Skratch Golf – News

10 of the Best Traditional Golf Shorts You Can Buy

Raymond Williams — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:47:53 +0000

New trends come and go. These classic golf shorts keep showing up for a reason.

For as much as golf loves to chase the next big thing, there's something comforting about a really good pair of traditional golf shorts. No oversized cargo pockets. No wild prints. No unnecessary features you'll forget about after one round. Just clean lines and quality fabrics.

There are plenty of exciting new silhouettes showing up across golf right now, but the classics have never really left. If you're looking for shorts you can wear for years instead of one season, these are some of the best options worth adding to your rotation.

Merion Golf Club Almost Went Down With the Titanic

Will Neary — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:05:40 +0000

Merion Golf Club hosts its seventh U.S. Amateur this week. But without one last-minute decision by its architect, one of America's greatest courses might never have existed.

As wild as it sounds, it's true. Merion Golf Club as we know it–ranked among the top courses in the country, host of five U.S. Opens and soon-to-be seven men’s U.S. Amateurs–almost fell victim to the cold waters of the North Atlantic when the RMS Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland.

Let’s flash back. It’s April, 1912, roughly five months before Merion’s East Course–its championship course–officially opened for play. Hugh Wilson, the New Jersey-born designer of the venue, is in the British Isles, looking for inspiration as he prepares to put the finishing touches on his masterpiece.

He’d arrived in March, and had visited some of golf’s most storied venues. St. Andrews, Prestwick, Portrush and Hoylake are all said to have been stops on his trek. The routing and design of Merion back in Pennsylvania was complete, but Wilson continued to look for any extra spark. Unconfirmed theories claim that in these wanderings came the idea for Merion’s signature wicker basket pins.

Image: Getty Images

According to accounts passed from his daughter, Wilson planned to get back to America in mid-April, his return ticket booked on the maiden voyage of a new, supposedly unsinkable vessel dubbed the RMS Titanic. For reasons historians still can't say with certainty, Wilson delayed his trip home by roughly a month.

What happened next, I probably don’t even need to write. In an unexpected tragedy, the Titanic–heralded as the “Ship of Dreams”–sank, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,500 passengers and crew. Wilson, safely on dry land, had narrowly avoided disaster.

With luck on his side, Wilson safely returned to Pennsylvania and to Merion to oversee the completion of the East Course, which would officially welcome players in September, 1912, and host its first men’s U.S. Amateur four years later.

The 126th U.S. Amateur–the seventh to be hosted by Merion–kicks off on Monday, on a course that might not exist as we know it had Hugh Wilson not decided to linger in the British Isles just a little longer.

The Lore Behind Merion’s Wicker Baskets

Will Neary — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:09:35 +0000

Ever since the 1916 U.S. Amateur, Merion Golf Club’s renowned wicker pin-toppers have been the cause of quite a stir. Their true origin and purpose is shrouded in mystery, but golf fans and historians alike have their theories.

Let’s flash back to 1912, just for a moment. A new golf course had just popped up in Philadelphia, designed by Hugh Wilson to adapt to the Haskell ball, which added distance to golf. There was much written about Merion in its early years, but one thing–maybe the first thing you think of when talking about the club today–was missing. There was no mention of wicker baskets, sitting at the top of the pins on every green.

It wasn’t until 1915, one year prior to Merion’s first U.S. Amateur, that superintendent William Flynn got patent approval for the wicker design that would come to be the course’s calling card. Even 110 years later, when the U.S. Amateur returns to Merion on Monday, the baskets will certainly be the talk of the tee box. But… why are they there? Well, we may not know for sure, but we do have theories.

The leading theory–at least the most widely told–revolves around shepherds’ crooks in the British Isles. In 1912, Hugh Wilson took a trip to the U.K. get inspiration from some of the area’s most renowned courses. It’s thought that in his time in the countryside, Wilson noticed local sheep herders walking amongst their flock with long crooks topped with wicker baskets.

The shepherds used these baskets to keep food and other personal items out of reach of their livestock and other animals, but many believe that Wilson was so charmed or inspired by this imagery that he brought the concept back to Pennsylvania.

