News

Morning 9: Murray wins dramatic playoff | Rory throws title away | Winning WITB

Published

6 months ago

Jan 15, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Grayson Murray produced a moment of brilliance to win the Sony Open in a playoff.

1. Murray wins Sony playoff

AP report…”Grayson Murray is a PGA Tour winner again and feels better than ever about his future. The gold trophy he won Sunday at the Sony Open with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff is only a small reason for that.”

“Murray has been sober for eight months, tired of alcohol fueling his arrogance in public and making him feel like a failure for wasting talent in his private moments.”

“He feels renewed through Christianity and is getting married in April to a woman who became a big part of a small support group.”

“No, winning didn’t change his life. But it sure provided a big boost to his career.”

“My story is not finished. I think it’s just beginning,” Murray said. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues.”

Full piece.

2. McIlroy falters, Fleetwood takes title in Dubai

AP report…”Tommy Fleetwood benefited from two huge errors on the back nine from Rory McIlroy and produced his own strong finish to win the Dubai Invitational following a back-and-forth final-round duel Sunday.”

“McIlroy had already three-putted from 2 feet at No. 14 by the time he reached the 18th tee with a 1-shot lead over Fleetwood and pulled his drive into the water.”

“Fleetwood followed that by driving into the middle of the fairway and sent his approach to 16 feet, well inside McIlroy after the world No. 2 had to take a drop.”

“McIlroy missed his winding putt up the hill, and Fleetwood made his own to shoot 67 for 19-under 265 overall, securing a first win since the Nedbank Golf Challenge in November 2022.”

Full piece.

3. Michael Jordan course pro finishes 72 strokes off lead in Dubai

Adam Woodard for Golfweek…”Unless you were diligently watching the DP World Tour’s 2024 opener or you’ve played Michael Jordan’s exclusive golf club, Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, chances are you’ve never heard of Ken Weyand.”

“Weyand is listed online as the President/GM/Director of Golf for Grove XXIII and has served in that position since November 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile. This week he played in the 2024 Dubai Invitational – a 60-player, no-cut event – as a sponsor invite and made quite the name for himself. The 54-year-old club pro faired about as well as one can expect against a field of professionals and shot rounds of 87-82-82-86 to finish in dead last at 53 over, a whopping 72 strokes behind winner Tommy Fleetwood. Sweden’s Jens Dantorp finished 59th at 14 over, 39 shots clear of Weyand in last. He made just two birdies all week.”

Full piece.

4. Grayson Murray’s curious trophy-related injury on Korn Ferry Tour

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Winning the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in Nashville was a weight off Grayson Murray’s back, as it clinched his ticket back to the PGA Tour…”

“During his post-round press conference at the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he’s the 54-hole co-leader after shooting 6-under 64 on Saturday, he noted, “I had a little back issue there for about a month or so that I didn’t touch a club.”

“That begged the question: how exactly did he injure his back?”

“I actually got hurt holding the trophy,” he later said. “I have a herniated bulging disc. It’s fine, I got two shots, and it helped, just taking Aleve now. It’s something to monitor.”

Full piece.

5. Meet Matthew Pavon, who contended at Sony

Kevin Prise for PGATour.com…”Matthieu Pavon has a tattoo on his right hand inscribed, “The saliva that flows now will become the tears of joy tomorrow.” It’s a reminder to work hard, and it’s also a metaphor for his career.”

“Pavon, 31, turned pro in 2013 and progressed through the Alps Tour and Challenge Tour before earning dual membership on the PGA TOUR via last year’s DP World Tour. It hasn’t been an easy road for the Frenchman who was never hailed as a star at any level. But Pavon, the son of a longtime professional soccer player, has persevered.”

Full Piece.

6. Murray’s ex-caddie…

7. Murray’s Winning WITB

Presented by 2nd Swing.

Driver: Mizuno ST-X 230 (10.5 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X White 7F5

3-wood: Callaway Rogue ST Max (16.5 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X Black 7F5

7-wood: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (20 degrees)

Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X 8F5

Irons: Mizuno Pro 225 (4), Mizuno Pro 221 (5-PW)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue

Wedges: Mizuno T24 (52, 56, 60)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: L.A.B. Golf Link.1

Shaft: Kinetix Tuned Zero TRQ

Grip: Garsen Quad Tour

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Full WITB.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Barracuda Championship

Published

17 hours ago

Jul 17, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week for the PGA Tour’s only Modified Stableford event, the Barracuda Championship.

We have plenty of galleries from Truckee, California, assembled for your viewing pleasure, so let’s get to it.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

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News

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

Published

3 days ago

Jul 15, 2024

Ronald Montesano

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.

An incredible eagle finish for @kodebuchanayaka to win her first major at @EvianChamp ? pic.twitter.com/gNZ5BhFM07

— LPGA (@LPGA) July 14, 2024

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.

What a shot @robert1lefty!! ???????

After a lucky break, MacIntyre joins the lead after an eagle on the 16th.#GenesisScottishOpen | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/jBRJS6mAdA

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 14, 2024

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.

Cristobal Del Solar is back on top??

A 39-foot eagle gives him a two-stroke lead @AscendantGolf. pic.twitter.com/LsJa0htlMB

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 14, 2024

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.

A perfect drive on 18 from @TheBig_Easy ?

Ernie Els needs a par to secure the win @KauligChamp. pic.twitter.com/KuFFgTz6nR

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) July 14, 2024

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!

One of the shots of the year! ?
@HarryHall just chipped in for his first career PGA TOUR win @ISCOChamp! pic.twitter.com/B8PpxmYGbh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 15, 2024

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News

Robert MacIntyre’s winning WITB: 2024 Genesis Scottish Open

Published

3 days ago

Jul 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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