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Tiger Woods wins the Tour Championship with a final-round 71

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Tiger Woods closed the Tour Championship at East Lake with a final-round 1-over 71 for a two-stroke victory over Billy Horschel and his first win since 2013.

Woods began the day with two beautifully struck shots and a smooth 10-footer for birdie at the opening hole, serving notice that he had no plans of relinquishing the three-stroke lead with which he began the final round of the Tour Championship.

Indeed, if there was any doubt Tiger Woods would win his 80th PGA Tour event, and his first since the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational, Woods’ steadiness throughout his opening holes put that corrosive quantity to rest — save for a few tense moments over the final few holes.

With a 10-foot putt to save par at the fourth hole, Woods stayed four ahead of Justin Rose and five strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy, who remained stuck in neutral. Rose missed his par effort a hole ahead moments later. For Woods, five strokes clear of the field, the march was on.

Well, sort of. He did flub this delicate pitch after flying the green with his approach shot at the par-5 sixth hole.

And yet, with Woods driving it well (he found the fairway at the 481-yard seventh hole with a 293-yard stinger off the tee following the par at the fifth), it was always going to take torrid play from either Rose or McIlroy to keep Woods from No. 80; the par train would assure him his 43rd victory in 45 tries when leading entering the final round of a PGA Tour event.

Woods parred the second through the ninth holes, making the turn with a 1-under 34. He made the turn at East Lake with a five-stroke lead.

Wayward off the tee at the 10th, Woods punched out from the trees, leading to his first bogey of the day. No matter, as Rose made bogey ahead and Woods lead remained at five.

Steady, smart, it was mostly a story of putting himself on the right side of fairways and the right spots on East Lake’s lightning-quick greens over his next few holes until a 141-yard approach shot set up a 13-foot birdie at the par-4 13th.

Like that, Woods — for whom it’s not hyperbole to say 9 out of 10 golf fans felt he’d never win another tournament as recently as mid-2017 — was five strokes clear of the field with five holes to play.

After narrowly avoiding a water ball at the par-3 15th hole, Woods reasonably assured himself the victory, even though he was unable to get up and down with his pitch from the rough just beyond the water hazard and bogeyed the hole.

But he didn’t make it easy on himself, pulling a wood left off the 16th tee that settled down in the rough, punching the ball forward ultimately bogeying the hole to fall to 1 over on his final round and just two strokes ahead of Billy Horschel, in the clubhouse at 9 under, with two holes to play.

Another wayward effort — again left — off the tee at the 17th, and Woods, already sweating profusely in the Georgia heat, surely perspired further. Ultimately, however, he managed to make par, and summarily pounded a 347-yard tee shot down the fairway at the 18th hole with a two-stroke lead.

Woods found the bunker with his approach, but with little doubt left about the outcome of the tournament, he made the walk to the 18th green amid this surreal scene.

A tap-in par later, and Woods — who only began hitting full shots in early October of last year following his spinal fusion surgery — captured the Tour Championship and his 80th PGA Tour win.

For context on Woods’ incredible return to the winner’s circle, check out what our Andrew Tursky had to say.

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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