Image: Getty Images

An even more detailed theory surrounding Wilson’s trip included a walk through London's Court of St. James with the American ambassador. According to this legend, the ambassador’s wife had adorned three small putting greens around the Court with shepherds’ crooks topped with flower baskets.

Either way, Wilson was far from the first to bring these wicker baskets (properly known as standards) onto the golf course. According to an article published by the DP World Tour, there’s record of similar wicker-topped pins across Scotland and broader Europe as early as the 1850s. There, the baskets were a more durable alternative, withstanding the constant battery of wind and rain.

Another theory, perhaps a bit simpler, also comes back to wind. With the U.S. Amateur coming to Merion in 1916, using wicker baskets in place of traditional flags may have just been an added defense for the course. After all, it was superintendent William Flynn, not Hugh Wilson, who received approval for the patent according to Merion’s club history.

Image: Getty Images

Flags give players a distinct visual for wind direction, an advantage that circular, tightly-woven wicker does not provide. With the U.S. Amateur–then the country’s most prestigious title–bringing the world’s best players to this new course in Pennsylvania, any extra difficulty would surely have been welcome.

Now, with Merion hosting its seventh men’s U.S. Amateur championship, we still can’t say with certainty where the idea began. Perhaps it was merely inspired by 19th century courses like Prestwick in the United Kingdom, or simply an added obstacle for players to account for. However they came to be, they’ve grown to be Merion’s calling card, and will surely be at the center of discussion when the amateurs return to Pennsylvania on Monday.

Barath's Bargain Bin: How To Build A Basic $500 Set Of Clubs

Ryan Barath — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:16:35 +0000

With new prices making full sets easily pass the $3,000 mark, we're here to show you how to build a great set of clubs for less than the price of a new driver.

From the outside looking in, golf appears to be a pretty expensive sport to get started in. Of course, it's not yachting, horse racing, or motorsports, but compared to something like basketball, tennis, or softball, it can certainly feel cost-prohibitive when it comes to buying gear.

But the truth is, it doesn't have to be.

Just like shopping for a used car, buying used golf clubs can be a bargain hunt. And honestly, what's better than finding a set of irons that originally retailed for more than $1,000 for just a couple hundred bucks?

With so many golfers upgrading their equipment every year, the used market has never been better. That's great news whether you're just getting into the game or looking to build a solid backup set without breaking the bank.

So to help you or someone you know put together a great set of clubs for less than the price of a brand-new modern driver, here is my guide to building a basic $500 set of used clubs that you can be proud of.

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The Driver

When it comes to buying a used driver, you want to try to find something under $75, and the best way to do that is to look for drivers from the early 2000s. This includes models like the Ping G2, TaylorMade R500 series (580XD is a perfect example), or the Cleveland Launcher 460 (or 460 Ti).

All of these models forgo adjustability in favor of pure 460cc forgiveness, and considering it's also easy to find loft options based on these models' popularity, it's the perfect way to start building your set.

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Fairway Woods & Hybrids

Similar to the driver, finding models from the same early 2000s era is going to offer the best combination of value and forgiveness. The best place to start is with the matching fairway wood models from the aforementioned driver series, which in most cases can be had for less than $50 a piece.

Other options beyond Ping, TaylorMade, and Cleveland is: Adams!

During the early 2000s, Adams Golf was absolutely crushing it in the fairway wood market with options to fit a variety of golfers. You can even find some of their titanium fairway models (BUL is an example) for less than $50, making them an absolute steal.

Irons

When it comes to irons, the world is your oyster; it just comes down to what you need from a playability perspective.

On the other side of the spectrum, if you're looking for less forgiving, more player-focused options, the above brands all have something that can work very well. Examples include: Cleveland TA3, Callaway X-Forged, TaylorMade TP (Tour Preferred), or Nike Pro-Combo Series irons. A couple more great choices would be to find a set of early-model Mizuno MP irons, Titleist forged CB irons or AP2 (710), all of which still fit nicely into the $500 budget.

