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Tour Mash: Rose continues to roll, Cantlay gets first win

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Justin Rose and his faux “I’m looking for a game” GolfNow commercial will have everyone booking with that service, hoping for a meet-up, given his stellar play over the last fortnight. Rose wasn’t the only one to serve up tremendous play this week, so let’s get after some of our weekly Tour Mash and read about the rest of them.

PGA Tour: Shriner’s Open

If painful lessons are the most valuable, J.J. Spaun’s double-double finish will be worth a lot. The third-round leader was 1 up with two to play, but dropped all the way to a tie for 10th. With the clubhouse door wide open, Alex Cejka, Whee Kim and Patrick Cantlay headed off to a playoff.

How the west was won by Patrick Cantlay

When the playoff hole is 456 yards, with trees right and desert scrub left, the premium is on the drive. Cantlay, Cejka and Kim sawed the first playing with bogeys, so the threesome headed back to the tee for a second overtime go. Cantlay’s drive ended behind a tree, but he took it and the greenside pond on and conquered them both. His putt for birdie from the rear fringe just missed, and his tap-in sealed an unforgettable Sunday, which included a final-round 67. Had he lost, Cantlay might have suffered nightmares from his bogey-bogey finish in regulation.

How Kim and Cejka lost their way in the playoff

Whee Kim’s double-cross drive did him in. Teeing off from the right side of the deck, he hooked his tee ball into the scrub and took an unplayable penalty. His putt for bogey missed, and he was relegated to a tie for 2nd spot. Cejka’s pitch from greenside rough did the unthinkable: it checked up! His 10-foot putt for par broke low, setting the stage for Cantlay’s 2-foot putt for victory. Both Kim and Cejka had to feel fortunate to be in the mix at all. Both played spectacular final rounds (66 and 63, respectively) and earned deserved applause for their work.

European Tour: Turkish Airlines Open

How Rose went back to back

You don’t have to birdie every hole on the final 9 these days; it simply feels that way. Justin Rose had a bogey on Sunday, but it was super-early (3rd hole) and didn’t seem to impact him that much. Unlike last week, when he was chasing 2nd, Rose was always in the mix in Turkey. His 7 final-round birdies (three in the last four holes) propelled him to a 64-65 weekend and the Turkish title. The Olympic champion jumped from 3rd to 2nd in the Race To Dubai sprint, and don’t you believe that leader Tommy Fleetwood doesn’t hear the footsteps.

How close the others came

If you want to improve your short game, watch the final-round highlights for inspiration. In addition to a Rose chip-in, co-runner up Dylan Fritelli chipped in for birdie on THREE CONSECUTIVE HOLES. Padraig Harrington chipped in for one of his own, then holed a wedge shot for par (after dunking his approach in a pond.) Fritelli had 64 on Sunday, while 36-hole leader Nicolas Colsaerts rebounded from a dud Saturday with 66 on Day 4. Both came up 1 shot shy of the champion. Harrington didn’t lose; he simply ran out of holes.

LPGA Tour: Toto Japan Classic

Shanshan Feng couldn’t make up her mind on the type of Sunday she preferred. Beginning bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie does that to a golfer. Once she opted for birdies, the runway was clear for landing, and Feng secured her second win of the year, and eighth overall.

How Feng found her way

Feng had finished 3rd-2nd in her last two starts, and she was the defending champion at Toto. In other words, the stars were aligned. She had to do a little more than simply show up, and when she played her final 11 holes at 4-under par on Sunday, the chasers had little input into the conversation.

How Ai almost thrilled the home crowd

Suzuki had to wonder what she needed to do, to win the Toto. Birdies on 16 and 17 brought her to 18-under, but there was Feng, also birdieing the penultimate hole to preserve her lead. Suzuki’s bogey at the last secured 2nd place, and marked her as a player to watch at next year’s event. Anna Nordqvist had an ace (watch it below) at the 3rd, and closed with 66 to vault into solo 3rd spot.

Asian Tour: Panasonic Open India to Kapur

Kapur and Kumar didn’t go to White Castle. Instead, they went to duel city, where Shiv Kapur’s 68 was enough to hold off Chirgah Kumar and six others by 3 strokes. The win was his third career Asian Tour and fifth professional win.

How Kapur capped off the win

He did nothing erratic. Kapur was a model of consistent excellence, with 5 birdies and 1 bogey on the day. By not making big numbers, he forced the field’s hand, demanding that someone shoot 61 to have a shot at victory.

How seven golfers gave it their best

Of the second-place septet, Chiragh Kumar gave the greatest chase. He birdied half of his day-four holes, but needed to be perfect to have a glimpse at the top spot. A 3rd-hole bogey toughened his task. Unbelievably, 9 of the top 10 golfers hail from Indonesia, with only the USA’s Paul Peterson crashing the party.

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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Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is wondering how many birdies other players have had in a round while still failing to break par. @Lalan45, unfortunately, asked the question after a unique experience of their own.

They wrote:

“Today I managed 8 birdies but still shot even par, could have been a round to remember! What’s the most birdies you’ve made in a round and still didn’t break par?”

Our members in the forum shared their own experiences with successful rounds that still resulted in a score over par. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • kwcsports: “I’ve had 5 a few times, still shot 80+ haha.”
  • jda: “I played a course for the first time, had 8 birdies, 9 doubles and an eagle. The infamous no-par round. I kept the scorecard. Every shot had a creek that I did not know about, or I was within 8-10 feet for a birdie look. To this day, I have no idea if I should be really jacked up or mad about that performance.”
  • jvincent: “I think my record is either 5 or 6. Probably shot 75.”
  • Instron4204: “3 birdies and shot a 92…man I suck!”

Entire Thread: “Most Birdies Without Breaking Par.”

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Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
  • CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

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GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

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A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down. 

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

 

  • GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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