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Morning 9: HV3, JT, Rickie | DJ surges in Saudi Arabia | A theft at the WMPO

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By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

February 1, 2019

Good Friday morning, golf fans.
1. HV3 (and JT and Rickie)
Harold Varner III overcame an early bogey with three straight birdies, moving himself in position to tie for the lead.
  • He got it with a long putt and a dab on the loudest hole in golf.
  • Varner snaked in a long birdie putt on the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale on Thursday, capping off a 7-under 64 to tie Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas for the first-round lead at the Phoenix Open.
  • Varner set off the rowdiest roars of the afternoon with his 31-foot putt at the hole turned into a stadium, celebrating with the dab toward the sky.
  • “I love entertaining people and what better hole to do it,” Varner said.
  • Varner, who missed the cut at Torrey Pines last week, blew his first putt past the hole on the par-4 second hole for a three-putt bogey, but bounced back with three straight birdies on the front nine. He had a two-putt birdie on the par-15 13th and got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the other back-nine par 5, the 15th.
2. Wolff!
Oklahoma State sophomore Matthew Wolff, another iconoclast who in his TOUR debut settled his nerves and shot a 4-under 67 in the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
  • “It was awesome,” Wolff said after going 1 over for his first five holes before making five birdies the rest of the way. “It’s probably more than I hoped for, especially at this tournament, which is unlike any other tournament. … I was really nervous at first but settled in and played nice.”
  • Wolff has made a lot of noise in amateur circles of late. He won the Phil Mickelson Award as the nation’s top freshman while leading OSU to the NCAA title last season. This season, in the fall, he reeled off wins in three straight tournaments, joining Scott Verplank as the only OSU golfers to accomplish that feat.
  • All of this with a funky move in which Wolff does a little shimmy to trigger his swing, picks the club straight up off the ground, points his left toe, and then hits every angle seemingly just right as he comes through the hitting area with eye-popping speed.
If you haven’t seen Wolff’s unique action, check it out here.
3. DJ surges in Saudi Arabia  
EuropeanTour.com report… “Dustin Johnson laid down a daunting marker for the rest of the field as he soared into a three-stroke lead at the Saudi International powered by SBIA.”
  • “The World Number Three produced a flawless second round of nine under par after taking advantage of calmer conditions on Friday morning to move ahead at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.”
  • “Johnson rolled in seven birdies and a terrific eagle to get to 11 under for the tournament, with Zander Lombard three shots adrift alongside China’s Li Haotong”

Full piece. 

4. Theft at the WMPO pro-am
Golfweek Staff report…”On Wednesday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Bradley’s day started off like any other. In fact, probably better than most.”
  • “Bradley finished fourth in the pro-am, while being caddied by his dad who sported a matching beard and a similarly vibrant Hawaiian shirt. His group beat out Patrick Peterson and Michael Phelps among others stars. He beat his own manager, Torey Lovullo, who spoke highly of Bradley while meeting with the media that morning. He got to hold the Phoenix Open gopher.”
  • “By all accounts, he seemed to have a blast….But the day took a devastating turn, when Bradley realized he couldn’t find his golf bag. The momentary panic of misplacing it quickly gave way to a darker possibility: Bradley believed his bag to be stolen.”
5. Criteria change: 2020 USWO exemptions
Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…”The main takeaway: Beginning next year, exemptions will be given off the Rolex Rankings rather than money lists from various tours. In 2012, a similar change was made for the men’s U.S. Open.”
“Exemption modifications for the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open:
* Removes top 75 off the money list from the previous year
* Removes top 5 from the LET, Korea LPGA and Japan LPGA money lists from previous year
* Removes top 3 from China LPGA money list
* Increases Rolex Rankings qualifiers from top 50 to 75 at close of entries
* Increases Rolex Rankings qualifiers from top 50 to 75 prior to current year’s championship
* Adds a new exemption category for top 30 from the CME Globe points list as of the Monday prior to the previous year’s CME Group Tour Championship”
6. Electromagnetic pulses!
Golf Digest’s Coleman Bentley…”If you even know how to spell “golf,” chances are you’ve seen the now-viral video of Bryson DeChambeau’s Bill Nye-approved shot process at the Dubai Desert Classic last weekend. The 30 For 30 short, which finds Bryson and his caddie analyzing air density and adjusted distance for an agonizing 74 seconds before hitting a 126-yard approach, has generated Flamin’ Hot Cheeto takes from around the golf world, including Brooks “Don’t Think Too Much” Koepka and now Matt Kuchar, who unleashed this expert troll job of the Artist Formerly Known as the Mad Scientist at the Phoenix Open on Thursday morning. Watch your necks out there, kids.”
  • “Of course, Kuchar has recently been the subject of his own controversy, but in this case, we’ll leave his glass house intact because, well, it’s just that funny. Going full deadpan, Kuchar cites “electromagnetic pulses” for his ball’s spin, nailing Bryson square between the eyes without even having to check the barometric pressure first.”

Full piece.

7. TM/PXG settle patent infringement suit
If you recall, PXG accused TaylorMade of infringing on several patents when the company launched its P790 irons…
  • Here’s the announcement…”Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) and TaylorMade Golf Company jointly announced today that they have reached a settlement of the pending patent litigation and related patent disputes between the parties. Under the terms of the agreement, each company will have specified rights to make club products under patent cross-licenses.”
  • “David Abeles, TaylorMade Golf’s CEO, said, “I’m pleased that we were able to reach an acceptable and amicable resolution to put this this case behind us so we can continue focusing on bringing industry leading equipment innovations to the golfer.”
  • “Bob Parsons, PXG’s CEO, said, “As a golf equipment innovator, PXG will continue to pursue research and development and obtain patents for our novel club designs in the iron technology space. We will not hesitate to assert those patents in the future.”
Details of the settlement are confidential.
8. Hot List
While I’m loathe to include it from a direct competition standpoint, I’m obligated, given the mission of this newsletter (calling attention to stories of note in the golf mediaspace) to mention that the Golf Digest Hot List is now live.

Check it out, here (and you’re welcome, GD)

9. Knudson & Barath’s deep dive
Just wanted to call y’all’s attention to Ryan Barath and Brian Knudson’s work breaking down new equipment releases. These gentlemen know their stuff, and if you want to get really granular, you’ll want to hear what they have to say.
Check out their breakdown of the new Ping G410 series of woods, hybrids, and irons. 

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

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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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