Wedges & Putter

Now to the short game section of the show.

If you're already in for between $350 to $400 for the top end of your bag, it's important to remember that you can still do a lot with $100 to find a nice wedge or two and a putter.

As far as wedges are concerned, if you already have a pitching wedge from the iron set, bonus points if you can consolidate costs and find an iron set with a matching gap wedge; I would focus on simply finding a lightly used 54-56° sand wedge.

Similar to irons, there are almost endless options from all the major brands when it comes to finding used wedges; you just want to make sure you get something that has a lot of groove life left in it. Below is a good example of something used but still offering a lot of groove life.

As for putters, take your pick.

From Ping to Odyssey, you can find all sorts of blade and mallet shapes for around $50, and if I had to pick two options to really keep an eye on, it would be a Ping Craz-E or an Odyssey 2-Ball. Both models offer all kinds of forgiveness and alignment options.

And if you have a little bit of money left over, some new grips can go a long way!

Brian Rolapp Isn't Coming to LIV Golf's Rescue: "There’s No Merger, No Conversations"

Riley Hamel — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:24:24 +0000

While LIV Golf scrambles for funding—or loans, as its been reported—PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp says he isn't coming to the rescue with a merger.

PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp isn’t even considering a merger or deal with LIV Golf as it claws for survival—another great decision from the former NFL executive as he steers the world of professional golf into the future.

During a sit down with Bloomberg News, Rolapp said, “There’s no merger, no conversations, we’ve been really concentrated on the PGA Tour.”

As I’m sure you remember, the TOUR, LIV, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced an agreement to unify the game in June 2023, but nothing ever came from it.

Now, Rolapp and the TOUR is focused on its reshaping, a move the league’s CEO formally announced at the Travelers Championship a few months ago. Starting in 2028, there will be two levels of the TOUR: the Championship Series and Challenger Series. The former is reserved for the best players in the world and the biggest events, while the latter will serve as a feeder league for up-and-coming stars and veterans hoping to get back to the show.

Talking specifically about 17-year-old Miles Russell, Rolapp told Bloomberg TV, “We’ve been mainly focused on where we’re going and improving our product…We’ve opened up the meritocracy of golf. If (Russell)’s that good, we’ve worked out a system where he will work his way up.”

Prioritizing young phenoms is undoubtedly the right call from Rolapp and the TOUR as we’ve seen in recent weeks. Twenty-one-year-old Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open in just his third professional start, 24-year-old Michael Thorbjornsen won the Rocket Classic last Sunday, and 23-year-old Ben James holds the lead at the Wyndham Championship.

If you needed another reminder that the future is now, there it is.

But giving LIV the Grinch treatment might be Rolapp’s smartest decision yet. Following the PIF pulling its funding, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil announced earlier this week that the league had found funding from another source. We won’t know how much it’s for until September, but a separate report from Bloomberg alluded to the fact that the funding may just be a loan.

On top of that, Monday Q Info reported that LIV could still owe players upward of $250 million, with $150 million being owed to Jon Rahm alone.

And maybe most concerning of all—for Rolapp and LIV, anyway—is Bryson DeChambeau is due a new contract and will hold all the cards when the two sides reach the negotiating table. Will this funding (or loan) be enough to cover all those expenses?

Regardless, with an exciting new setup on the horizon and little need for more than a few LIV members, Rolapp is smart for letting them fend for themselves.

Charley Hull Lights Up London With a Course Record

Addie Parker — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:11:21 +0000

The World No. 6 shoots an 11-under par 62 during the second round of the PIF London Championship.

Charley Hull is making headlines once again, but this time, it's for something that happened with a golf club in her hand.

We're just a few days removed from the AIG Women's Open, and Hull has decided she'd prefer us to marvel at the golf and not her pranks. The innocent "bit of banter" between the World No. 6 and her caddie Adam sent Golf Twitter into a tizzy last week, but the pair are better than ever—and Friday's round at the PIF London Championship was pretty good evidence of that.

