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Morning 9: Jack on Tiger’s health | RIP Lance Broeck | Kuchar, Jr. advances at US Open qualifier

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as another great field has assembled at the latest designated event on Tour – the Wells Fargo Championship.

1. Jack on Tiger’s health, surgery

Golfweek’s Adam Schupak…”Nicklaus recounted how he sat next to Woods at the Champions Dinner at the Masters, as he does most years.”

  • “We talk quite a bit,” Nicklaus said. “He said, ‘I’m really playing well. I’m hitting the ball great. My short game’s great. My putting’s good.’ He said, ‘I just can’t walk.’ And he says, ‘If it helps where I can walk, I’m willing to do it.’ ”
  • “That’s about as good an explanation for why Woods agreed to go under the knife yet again as we’ve heard to date.”
  • “He wouldn’t be having the operations if he wasn’t interested in wanting to continue to play,” Nicklaus said. “He’s a very motivated and dedicated young man to continue to play the game of golf.”
Full piece.

2. R.I.P. Lance Broeck

Schupak again…“Last Call” Lance Ten Broeck, who famously played and caddied in the same PGA Tour event, has died. He was 67.”

  • “Ten Broeck grew up in Chicago, part of a family of golfers, and played collegiately at Texas. He qualified for the U.S. Open seven times and held the 36-hole lead in the 2012 U.S. Senior Open, but was the quintessential journeyman golfer, playing at least 14 tournaments in 12 seasons, making 355 career starts on the Tour, recording 11 top-10 finishes without ever claiming an official win.”
Full piece.

3. Rough stuff for England

Beth Nichols for Golfweek…”Team England suffered a devastating loss at the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown before a shot was struck.”

  • “Both Georgia Hall and Charley Hull withdrew Saturday, leaving officials scrambling to replace them. Ladies European Tour players Alice Hewson and Liz Young were en route from England on Sunday to round out the four-player squad.”
  • “Hall, ranked No. 10 in the world, is currently one of the hottest players on the LPGA and Hull, ranked 17th, isn’t far behind. Both players competed in this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, with Hull taking a share of T-17 and Hall finishing T-44.”
Full piece.

4. Mike Sweeney’s saga

Ryan Young for Yahoo…“Sweeney has been trying to make it as a professional golfer for years. He first moved in with his dad in Florida in 2018, but he had to promise that he’d move out when he turned 25. So for years now, Sweeney has been living out of his car, sometimes in Walmart parking lots, or couch surfing between friends. He’ll still sneak into his dad’s apartment complex gym to workout and shower, and he works at a golf course that lets him practice.”

  • “I either have to pay to play golf, or pay for a place to live,” he said. “I couldn’t really afford to do both.”
  • “So last Monday, Sweeney paid $500 — most of his savings — and joined the Monday qualifier event for the HomeTown Lenders Championship. In what was his 12th qualifier, Sweeney holed out on the 18th to sneak his way into a playoff before finally earning a spot in the tournament.”
  • “He finished the opening round with a 1-under 69. Friday, however, Sweeney carded a 3-over 73 and missed the cut. Ben Kohles won in a playoff over Ben Silverman on Sunday afternoon.”
  • “While he didn’t make the cut, Sweeney is getting ready to join the PGA Tour Canada later this summer. At the rate he’s going, he’ll have plenty of more opportunities on a Tour, and to find a more permanent address, in the near future.”
Full piece.

5. “The worst thing to ever happen to a high handicapper”

Lee Trevino wasn’t complementary of the club when talking to Michael Breed…

  • “Breed continued, “You are well known for your wedge play. How valuable, how important is the 60-degree in today’s game for this modern player versus when you were out playing with that big, Wilson, thick sole, R-90 wedge that was easy to get out of a bunker but very difficult to hit high-lofted shots around the greens with?”
  • “One of the best clubs that I ever had, believe it or not, was the ‘Sandy Andy’,” Trevino remembered. “It had about 22 degrees of bounce on it. But you know, I played my hands forward and the ball back, so actually the bounce on the club was only like 13 by the time I hit the ball. And that’s just the way that it was.”
  • “What about the current 60 degree as an asset over the 56?”
  • “The 60-degree wedge is the worst thing that ever happened to a high-handicapper, because he can’t use the 56 yet,” exclaimed Trevino. “I mean, he’s got to learn to use the 56 before he goes to a 60. I don’t know why they’re carrying a 60. They can’t use the damn thing. They’re always short with it.”
  • “The reason they’re short with it is, if you play with an amateur that has an eight or over, if he pulls a 60 out, he’s generally short; he’s always short,” said the guest forcefully.
  • “And the reason for it is because they don’t realize how much loft is on this thing and they tend to swing at it the same speed they do the 56,” Trevino explained. “And it’s not going to go anywhere. I mean, it won’t go anyplace. Tight lies, now all of a sudden, now they’re getting these little — built the way that the architecture is with the greens dropping off and everything, that’s the worst club you want to use around there is the 60 because the grain’s against you. And that club is sharper; it doesn’t have as much bounce on it. The secret is to open the 56 wide open to get a little more bounce and then rotate it; close the toe a little bit.”
Full piece.

6. Gooch rues the taxman

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Gooch appeared on the ‘Fore The People’ Podcast and revealed that $1.9 million of his winnings never even made it to his bank account.”

  • “It was a little bit disheartening seeing 47 and a half percent because Australian taxes [do] not enter the account.”
  • “It comes, you know, almost it sometimes it’s like 48 hours, but it’s usually 24 hours after it direct deposit hits. It was a big one this last week, but yeah, it sucked that 47 and a half percent was withheld for Australian taxes, unfortunately.”
  • “I am by no means complaining, but the four [million dollars], once you cut it all up, let’s just say that it’s lot less than four.”
  • “The win the following week at LIV Golf Singapore won Gooch another $4 million and won’t be taxed quite as heavily, not to mention his Range Goats GC won the team event as well.”
Full piece.

7. Linn Grant to compete once again on U.S. soil

Brentley Romine for Golf Channel…”Linn Grant’s path to LPGA starts in the U.S. will soon be cleared.”

  • “The U.S. government announced Monday that come May 12, it will no longer ban international air travelers who aren’t fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from entering the country. “Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends,” a White House press release reads.”
  • “Grant, who is unvaccinated, hasn’t competed in the U.S. since earning her LPGA card at Q-Series in late 2021. Instead, the former NCAA All-American at Arizona State has played on the Ladies European Tour and international LPGA events. She’s won four times on the LET in the past two years while rising to No. 24 in the world rankings.”
Full piece.

8. Two Kuchars at U.S. Open?

Brentley Romine for Golf Channel…”This summer’s U.S. Open field could include two Kuchars.”

  • “While Matt Kuchar, as of now, still must go through final qualifying, his 15-year-old son, Cameron, will also be teeing it up on Golf’s Longest Day after advancing through his 18-hole local qualifier Monday in Wellington, Florida.”
  • “The young Kuchar, a Class of 2026 recruit who has teamed up with his dad at each of the past three PNC Championships, shot 3-under 69 with a bogey on his last hole to finish second and earn one of five final-qualifying tickets out of the Wellington National Golf Club site. The course played at 7,052 yards.”
Full piece.

9. Wells Fargo photos

  • Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!
Full Piece.

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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