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More Than Bubba Wins At Farmers Insurance Open

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By Scott MacLeod via www.flagstick.com

Bubba Watson (71-65-69-67-272) may have earned his way on to the trophy at the Farmer’s Insurance Open on Sunday but it was the PGA Tour, and golf in general, that was the biggest beneficiary of the tournament.

With Tiger Woods’ on-course struggles following on the heels of his fall from grace the future of the sport that he had driven to unprecedented levels was easily in question. Sunday showed that there is enough material for the PGA Tour to work with even if the greatest player of an era is not part of the real drama. Watson’s victory almost immediately sent him into the top ten trending topics on Twitter, where he has found a loyal fan base and added a personal touch to how 70,000 golf aficionados interact with their hero.

Hyped early in the week as the season debut of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, only half of that pair was part of the story as the final holes played out at Torrey Pines, and even Phil only served up a sliver of the excitement.

Bubba Watson jarred a final birdie of the week to win his second PGA Tour title and his curling downhiller simply capped a series of events that likely kept most golf fans right to the very end. That hole out proved necessary as Phil Mickelson charged with a birdie on the 17th hole and then failed to hole out a grinding attempt to hole out a 72-yard shot for a tie on the 18th. Phil, in his usual style, did add some flair to the attempt though with a walk-up to check out the shot, caddy Jim McKay tending the pin and a strike that landed just beyond the hole but failed to spin back closer than four feet. His conversion of that putt did secure him second place and likely put him back into the top 5 of the World Rankings.

Additional flair to the compelling tale was added by rookie Jhonnatan Vegas who rinsed his approach on the last in his attempt to reach the surface in two. An eagle would have tied him with Watson but he had to settle for a share of third place with Dustin Johnson who also contended to the end. The Watson, Mickelson, Vegas, and Johnson line-up made it one of the best four-way battles that did not include Tiger that has been seen for years. It’s something that has to make Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem very happy as they look to take the weight of the PGA Tour marketing off the shoulders of a certain star that is still grinding to regain not only his game, but also his appeal to the sports’ followers.

Of course, having an extrovert with as much talent and flashy appeal as Bubba Watson come out on top never hurts. Watson has never apologized for being an emotional player who takes on the game in his own way and that shone through in La Jolla.

Few would criticize the tears he shed after closing out the victory nor the emotional first pump that punctuated the fall of his last putt with Mickelson close on his heels.

“It means a lot,” Watson said of the win when interviewed immediately after Mickelson finished up one back to make the win official. “Every win is special because you don’t know if you are going to have them,” he said through a waterfall of emotion.

Watson said Saturday he has worked hard on staying patient this year and that seemed to pay off on Sunday. Even with his errant attempt to reach the final green in two landing in the bunker, he settled down and worked hard on getting up and down. He had little choice, especially with a star-studded group nipping at his heels.

“It’s hard every time you look at it,” he said of winning on the PGA Tour with so many good players in contention. “Any bad step and they can catch you. I just put my head day all day and just played my game.”

With so much sizzle this week it is hard to imagine what awaits next at the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale; but with all the top players from this week in the field its sure to be another home run for the PGA Tour.

It’s a streak they’d like to continue all year long. That might be an impossible task but with every successful week in the books the future of the Tour looks more promising than it has in a long time

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Canada's Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

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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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