Hull fired a course-record 62 at the Centurion Club to rocket up the leaderboard and remind everyone that, when she's on, very few players can match her combination of power, pace and pure Charley-ness.

Following an opening-round 74 in difficult windy conditions, Hull responded with a statement round Friday. She piled up nine birdies after an eagle on the first hole, taking advantage of improved conditions to set a new course record and tie the LET scoring record!

And while there's plenty of golf left to play in London, Hull already has another reason to feel good about her summer.

Her season-long Solheim Cup points haul has officially put her in position to secure her spot on Team Europe, and she'll head to Amsterdam to head up captain Anna Nordqvist's team as one of the more veteran players.

A course record in London, a Solheim Cup ticket punched and, presumably, a few more questionable jokes incoming...we can always count on Charley to deliver the fun.

Rachel Heck is Still One of The Best Amateurs in The World

Addie Parker — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:14:42 +0000

The former Stanford Cardinal is putting on a show in her home state at the 126th U.S. Women's Amateur.

There was something about Rachel Heck and her potential that always felt inevitable. As if she was destined to become the kind of golfer who would define a generation.

Before she was a standout at Stanford, she was a junior golf phenom taking on some of highest profile events the game had to offer. And without knowing too much about her, one look at her resume will show you that it reads more like a blueprint for a future professional star than anything else. From national championships and a decorated collegiate career to a level of consistency that separated her from her peers, Heck’s future in the game always seemed like a foregone conclusion.

Until she decided to write a different version of it.

In a time when many players with her pedigree would have immediately chased an LPGA dream, Heck chose to step away from the professional game and embrace a different path. One that fills her days as a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve Command and creating bespoke pieces of art. And it remains to be one of the most admirable parts of her story because she didn't walk away because she couldn’t compete, she stepped away to experience something different.

The game, however, has a funny way of reminding us what players are capable of. At the 126th U.S. Women’s Amateur, Heck is once again showing that when she tees it up against the best amateurs in the world, she still belongs among them.

Two years ago, Heck wrote an open letter announcing her decision to step away from competitive golf and not pursue professional golf career, but rather one in private equity instead.

Much of her collegiate journey had been disrupted by injury and inconsistencies, leaving the former Stanford star searching for the rhythm that had made her one of amateur golf's brightest talents. But since stepping away a bit, she's returned to the game on her own terms.

We've seen glimpses of that over the past two summers—from appearances at the Augusta National Women's Amateur to last year's U.S. Women's Amateur at Bandon Dunes—but this week marks her deepest run since deciding to forge a different path.

In her 13th USGA championship start, Heck has returned to her home state of Tennessee to compete on a layout that Tiger Woods once called the hardest test he's ever faced, and the 24-year-old looks a bit like her old self, rediscovering the competitive fire she admitted she'd missed over the past few years.

The U.S. Women's Amateur is one of the toughest tests in the game. The 156-player field is trimmed to just 64 after two rounds of stroke play before shifting into a single-elimination match play bracket. Heck comfortably survived the cut, finishing T-51, which set her up to play in one of the marquee round of 64 matchups against 2022 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion Anna Davis.

Davis grabbed a 1-up lead through four holes, but Heck quickly flipped the match on its head and never looked back, pulling away with the kind of steady, confident golf that once made her one of the most talked-about amateurs in the country.

"It was so fun to feel those emotions again, the adrenaline and the nerves. I haven't felt that in a long time, since Nationals probably my senior year, which was over two years ago now," Heck said after her match.

"You know, this is the feeling I really wanted when I decided I wanted to get back into amateur golf and play some more. Like I wanted the opportunity to come down the stretch in a match and have my heart racing. So out there when I was getting nervous or hit a bad shot I kept reminding myself this is why I came back to play."

She defeated Davis on the 18th hole of their match to advance to the round of 32. Catch up on all the details, from scoring to broadcast windows, here.

There’s a Simple Answer to “When Are You Good at Golf?”

Riley Hamel — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:57:53 +0000

A simple question has taken over Golf Twitter: when is someone considered good at golf? There's a simple answer.

