News

Sony Open in Hawaii: 5 things we learned

Published

7 years ago

Jan 14, 2019

This month, the PGA Tour’s Houston Open announced that Memorial Park, in the heart of the city, would be re-envisioned as the new home of its annual stop in the Space City. Tom Doak will oversee the renovation, and it wasn’t long before pundits and fans joined voices in uncertainty. Would the course be long enough for the PGA Tour? Let’s put that baby to bed, after we congratulate Matt Kuchar on his 2nd win of the season, and first of 2019.

1. Shorter and Strategic will always have a place on tour

Courses like Waialae (restored by Doak and team) and Harbor Town offer less-than-long hitters an opportunity to showcase their talents. Remember last fall’s Ryder Cup? Team Europe neutralized the length advantage of the USA at Le Golf National, and rolled to victory. Great courses from a bygone era will charm competitors and fans alike, and the essence of proper golf course architecture will never fade from fashion.

They say trees are 90% air …

????? ???? ? ????????#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/YPB6X8uOJs

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2019

2. Ryder Cup snubs lead to resurgence

Last week, we discussed the Xander Schauffele snub by USA Ryder Cup team captains. This week, the veteran most expected to make the team (Kuchar) won a second time since that international competition. Nothing sparks the competitive fires like being told that you aren’t good enough. Kuchar’s multiple international caps weren’t enough to secure a spot in France, but he is playing like he wants Tiger Woods (2019 President’s Cup captain) to know that he plans to return to Team USA pronto. We think that the fans support his cause.

Some love for the fans. ????????????

Kuchar heads to the 72nd hole with a 3-shot lead.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/FXbQfVZE1w

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2019

3. How is what Kuchar does with a putter legal, when other methods are not?

It’s not anchored on the torso (or even the forehead!) as many used to do, but a putter anchored is a putter anchored. Go ahead and discuss fulcrum and pivot as much as you like, but this style eliminates the free tick-tock of the butt end, something mentioned (albeit in more formal language) by the ruling bodies as essential to a proper putting stroke.

Bang. ????

Matt Kuchar is coming up CLUTCH.

3-shot lead.
2 holes left.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/tMhhsxitcz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2019

4. What a back ten he played!

How good was Kuchar down the stretch? After making with 3 bogies in his first 5 holes, the Georgian righted the ship with three pars. Beginning at the 9th, he played his final ten holes in 6 strokes below par, creating the 4-stroke victory margin he would celebrate at day’s end. No other golfer in contention had that type of control nor confidence. When Kuchar is on point in regular tour events, he is as likely to win as not. Now, if he could make the leap to professional major championships, he might go down in history!

Want to watch some clutch golf?

Matt Kuchar's highlights from Sunday's @SonyOpenHawaii win. pic.twitter.com/wum1UHHxF8

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2019

5. Andrew Putnam is a candidate for some sort of breakthrough

Putnam won his first tour event in the fall, at the Barracuda Championship at Montreaux. The Pepperdine golfer honed his game on the Web tour, winning twice. A calm demeanor, thorough game and electric putting are three reasons to think that this week’s runner-up might be ready to win again, and challenge in events of greater stature.

Not so fast. Co-leaders.@AndrewPutnam1 is on fire with the flatstick. ???? pic.twitter.com/mse3wXlQHB

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2019

News

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

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

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.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT) – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

News

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.