Connect with us

News

Morning 9: Knapp Time | AK to tee it up | Patty T victorious

Published

on

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour moves over to the Florida swing

1. In Mexico: Knapp Time

ESPN report…”PGA Tour rookie Jake Knapp lost a four-shot lead in seven holes and then held it together with a remarkable short game Sunday, closing with an even-par 71 to win the Mexico Open at Vidanta and earn a trip to the Masters.”

  • “Knapp said he still sends a text after each round to his grandfather, who died last year, and this message might require a lot of detail.”
  • “He didn’t hit a fairway until the eighth hole and found only two the entire round — the fewest in the final round of a PGA Tour win in the past 40 years, according to golf statistician Justin Ray. Knapp never lost the lead but twice allowed Sami Valimaki of Finland to catch him. They were tied with six holes to play until Knapp took over, getting up and down on four of the next five holes, one of them for birdie.”
Full piece.
2. Report: Anthony Kim to play LIV event

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Anthony Kim will return to professional golf next week at the LIV Golf event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to multiple sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.”

  • “Kim will be a wildcard player in next week’s LIV Golf event in his first professional start since 2012. The 38-year-old had surgery on his Achilles tendon in his left leg following the ’12 Wells Fargo Championship and had been mulling a possible return for months.”
Full piece.
3. DPWT: Van Driel wins after challengers shank

Golf Channel report…”Darius van Driel won the Magical Kenya Open on Sunday for his first career win on the DP World Tour.”

  • “Meanwhile, two of van Driel’s main challengers hit less than magical shots.”
  • “First was Manuel Elvira, who co-led with van Driel after 54 holes and remained tied with van Driel through four holes. Elvira found the greenside bunker off the tee at the par-3 fifth at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi. Faced with a routine shot from the sand, Elvira shanked the shot and ended up walking away with bogey.”
Full piece.
4. LPGA: Patty T wins in Thailand

LPGA report…”It came down to the 72nd hole against some late-round charges. But when the dust settled, Patty Tavatanakit became the second Thai champion to be crowned at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Sunday, winning her first Tour event in 1,057 days. After starting the final round with a three-shot lead, she ultimately shot a 5-under 67 to finish -21, the first time she’s recorded all four rounds of an event in the 60s since her first Tour win at the 2021 Chevron Championship.”

Full piece.
5. Tonight…The Match: McIlroy, Homa, Thompson, Zhang

Cameron Morfit for PGATour.com…”Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang play an individual and often very serious game, but those walls will come down in “Capital One’s The Match” at 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday (TNT, TruTV, HLN, and the B/R Sports Add-On on Max).”

  • “For the 12-hole charity skins game at The Park at West Palm Beach, a Gil Hanse design that reimagined and resurrected a closed muni, their goal will be the same: to broaden the game’s appeal, especially to kids.”
  • “I’ve been there a few times,” McIlroy, who lives in the area, said of The Park in a conference call Thursday. “If you go there at 6 p.m., that place is filled with kids – boys and girls.”
Full piece.
6. Luke Donald to try out for NBC lead analyst spot

Josh Carpenter for Sports Business Journal…”NBC Sports is adding European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald to its broadcast booth for a pair of upcoming events as it continues in its search for a lead analyst to replace Paul Azinger.”

  • “Donald, who still plays semiregularly on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, will join NBC/Golf Channel for the Cognizant Classic next week and the Arnold Palmer Invitational the following week. Donald is expected to appear in some form on Thursday of the Cognizant broadcast and join play-by-play man Dan Hicks as part of a two-man booth on the weekend.”
Full Piece.
7. 19 putts

Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek…”Albane Valenzuela called putting her “nemesis” in recent months. Well, that changed in a mighty way in Thailand, where she needed only 19 putts in a career-low 9-under 63 on Sunday. The Swiss player’s solo second to Patty Tavatanakit at Honda LPGA Thailand marked her career-best finish on tour.

  • “Last month at the LPGA Drive On in Bradenton, Florida, the 26-year-old Valenzuela had 10 three-putts, calling her speed “totally off.”
  • “On Sunday at Siam Country Club, Valenzuela went on a dizzying streak with the putter after holing out for eagle on the par-4 fifth.
  • “From No. 7 onwards I only had one-putts,” said Valenzuela. “For all the people that told me I could not putt, there you go.”
Full Piece.
8. Ortiz set to jump over 1,000 spots in OWGR

Jonny Leighfield for Golf Monthly…”Carlos Ortiz’s International Series Oman win on the Asian Tour was significant in a number of ways. Firstly, it was his maiden victory on that circuit. Secondly, the Mexican landed a nice comforting $360,000 check for his efforts. And thirdly, he has likely jumped from outside of the world’s top-1,000 male golfers to around the No.250 mark.”

  • “Ortiz upstaged Louis Oosthuizen and Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann to record a convincing four-shot victory in the $2 million event – the first elevated tournament on this year’s Asian Tour calendar.”
Full Piece.
9. Winning WITB: Jake Knapp

Presented by 2nd Swing

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 TX

Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver (13.5 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 TX

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (2), PXG 0211 ST (4-PW)

Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II (52), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-10S), WedgeWorks (60-T)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Double Bend

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 2.0 PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

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.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

on

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.”

Continue Reading

News

Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

on

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.”

Continue Reading

News

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Announcement

Our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use have been updated as of January 29th, 2026. Please review the updated policies here Privacy Policy | Terms of Use. By continuing to use our site after January 29th, 2026, you agree to the changes.

WITB

Facebook

Trending