I’m a self-deprecating 4.6 handicap. The overall status of my golf game doesn’t fluctuate round by round—it fluctuates with every chunked chip, sliced drive, and missed three-footer. I admit I’m a headcase…but isn’t every golfer?

That brings me to the question that has quite literally hijacked Golf Twitter for the last month or so: at what point do you consider someone good at golf?

After doing some research, I found that the USGA said just over 8% of male golfers own a handicap from 0.0-4.9, and 2% are skratch—I’m legally obligated to spell it like that—or better.

In my humble opinion, if you’re in the top 10% of a given field, you’re good—and that includes golf (I’m not just saying this because I fit the bill).

As a sub-5 handicap, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Two Saturdays ago, I shot a cool 86 at my home club. But a few days ago, I posted a 71 that included a bogey-free 33 on the back. Golf, man. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

But while considering possible requirements for a “good golfer”, I had a more abstract thought, as well: good golfers don’t make a lot of 6s—stay with me now *in my best Chad Ochocinco voice*.

To get this out of the way, good golfers don’t make triples on par 3s. Unless you’re playing in Florida where water is 50% of courses, 6s shouldn’t happen on the shorties. That brings me to the dreaded doubles on par 4s.

Now, doubles are going to happen—they just are. But to shoot good scores consistently, they can’t come in bunches.

Finally, good players don’t waste shots on par 5s. Those are rare scoring opportunities and chances to get back lost strokes. Even writing down a five hurts the soul a little bit.

A good goal the next time you tee it up: go as long as possible without making a six. You’ll be surprised how well that mindset can help you avoid big numbers that’ll put a hurting on your scorecard.

While this entire debate is 100% subjective, if Scottie Scheffler says a good golfer is one who breaks 80 on a regular basis, that feels like something we can all take to heart.

A. PUTNAM's Signature Aesthetic Gets a Performance Upgrade

Addie Parker — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:28:05 +0000

Why the brand known for its polished resort and clubhouse style is finally stepping into a more technical tone.

With its distinct scalloped hemlines, delicate piping details, and gold hardware finishes, A. PUTNAM has built a loyal following by creating golf apparel that feels equal parts polished, feminine, and rooted in timeless tradition.

The brand's aesthetic has always felt a little Jackie O. to me. It's a perfect concoction of country club chic and resort elegance, yet updated for the modern woman who might be squeezing in six holes (on the sim) before heading back to a full day of meetings in New York City. Founder Ali Putnam understands that balance better than most. As a mom of five boys, she built A. PUTNAM around the idea that women shouldn't have to choose between looking put together and keeping up with everything life demands.

But despite growing into one of the larger and more popularized women's golf brands around, A. PUTNAM has never really dabbled into the performance wear lane, because that's never really been their vibe—until now.

Debuting this month is their new Sport Edit capsule, marking the brand's first true step into performance wear. Bringing moisture-wicking fabrics, UPF protection and sport-ready functionality to the elevated aesthetic that made it popular in the first place. And the reason behind the expansion goes beyond simply making better golf clothes.

"As A. PUTNAM has grown, we have seen women take the brand far beyond the pro shop. They have worn it in golf media, shared it with friends, traveled in it, and come back asking for the same pieces with more performance built in," Putnam shared with Skratch.

I can attest first hand that my most-loved pieces from A. PUTNAM I have truly lived my life in, both on the course and off, but primary off because the pieces just lend themself to my personal style in that way.

The limited capsule features just five new products, which isn't far off from A. PUTNAM's usual small-batch approach, and honestly? It's the right move. For its foray into performance, a smaller, more curated collection of essentials feels less like dipping a toe in and more like a smart first swing. The Sport Edit delivers the pieces women know they need on the course—polos, quarter-zips, outer layers—while leaving room for the category to evolve.

A natural next step should include a trouser, and expand on the outerwear which is such a huge point of contention for women in golf. (Why is everything always so boxy?!)

