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Morning 9: Rahm throws first pitch in green jacket | Tiger takes stairs | Morikawa: TGL call rivalled Ryder Cup

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

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

1. Wearing his green jacket, Rahm throws out first pitch

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”When you receive the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the World Series, you dress for the occasion.”

  • “For Jon Rahm, that meant breaking out his green jacket.”
  • “Rahm was tabbed for the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night as his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks hosted the Texas Rangers in Game 4 of the World Series.”
  • “While Rahm dressed the part, his pitch was well off the mark…”
Full piece.

2. Tiger takes the stairs in Cabo

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine, again…”As the designer for this week’s World Wide Technology Championship host layout, Tiger Woods is on hand early this week at Diamante’s El Cardonal course in Los Cabos, Mexico.”

  • “But Woods isn’t just merely in attendance, he’s walking down a huge flight of stairs – and seemingly with little effort.”
Full piece.

3. Morikawa: TGL call rivals Ryder Cup

Golf Digest’s Coleman Bentley…”he picked up the phone to find Los Angeles Golf Club co-owner Alex Ohanian on the other end extending an invite to come suit up for the L.A.-based franchise of Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s upstart TGL golf league. He said yes.”

  • “But that wasn’t all that he said. With cameras rolling, Morikawa stammered out something he probably shouldn’t have; something that, if true, probably says a lot about the state of U.S. team golf in November 2023. Check it out.”
  • “I just got chills through my body. I don’t think I’ve ever answered a call like this,” Morikawa said. “I mean, I got my Ryder Cup call this year, but this is … I think this tops it almost.”
Full piece.

4. Choosing med school over golf

Greg Gottfried for Golf Digest…”Natalie Srinivasan is a hell of a golfer. The Furman great hailing from South Carolina won the 2020 Annika Award (given annually to the top female collegiate golfer), finished out the 2022 season on the Epson Tour and will now be heading to medical school. Wait … what?”

  • “You heard that right. Sounds like Srinivasan is quite the double threat as she was recently accepted into the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine. “When I started to lose that mind control, that’s when I knew I couldn’t do this,” Srinivasan told Golfweek about the decision to leave the sport. “The passion wasn’t there.”
Full piece.

5. Couple caught copulating in Road Hole bunker?

Golf Digest’s Coleman Bentley…“The Old Course at St. Andrews is hallowed ground. Countless watershed moments — from Seve’s clinching birdie in 1984 to Tiger’s dominance in 2000 — have gone down at the so-called “home of golf.” For one current Old Course employee, however, nothing will ever be as memorable as what they witnessed in the Road Hole bunker earlier this week…”

  • “It’s dark and the camera work is a little shaky, but there’s no mistaking that scene, not in a million years. A man in a dark suit lies on his back in the sand. A woman with cocktail dress hiked up above her waist is hunched on top of him. They appear to be enjoying the various, unexpected undulations links golf has to offer, if you know what we mean.”
Full piece.

6. Iwai leads LPGA Japan Open

AP report…“Akie Iwai of Japan shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to lead the first round of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic.”

  • “Three other Japanese players — Nasa Hataoka, Yuna Nishimura and Mone Inami — were a stroke back after rounds of 64 at the Taiheiyo Club in north central Japan.
  • “Defending champion Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland was four back after a 67. American Rose Zhang was four back with a 68 in a very crowded field at the top.”
Full piece.

7. Aussie cricket star out of World Cup match after golf cart injury

Jonny Leighfield for Golf Monthly…”Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of his country’s Cricket World Cup group-stage clash with England on Saturday after suffering a concussion as a result of falling from a golf cart.”

  • “There were reportedly not enough seats for the players, with Maxwell said to be gripping onto the back of the cart on the way from the clubhouse to the team bus before falling off.
  • “The incident occurred on Monday when some members of the Australian squad went to play golf in Ahmedabad, India during a pre-planned day off. The five-time World Cup winners say Maxwell sustained no further damage and should return to the squad for the latter part of their group-stage fixtures.”
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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