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Tour Rundown: Scottie takes Scottsdale | 44 feet of perfection

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It cannot be easy to be an athlete this month. With great global conflict rising from the improbable to the possible, the ability to focus on the Ukraine border and on your competition must not be easy to harness. Lord knows it is nearly impossible for those of us with non-athletic jobs to do. Our thoughts and prayers are always with those who sacrifice to protect the lives of civilians across the globe.

With this being the weekend of that big game in that other sports league, the number of golf competitions was reduced to three on the major tours. The always-popular PGA Tour‘s Phoenix Open took place at TPC Scottsdale, while the Korn Ferry Tour touched down in Colombia, and the DP World Tour competed for a second-consecutive week at Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.

Despite the reduced number of events, each proved itself worth of our attention for a different reason. Have a great Tour Rundown!

PGA Tour: Phoenix Open pushes into extra holes and goes to the new kid

Turns out that the hole location on the 18th hole at TPC Scottsdale didn’t just break the internet; it broke the laws of physics. First came Schauffele and Cantlay; each one under-read the break of putts for birdie. Xander finished in a tie for third with Brooks Koepka and Sahith Theegala. Cantlay had a chance to reach 17-under in regulation, but he missed low as well. Along came Scottie Scheffler, whose approach settled five feet from glory. His putt stayed high and never broke, and away did he go with Cantlay. In extra holes, they would settle matters.

After matching pars on the first two extra turns around 18, Cantlay and Scheffler returned for a third go at the watery closer. Despite having zero tour victories to his credit, Scheffler sized up a 15-foot putt and drained it. Just like that, the Ryder Cupper was a tour winner.

DP World Tour: Khaimah Classic sees Fox spring to large win

Ryan Fox won the coolest professional event back in 2019. It was his first then-European Tour title, and it came at the Super Six in Perth, Australia. For those who don’t recall, the super six was a match-play event that anointed match winners after a mere six holes. It was lightning-fast competition, and ensured a high number of matches and a high number of winners. Fox hadn’t yet broken through in traditional medal play, but that changed this week at Al Hamra.

Ryan Fox burst from the practice field on Thursday with 63, assuming a two-shot advantage over Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia. Gouveia posted 13 strokes higher on Friday and missed the cut. Fox faired a bit better, with 69, and preserved his lead. Zander Lombard matched the 63 on day two, and jumped up into second. Day three saw the Kiwi, Fox, blister the course again, this time with 65. At that juncture, he held a six-shot advantage over a quartet of golfers. On Saturday evening, only one thing was certain: Ryan Fox would determine the winner of this event.

To demonstrate how challenging the event was, and how dominant a performance Fox turned in, none of the four chasers maintained position on Sunday. Pablo Larrazábal dropped to third, Adrian Meronk tumbled to sixth, and Adri Arnaus and Scott Jamieson stumbled to ninth. Fox turned to the back nine in par figures on the day, then closed with three-under on the inward half. He posted 266 on the week, good for a five-shot win over fast-closing Ross Fisher. Perhaps the most interesting stat of the week was this: Fox made eight bogeys over 72 holes. He followed seven of those with birdie. A quick recovery, as any medical person will tell you, gets you home fast.

Korn Ferry Tour: Astara Championship goes to Matthews’ remarkable finish

Imagine telling Ryan McCormick and Ben Griffin at tournament’s start that each would birdie the 72nd hole while in contention and settle for second. Each golfer reached the par-5 closer for birdie, and each tied at 18-under par. Along came Brandon Harkins, who decided that he could extract an eagle from those 570 Colombian yards and reach minus-19. Harkins had preceeded his glorious close with three birdies and a bogey, so the rare bird at the last should have come as no surprise.

Griffin was the solo leader after 54 holes, courtesy of a 10-birdie 61 on day two. His other three rounds were 68, and he needed one of them to be a 67. His run at eagle at the last lipped out, and he accepted a co-runner-up finish. McCormick had a 61 of his own, a day earlier than Griffin. McCormick also posted four rounds in the 60s, and like Griffin, needed one of them to be a stroke lower. How did Matthews do it? He kept it in the mid-60s, never higher than 67, nor lower than 65.

The KFT bids farewell to the south and returns to the continental USA next week at the LECOM along Florida’s west coast.

 

Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Mike

    Feb 14, 2022 at 11:41 am

    Please correct the KFT story; article references Brandon HARKINS instead of MATTHEWS. Confusing… Harkins did not even play in the event

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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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