The bigger idea behind the Sport Edit goes beyond simply adding technical wear to the lineup just for the sake of doing so. For too long, women's performance apparel has existed in a strange middle ground—often functional, but rarely ever thoughtful. Too many pieces feel like they were adapted from men's designs, stripped of personality or built around the assumption that women are willing to sacrifice style for comfort. A. PUTNAM's answer is to challenge that idea, creating pieces that perform without losing the polished, feminine aesthetic its customers already love.

Sport Edit was developed for that customer and that momentum. It gives women and our shop partners a reliable in-stock program, with technical function for real movement and the elevated, feminine details that have always been at the heart of A. PUTNAM.

What Ali and her team have built so far doesn't call for a reinvention—it's actually quite the opposite. The move into performance feels like an organic evolution, bringing the same attention to detail, polish and femininity that made A. PUTNAM what is is, into a category where those qualities have often been missing. Five years into its climb, this feels like exactly the kind of next step the brand should be taking.

If this is the beginning of A. PUTNAM's performance era, consider us excited to see where and how it grows.

Shop the 'Sports Edit'

Confirmed Championship Series Events for the PGA TOUR in 2028

Riley Hamel — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:11:26 +0000

The PGA TOUR's Championship Series lineup is slowly coming together. Here's everything we know so far.

At the Travelers Championship, PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp outlined what the circuit's plan is for 2028, and the main takeaway was this: the TOUR will feature two levels of tournaments.

The Championship Series will feature the best players in the world, the biggest tournaments in the world, all at iconic venues. AKA: The Show. The Challenger Series, on the other hand, is for rising stars and vets looking to get back to the TOUR's biggest stage.

In recent days, some of the tournaments that will be featured in the Championship Series have been announced.

To help you (and ourselves, if we're being honest) keep track of all the developments, we'll continue to update this file as more tournaments are announced.

One site to notably miss out on the upper-tier series is TPC Southwind in Memphis, which has hosted the FedEx St. Jude Championship–the first round of the playoffs–since 2022, but has been a TOUR stop since the 1980s. It's role in the 2028 schedule has yet to be confirmed, but it could potentially appear on the Challenger Series with a new sponsor, as FedEx's contract expires after 2027.

Note: The following are newly-announced additions to the Championship Series. The four major championships, THE PLAYERS, the playoff events, and that year's team event (Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup) were already confirmed to be part of the Championship Series.

Confirmed Championship Series Events in 2028

The Sentry at Torrey Pines

The Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands

Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Sompo (New Event, Course TBD)

Cadillac Championship

The Vortex Anarch Plus: The Rangefinder Built To Handle Anything

Ryan Barath — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:23:25 +0000

It takes a lot to make a standout rangefinder these days, and with so many features, the Vortex Anarch Plus builds a strong case for best in the business.

*In Partnership with Vortex Golf*

"Type 'golf rangefinder' into Google and you'll find everything from sub-$100 no-name models to premium options. The question is: what are you actually paying for?" That's where premium rangefinders begin to separate themselves.

A lot of rangefinders can tell you the distance, but is the display clear enough to work under all conditions? What about when it rains? And how easy is it to actually lock onto a target from farther away? The thing is, a rangefinder's performance is based on the sum of its parts, and when you put it all together, the Vortex Anarch + (Plus) has a whole lot to offer, including an unlimited, unconditional, lifetime warranty.

We may be newer to golf, but we’re not new to building products people believe in, and we’re certainly not new to putting customers first. When we knew we wanted to make the Anarch Golf Laser Rangefinder even better, we turned to the only people we knew we could trust: golfers. The result is the Anarch+, which takes everything you loved about the Anarch and adds everything golfers asked for.

- Joe Hamilton, Vortex CEO

What The Anarch + (Plus) Has To Offer

The Anarch + is built like a little tank—this thing is no toy. It's the exact build quality you'd expect from a company also prides itself in making high quality precision optics for all kinds of applications beyond golf. I mean, when you're trying to pinpoint a target at well over 1000 yards, spotting a flagstick at 270 yards seems pretty easy.

Like the previous generation Anarch, the Anarch + is built from a magnesium chassis to keep strength up while subtly reducing weight and comes packed with customizable features including image stabilization.

