It’s an odd summer’s week when no tour disputes a major championship. After a run of Opens and PGAs, with the odd Players and Tradition thrown in, the world’s professionals breathe the sighs of meditation, before heading to Europe for more Opens and Evians. July and August will heighten the golf world’s senses once again, as an Olympic contest may finally play out. It’s a lot to handle, so let us be grateful for the Rocket Mortgages, the Volunteers of America, and the small towns like Endicott, NY. It is these events that often reveal someone with the guts and grit to go it alone, for the entirety of the competition, and sear a victory into the eternal record. With that image, we move to this week’s Tour Rundown of four compelling events, from Holland to Ireland to Texas, and from the Motor City to the birthplace of B.C.

1. Rocket Mortgage Classic goes to Mr. Davis

Joaquín Niemann and Hank Lebioda knew what they had to do as they stepped to the 13th tee. Bubba Watson had set a bar at 16-deep with his eight-under 64 on Sunday. Four groups later, Alex Noren lowered it to 17-under with a 64 of his own. How low would the bar go? Strap in and find out.

A week after that super-long, eight-hole playoff in Hartford, Detroit did its best to replicate the affair. The aforementioned Lebioda and Niemann reached -17 and -18. Trouble was, Niemann had to do so to avoid an outright loss. A few groups before, Australia’s Cam Davis had made eagle at 17 and birdie at 18, to jump from 15 deep to the top spot. He was joined by Troy Merritt, who mad birdie at 16 and 17 to reach the low number. And thus did a Chilean, an Aussie, and an Iowan head to extra holes on America’s holiday.

Niemann became a quick afterthought, bowing out with bogey at the first extra try. Merritt and Davis matched pars at 15 and 16, as well as birdies at 17, before returning to the 15th for the third time that day. On this visit, Davis had twelve feet for deuce, but missed right. Merritt stepped up with a par putt half that distance … and also missed. And like that, Cameron Davis was a winner on the PGA Tour.

It took 71 TOUR events and 77 holes this week, but …@CamDavisGolf is a PGA TOUR winner. ??

(Presented by @SuperStrokeGolf) pic.twitter.com/ylxi3vlIZU

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 5, 2021

2. Dubai Irish Open is Herbert’s second European Tour title

Plug the name Dubai into the tournament’s moniker and Lucas Herbert is most certain to show up in the end. Herbert’s breakthrough win on the Euro Tour, in January of 2020, happened at the eponymous Desert Classic. 18 months later, the Australian lad led from hole 1 to hole 72 at Mount Juliet in Kilkenny, claiming the Irish Open for his bookend win. Five bogeys and one double were the six blemishes on his cards this week. They were more than offset 26 birdies, including one each day at the par-five tenth hole.

Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg closed with a trio of 67s to vault from 4th to 2nd on day four. He finished second when the USA’s Johannes Veerman stumbled down the stretch. Veerman was hard at work on a three-under round and had closed to within one of the leader when they reached the 16th tee. The relative inexperience of the American showed when he closed with bogey on two of his final three holes. Herbert made birdie at 17, creating his final margin of victory, of three shots over Karlberg. Veerman came solo third at minus-15, one ahead of a quintet of chasers.

Fans walking up the 18th fairway. Great to see it again!#DDFIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/3MlWQofmmP

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 4, 2021

3. Volunteers of America on LPGA Tour goes to Ko

In an odd manner, it seems appropriate that Jin Young Ko was able to close the deal at the VOA in Texas. The Korean champion had opened the week with 63, and leading from start to finish is as difficult a task as there is in golf. Matilda Castren had other ideas, and seized the top spot on Friday night by one shot, after dual 66s. Ko found herself one back of the newly-minted LPGA winner from Finland. On day three, they swapped spots again, with Ko’s 66 taking the lead back from Castren’s 68. On Sunday, the pair found themselves together in a run to the podium.

Jin Young jumped ahead early, far ahead, with birdie at three of the first four holes. In quick fashion, the lead was four after four … then back to three after five, when Ko stumbled with bogey … then two after six, when Castren made birdie … then one after eight, when Castren notched another tweet. Dramatic stuff, huh?

On the back nine, things cooled down. Ko went birdie-bogey to start, then made par all the way home. Castren made five successive pars, then dropped a shot at 15. She gained one at 17, setting the stage for the exciting 18th … where both made par. Ko’s win was her eighth on tour, and first since the tour championship last December.

Jin Young Ko put together four solid rounds at the @VOAClassic.

Watch her final round highlights ?? pic.twitter.com/MaCrAqFbBO

— LPGA (@LPGA) July 5, 2021

4. Big Green Egg Open in Holland trophy heads down under

Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou and Sanna Nuutinen of Finland decided to make the BGE a party of two for the weekend. The pair matched 65s on Saturday, leaving little doubt that one of them would hoist the winner’s big green egg trophy on Sunday. Kyriacou struck first, turning in 33 against Nuutinen’s 35, for a two-shot advantage as they moved to the home stretch. On the inward half, Nuutinen answered with birdies at 13-15 to gain a one-shot advantage. On 16, the young Aussie said Not so fast with a splendid birdie of her own. At the penultimate hole, Kyriacou backed up her deuce at the par-three 16th with a 4 at the par-five. Nuutinen stumbled with bogey, and the islander carried a two-shot advantage to the final tee. Each made par at the last, and Kyriacou claimed her second LET win in two years.

Straight at the 9th flag ?@Stephkyriacou2 -16 ? #RaiseOurGame | #BigGreenEggOpen pic.twitter.com/uu8JUPkhwr

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) July 3, 2021

5. Dicks Sporting Goods Open to Beckman in surprise ending

When you’re paired with Ernie Els, who has a few major titles and a boatload of other wins, not to mention Champions Tour success, you need to keep your eyes on the ground and make birdie. Cameron Beckman met just that situation on Sunday in Endicott, and followed the script to the altar. Although few would have given him odds of any length to topple Els and everyone else, especially after going winless the past decade, Beckman defied all odds.

The Minnesota native, a three-time winner on the regular tour, reached three-under par on the day after birdies at one, three, and five. He gave two back with bogie at eight and nine, but lost no ground to Els, who also went out in minus one. On the inward half, Beckman caught fire and lightning in a bottle. He birdied hole 10 through 14 to absolutely stun the tall South African. Els played the same stretch in plus-two, and with a finger snap, Beckman had gone from three in arrears to four in hand. He needed all of them. Els breathed deeply and played the final four holes at En-Joie in one-under par. Beckman swam home in plus-two, including bogey at the last after a dunked drive. Didn’t matter; the Texas Lutheran alum had his first Champions Tour win, and much to make him smile.

RIDICULOUS! ?

5 birdies in a row and a @DicksOpenGolf 3 shot lead.

Cameron Beckman ate his Wheaties this morning. pic.twitter.com/yjq8C92WUo

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) July 4, 2021