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Morning 9: No.1 beaten at US-Am | Keegan’s Ryder Cup obsession | Faxon: Pick Glover

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the BMW Championship. gets underway.

1. Number One KO-d at US-Am

Cameron Jourdan for Golfweek…”Down goes No. 1.”

  • “The match-play portion of the 2023 U.S. Amateur began Wednesday at Cherry Hills Country Club, and with that came the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking falling in the Round of 64. However, there were numerous other events to happen on a steamy day in the Mile High City.”
  • “The youngest medalist in U.S. Amateur history, and top seed for match play, faces battles. There were players making a push for the U.S. Walker Cup team. There were also upsets and plenty of high-profile players heading home early.”
  • “Match play got off to a great start Wednesday, and there’s still plenty of golf to go.”
Full piece.

2. Faxon: Glover needs RC pick

Ben Fleming for Golf Monthly…”The US qualification window shuts after this week’s BMW Championship meaning Glover will likely be reliant upon a captain’s pick. Brad Faxon is one of a growing number of people who believe his form warrants one.”

  • “There is nobody who has been playing better over the last month than Lucas Glover,” he said, speaking on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.
  • “The system is about trying to get hot players. We had two-year qualifying processes and now it’s a year. We wanted to get the players who were playing the best to be able to play.
  • “If he gets left off the team after winning two tournaments this late in the qualifying process the system’s flawed.”
Full piece.

3. Keegan remains Ryder Cup obsessed

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Keegan Bradley hasn’t played in a Ryder Cup since 2014 at Gleneagles in Scotland. The 37-year-old also played a role in the United States’ crushing defeat at Medinah, but he hopes that will change this season.”

  • “The veteran has made a solid case to be chosen after winning the “designated” Travelers Championship”. He also has a 2nd place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and a 10th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.”
  • “During his pre-tournament press conference at Olympia Fields this week for the BMW Championship, Bradley reiterated his desire to represent his country in the Ryder Cup once again.”
  • “Yeah, the one spot I want to be on is on that Ryder Cup team,” he said. “I think about the Ryder Cup every second I’m awake basically.
Full piece.

4. F. Molinari named Europe’s fifth vice captain

Reuters report…”Team Europe captain Luke Donald has named Italy’s Francesco Molinari as his fifth and final vice captain for next month’s Ryder Cup at Rome’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, the team announced Wednesday.”

  • “Molinari, who made his debut in the 2010 edition when Europe regained the trophy in Wales, joins brother Edoardo Molinari, José María Olazábal, Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Bjorn as vice captains.”
  • “I started the year hoping to be there as a player, but it is still a great honor to be there as a vice captain,” said Molinari, who won the 2018 Open Championship. “I got a phone call from Luke asking if I was interested, and obviously it was a clear answer from me. He is assembling a really good team of people.
Full piece.

5. Ramping up to wind down

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”That competitive reality hasn’t much bothered Patrick Cantlay, nor has it hurt him. He didn’t play a regular Tour event in the fall of 2021, and yet he still ranked second in points heading into the season finale at East Lake. This season, his only fall start was a playoff loss in Vegas, and here he sits fifth in the standings with two weeks to go. Cantlay’s rationale has always been: He’ll play better, more consistently, if he’s fresh.”

  • “For me, it’s important to feel ready and excited to practice and play again,” Cantlay said, “and so I think that nice couple-month break should be really good for that.”
  • “When asked whether anything could compel him to play more than just the Ryder Cup at the end of September, Cantlay said: “Probably not a lot this year.”
  • “Cantlay pointed to the condensed nature of the signature-event schedule as well as having three majors in the span of 10 weeks.”
  • “I feel like it’s easier to gear up for those and stay on for those if you know you have an offseason coming,” Cantlay said.
Full piece.

6. Lexi could lose status

The AP’s Doug Ferguson…”It’s one thing that Thompson hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since June 2019. Thompson is at No. 157 in the Race to the CME Globe.”

  • “Only the top 60 make it to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 80 have full a full card. The top 100 still have cards and get in most tournaments. But there’s no indication Thompson is capable of even that right now.”
  • “She missed her third cut in a major last week at the AIG Women’s Open. Her only cut in a major was a tie for 47th in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. But last week was only her eighth LPGA Tour start of the year.”
  • “You shouldn’t read too much into that,” Thompson told Golf Digest last week. “I’ve just been trying to enjoy my life and take some more time for myself. This is my 13th year out here, so it’s my choice to play when I want, and when I don’t want to. I was dealing with a little bit of an injury. But I’m fully healthy now. I want to be sure I’m fully ready when I do tee it up.”
Full piece.

7. Liberty National to host 2027 BMW Championship

Reuters Report…”The 2027 BMW Championship will be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J., it was announced Tuesday ahead of this week’s tournament at Olympia Fields Country Club.”

  • It will be the tournament’s first visit to the New York metro area.
  • “We’re proud that Liberty can be a part of these types of events, and we’re also equally proud that we can support youth golf as a part of these events, too,” Liberty National co-founder Dan Fireman said at a news conference for the August 2027 event. “We don’t just pick these events for the sake of picking them. We’re very careful about it.”
  • Famous for its view of the New York City skyline across the river, Liberty National hosted previous FedEx Cup playoff events in 2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021.
Full piece.

8. Spieth join Hall of Honor

9. Photos from the BMW Championship

  • Check out all our photos from Olympia Fields!
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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