The New Pinspotter + (Plus) feature is even faster than before to help ensure you're properly locked onto the target and confirms with a unit vibration.

Speaking of locking on, it also comes equipped with dual cart magnets that allow it to stick to your cart quickly and easily with a super strong grip that is also rubberized for additional traction.

This is all on top of the premium lenses that provide crystal clear optics, and waterproof construction to handle anything Mother Nature can throw at it.

My Two Cents

As someone who has used their fair share of rangefinders, I can say the Anarch + stands out in the premium category for the combination of features it offers.

Despite the magnesium chassis, it still has a reassuring amount of heft—not because it's heavy, but because it's packed with features. It's equipped with ultra-strong magnets that are located on both sides of the case, something that I've never seen before on a rangefinder. The dual magnets might sound like a small thing, but after using them, you'll wonder why every rangefinder doesn't have them.

The other aspect of the unit is the full menu, which makes it easy to toggle features on and off if needed, including slope mode, auto-brightness, and image stabilization (although I don't know why you would ever turn it off in the first place).

On the subject of auto-brightness, what I love about it is how the display will switch from a black to a red display based on the lighting; sure, some rangefinders are either black or red, but with the Anarch +, you get both in the same unit, and it does all the adjusting on its own.

As Warren Buffett once said, "Price is what you pay, value is what you get," and with the Anarch +, you get a whole lot of value, in what could easily be considered the most feature-packed rangefinder on the market.

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Jordan Spieth’s First Shot at the Wyndham Championship…Out of Bounds

Riley Hamel — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 17:21:53 +0000

Well, there aren't many worse ways to start a golf tournament than what Jordan Spieth just did at the Wyndham Championship.

Well, I’m not sure Jordan Spieth’s Wyndham Championship could’ve started worse. On the par-4 407-yard opening hole, he pulled a long iron for safety. But it backfired. He lost it way right, took a hop off the cart path, and went out of bounds.

After finding the green with his fourth, Spieth two-putted for a double-bogey six.

Not the best of starts.

After missing the cut at The Open, Spieth pulled out of the 3M Open to give himself some time to get the game back together. Last week in Detroit, he tied for 31st at the Rocket Classic. But after that opening hole, he has some serious work to do to get back into the tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Sitting at 55th in the FedExCup Standings, he should make it into the FedEx St. Jude Championship regardless of his finish this week. But for the BMW Championship, only the top 50 make it in.

If Spieth wants to make a deep run into August, he has to figure it out. Fast.

LIV Golf has a New Investor, According to CEO Scott O’Neil

Riley Hamel — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:31:20 +0000

LIV Golf has found its life raft—we just don't know how big it is yet.

For the better part of 2026, LIV Golf’s future truly hung in the balance. Events were canceled, players started to flirt with the DP World Tour—it’s been a mess. But on Wednesday, league CEO Scott O’Neil revealed that they have signed a new investor to keep them afloat.

But that’s about all we know on that front.

“LIV Golf has an agreement in place with a lead investor, signed by the investor and approved by the Board, to anchor the transaction and play a key role in supporting the path forward for the League’s next era, driven by and for the players,” O’Neil said in a statement to GOLF.com. “We're also seeing strong interest from more than a dozen additional parties to potentially serve as minority investors, creating a multi-partner model built for long-term stability and growth.”

The investor, the amount of money being infused into the league are both still unknowns. However, O’Neil did add that players will be majority equity holders in LIV, and the plan for the schedule is for it to feature 10 events, five in the United States and five across the globe.

We’ll have to wait for September to get all the details, but for now, LIV lives—I’m interested to see if it’ll have enough money to renew Bryson DeChambeau’s contract or pay Jon Rahm the $150 million that’s reportedly owed to him.

Is This LIV Golf’s Move to Lock In Bryson DeChambeau?

Riley Hamel — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:26:52 +0000

If LIV wanted to keep Bryson DeChambeau onboard—he’s due a new contract—this feels like a good first step.

