020, Theodore Ernie Els had finished inside the top ten in 12 senior major events. Until Sunday the 14th of July, he had not hoisted a single, senior major trophy. That all ended when he outlasted a field at the Kaulig (nee Senior Players) Championship at Firestone. Els was pitted in a duel with perennial finisher Steve Stricker, until the Wisconsin stalwart went bogey-triple at the 14th and 15th holes on day four. The path to the top was cleared a bit for Els, but then Y.E. Yang arrived on the scene. The 2009 PGA Champion reached 10-under on the week at the 69th hole, but bogeyed number 72 to finish at nine deep.

Els appeared to not want the title that much when he made bogey at the par-five 16th hole, falling to minus ten. He dug deep himself, however, and managed a pair of pars to hold off Yang by one shot. Jerry Kelly finished third on minus-seven, while Stricker and K.J. Choi finished T4 at six under par.

PGA Tour @ ISCO: Hall (no Oates) emerges from crowd with win

No true fan of golf considers the Open Championship to be THE event of July. It’s tournaments like the ISCO, where the grinders and journeymen find salvation, security, glory, and truth, that define the essence of professional sport. Once again on Sunday, the fairway fighters of men’s professional golf took to the corridors of Keene Trace to find the magic that extends careers, defines them, and encourages their inauguration.

Harry Hall is a 26-year-old competitor from England. Before he could consider the football match between his home country and Spain, the UNLV alumnus had other business to sort. Hall found himself in second place after 54 holes, one shot out of the lead. Trouble was, a number of other, hungry golfers also posed a challenge. Among them were leader Pierceson Coody, golfer-turned-architect-turned-golfer Zac Blair, Rico Hoey, and Matt NeSmith. Four golfers would reach 20-under par, but that labor would earn them but a four-way tie for sixth.

The aforementioned quintet, with Sunday numbers like 69, 64, 64, 69, and 70, would meet at the crossroads of 22-under and tied for first. Hoey and NeSmith each made bogey at the last, to fall to that status, while Coody and Blair made closing birdies to rise up. Only Hall made par at the final, regulation green. Three holes later, he would also stand alone. Bogeys at the 18th in overtime meant a farewell cap tip for Hoey and Blair. After the surviving triumvirate again made pars during round two at the watery closer, the playoff shifted to the par-three ninth. Both Coody and NeSmith missed the green left, then pitched within ten feet for par. They never had a chance to hit their putts.

With all the improbability that a 45-feet chip brings, Hall found landing spot, line, and pace, then merged the three for the perfect stroke. He drained the recovery shot for a deuce and a first PGA Tour victory. On to Royal Troon!

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Robert MacIntyre’s winning WITB: 2024 Genesis Scottish Open

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2 days ago

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Jul 14, 2024

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Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, D4 SureFit setting) Buy here.
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Rescue (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X

Irons: Titleist 620 CB (4-9) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F) Buy here, SM9 (50-08F, 56-10S) Buy here, WedgeWorks (60-08K) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Onyx (46, 50), Dynamic Gold S400 Onyx (56, 60)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord (woods, wedges), Grip Master (irons)

Check out more in-hand photos of Robert MacIntyre’s clubs here.

The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

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Vote now: The polls are open for Members Choice 2024 presented by 2nd Swing!

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4 days ago

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Jul 12, 2024

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We’re proud to partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2023! 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here. 

The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively or is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology and gear.

On that note, we just launched our 2024 GolfWRX Members Choice awards, and the polls are now open, so head over to the forums to make your voice heard.

Please vote in the Members Choice categories below!

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