News

Five Things We Learned: Saturday at The Open Championship

Published

3 years ago

Jul 22, 2023

Day three of the 151st Open Championship is etched in time. The rains came and the rains went. The course softened a bit, and the course dried out a bit more. Royal Liverpool gave and took on this day, and a remarkable segment of the tournament field positioned itself for a run at history on Sunday, July 23rd. As things currently stand, nine golfers are within eight shots of the leader. A nine-shot comeback is where we draw the line at miracles. Day four at the home of the Fab Four will be, well, fabulous. Before we watch another sunrise, let’s recap day three with Five Things We Learned.

Perfectly judged.

As the rain starts to fall, Shubhankar Sharma makes a move with an eagle. pic.twitter.com/ILDY3yXMkA

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

1. Jon Rahm

Eight birdies. Ten pars. From plus two to minus six in the blink of an eye. Well, if it takes 4.5 hours to blink, I guess. The current Masters champion blistered Hoylake in Game 15 of the third day of competition. A four at the par-five fifth ignited the fire in his belly, and consecutive birdies from nine through twelve added more leña to the fogata. Needing more juice, Rahm closed with another trio of birdies from 15 to 18. Only his 22-feet effort at the penultimate Little Eye stayed above ground. Rahm is the voice of a new generation, and his game will only improve after this week in Liverpool. He’ll play with Viktor Hovland in the penultimate game; could there be a more exciting duo?

History for Jon Rahm.

A Hoylake record 63 on moving day. pic.twitter.com/2BAvxiarFl

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

2. Those Fitzpatricks

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick will forever be joined in the memory of golfers who watched the elder brother win the 2013 US Amateur at Brookline. The younger was his looper, and at the age of 14 years, summoned memories of Eddie Lowry on the bag of Francis Ouimet. We will add a second memory to that initial one, thanks to the play of both at Hoylake. Matt was exempt, thanks to his 2022 US Open championship victory. Alex qualified in, and came to Royal Liverpool for another rung of learning on the ladder of professional golf.

Things changed for both when each made the cut on Friday afternoon. Their perspectives evolved more when Alex posted 65, and Matt 67, on Saturday. Those performances brought them to T7 and T11, respectively, in advance of Sunday’s final round. Each had a back-nine bogey on the card, and each closed with birdies at 15, 17 and 18.

Alex Fitzpatrick is having some Open debut.

A 65 puts him in a great position for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/GFwJRaBvyK

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

3. The gainers of experience

A number of the game’s top golfers played very good golf this week, but not remarkable enough to be in contention on Sunday. No matter what they’ve won prior, each ascent along the arc of greatness requires learning. Xander Schauffele has an Olympic gold medal. Scottie Scheffler has a Masters green jacket. Rickie Fowler has multiple tour wins, and Jordan Spieth aches to return to the echelon he occupied during the mid-201os.

Tom Kim is everyone’s buddy, but wins are what he needs. Nicolai Højgaard and his twin brother Rasmus are eager to earn Ryder Cup consideration. Min Woo Lee will have to wait until April to take a run at a major, but there’s no question that he’s capable. In the end, the love they take is equal to the love they make.

"A proper apology" from Xander Schauffele in the form of a signed glove. pic.twitter.com/UEkeKNOXc4

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

4. The final game

Game 38 will feature Brian Harman and Cameron Young. Harman was able to steady himself after two bogeys through Saturday’s first four holes. Birdies at five and nine, followed by another pair at 12 and 13, brought him a third round in the 60s, and preserved his five-shot advantage. His third-round companion, Tommy Fleetwood, played round the course in even par figures, and sits seven shots behind the leader, tied in a quintet of golfers at minus-five. Harman played the sort of golf that places him firmly as the favorite to claim the Champion Golfer of the Year moniker.

Joining him in the final game is last year’s runner-up, Cameron Young. In 2022, Young came from way back to scare the mullet out of eventual champion Cameron Smith. This year, Young will have the pairing he desires, and will have a chance to break through at a major after coming close twice in 2022. If Young puts pressure on early, he stands the greatest chance of spooking Harman and breaking through. Young played an exquisite round on day three, overwhelming a solitary bogey with six birdies.

Brian Harman is holding firm at the top.

This fantastic approach to the 9th helped.

He retains a four shot advantage. pic.twitter.com/yAnFtwKoHp

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

5. The Prediction

Only one gentleman will hoist the Claret Jug on Sunday evening, and we know that you are dying to know his name. The first revelation is that it will end in a playoff. Two golfers will match scores and be compelled to dance in overtime over the 1st, 17th, and 18th holes. The format requires four extra holes, so how the R and A will pull this off, will also conjure intrigue. The second revelation is that both golfers will be tied, headed to the final hole. One will make birdie in overtime, but the other will ensnare an eagle in the most dramatic of fashions: a holed bunker shot.

The runner-up? Jason Day. He’ll have another day, somewhere around 64, to leap over a multitude and score a reservation at the after party. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to add a second major title to his 2015 PGA Championship

The winner? Jon Rahm will claim his second major title of 2023. He will be amazed to see Straka chase him down, but he will prove himself to be the great champion of 2023, with two major titles.

Please remember that this writer is the worst prognosticator since Yesstrodamus, so please do not lay any bets, based on these predictions.

Just three back. @JDayGolf makes his move. pic.twitter.com/N8DXnXVbbH

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 22, 2023

News

Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

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.”

News

Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

3 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Will Schube

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.”

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.