News
U.S. Open Third Round Recap
Aaron Baddeley has a two shot lead over Tiger Woods after the third round of the US Open. Baddeley birdied the final hole to shoot even par 70 on a day when only two golfers broke par. One of those was Steve Stricker, who holed a 74 yard shot for a birdie and shot 68, the other was Mr. Woods with a one under par 69. Woods also hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. There are a dozen golfers within 5 shots of the lead, including David Toms and Jim Furyk along with second round leader Angel Cabrera who stumbled to a 75. Tomorrow should be some kind of fun; at least for spectators.
Aaron Baddeley went home Saturday to sleep on the lead at the 2007 U.S.Open. Sleep well Aaron, you’ll be playing with Tiger Woods in the final group on Sunday. He’s only 2 shots behind you on a course that has punched a large number of the worlds best players silly all week. And right behind him are eight others including Jim Furyk and David Toms.
Baddeley finished with a birdie for an even par round on a day when Oakmont surrendered on two sub par rounds, despite somewhat softer greens. Steve Stricker holed out from 74 yards for a birdie on the 18th hole, shooting a 68 and moving himself into contention at 6 over par. Woods had the other sub par round hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation while carding a 69.
Second round leader Angel Cabrera gradually gave shots back until he chopped up the final two holes with bogeys to finish tied with Furyk and Stricker four shots back. Paul Casey followed his brilliant 66 with a 72 and is three shots back with Steven Ames (73), Justin Rose (73), and Bubba Watson (75).
Woods was masterful tee to green, but his putting was not as stellar. His playing partner Nick Dougherty, said "If he’d putted like I did, he’d have shot 6 under. Tee to green, he’s just awesome. It’s going to take something pretty special to beat him tomorrow. If he plays like that tomorrow, nobody’s going to beat him." Talking about his own putting Woods said "I had a lot of good putts that grazed the edge. I’d be miffed if I hit bad putts, but I hit good ones, so it’s just the way it goes. Obviously it could have been really low, but on these greens, if you look at it, I probably only had two or three putts I could have made." So if he makes three of those he shoots 66 and has the lead by one stroke.
So tomorrow Baddeley goes out with Woods and there are a dozen players within 5 shots of the lead on a golf course that plays really difficult even when the USGA trys to make it easier. "This golf course doesn’t lend itself to too many birdies," Stephen Ames said. "So the guy who makes the least mistakes will be the guy to win." The only thing Mr. Ames forgot to add is the part about it being the final round of the US Open during which one needs to minimize errors. If I were Mr. Baddeley, I’d probably see orange and black stripes in my dreams. Provided I could sleep.
Tomorrow shapes up to be a spectators dream with so many players in position to win the tournament. I for one will be watching.
| Pos | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | Tot |
| 1 | Aaron Baddeley | 72 | 70 | 70 | +2 |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | 71 | 74 | 69 | +3 |
| T3 | Paul Casey | 77 | 66 | 72 | +5 |
| T3 | Stephen Ames | 73 | 69 | 73 | +5 |
| T3 | Justin Rose | 71 | 71 | 73 | +5 |
| T3 | Bubba Watson | 70 | 71 | 74 | +5 |
| T7 | Steve Stricker | 75 | 73 | 68 | +6 |
| T7 | Jim Furyk | 71 | 75 | 70 | +6 |
| T7 | Angel Cabrera | 69 | 71 | 76 | +6 |
News
Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss
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!”
News
Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss
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.”
News
GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
- GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
-
Equipment6 days agoMemorial Tournament Tour Report: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young switch up drivers, and more
-
News2 weeks agoRussell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
-
Equipment3 days agoBest irons 2026: Best irons overall, most forgiving irons, and more
-
Whats in the Bag4 days agoJ.T. Poston’s winning WITB: 2026 Memorial Tournament
-
Equipment1 week agoDetails on Jason Day’s latest prototype Avoda iron setup
-
Equipment3 weeks agoCJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
-
News2 weeks agoCharles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
-
Equipment2 weeks agoDetails on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