On Wednesday, prior to its event at Trump Bedminster in New York, LIV Golf’s CEO Scott O’Neil announced that the league had found an investor and is now planning for 2027 and beyond—a future long clouded after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund pulled its backing earlier this year.

On top of that, BC Partners is leading a group of investors that is considering lending money to LIV, according to Bloomberg Business. BCP has a stake in GSE Worldwide, an industry leader in sports marketing, management, and production. GSE happens to represent several LIV members, including Bryson DeChambeau.

Now, why is that interesting? Well, DeChambeau’s current contract is up at the end of LIV’s season, and he’s set to demand a Brinks truck. His relationship with GSE, plus its potential loan, could be a way for DeChambeau to stay put, instead of the long-rumored move of playing exclusively on YouTube.

Still, DeChambeau could ask for much more than LIV can afford—depending on the investment, of course, but we won’t know that figure until September. And his contract isn’t the only thing LIV has to worry about.

According to Monday Q Info, LIV members could still be owed upwards of $250 million, with the largest portion being owed to Jon Rahm ($150 million).

The investment announced by O’Neil has brought some clarity to the league’s future, but if LIV can’t hold onto the few players who bring any relevance at all to the circuit, could survival actually mean a slow death?

Locking up DeChambeau may prove to avoid the latter.

Bradley, Day Fight For Playoff Streaks at Wyndham Championship

Will Neary — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:47:58 +0000

Keegan Bradley and Jason Day arrive at the Wyndham Championship–the final event of the PGA TOUR regular season–with career-long streaks of making the FedExCup Playoffs at risk.

Say what you will about the current state of the FedExCup Playoffs, but one thing is for certain: the cut-line drama brings a little bit of extra spice to the Wyndham Championship. Especially for players like Keegan Bradley and Jason Day, both of whom have reached the playoffs in every season of their long careers, but currently sit on the wrong side of the bubble.

It’s been a rocky season for the two PGA TOUR veterans, both sporting major championship titles that came more than a decade ago. In 34 combined starts, they have just two top-10 finishes, and none since April. In 2026’s major championships, they’ve managed one top-20. Needless to say, it hasn’t been the kind of season we’ve come to expect from either player.

Even in a year to forget, though, Bradley and Day have given themselves a chance to make a late-season push. And they wouldn’t be the first to do it.

Entering the 2023 Wyndham Championship, Lucas Glover was running on pure hope, sitting in 112th in the FedExCup Standings. Two weeks later, following wins at the Wyndham and the FedEx St. Jude Championship (the first playoff event), he had vaulted to 4th. All of a sudden, he was behind only Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

Image: Getty Images

He couldn’t keep a perfect streak, but did manage to make his way to the 2023 TOUR Championship, finishing T18 (and making a boatload of money along the way).

Bradley and Day certainly wouldn’t mind a win, but they don’t need them to confirm a spot come playoffs. Bradley, sitting just two spots outside the bubble, needs a minimum finish of a two-way tie for 38th (per the PGA TOUR), while Day–another three spots back–needs at least a two-way tie for 12th. But all that depends on how other players on the bubble perform, so… maybe they should just try to just for for the W?

Bradley, who won the PGA Championship in his first season on TOUR (the only rookie major-winner in the last 20 years), has made the FedExCup Playoffs in each of his 15 years. Day, with a bit of a head start, has also never missed the playoffs, making the cut each of the past 18 years.

They won’t quite have to replicate Glover’s 2023 run, but they might need a little magic to find their way to the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis next week. But if I had one word to describe golf, it might be unpredictable. You never quite know what might happen.

The New Cleveland RTZ 2: A Modern Wedge with Classic Refinements

Ryan Barath — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:27:26 +0000

Built with feedback from the best players in the world and refined by the man who started it all, the RTZ 2 wedges lead Cleveland's next defining chapter.

Great products don't need to be reinvented, and in most cases, simple evolutionary changes go a long way in improving performance. It also reinforces how designers and engineers have confidence in their creations, which is something golfers want to have in their short game too.

This is why with Cleveland's new RTZ 2 wedges, they're not looking to transform their wedge lineup - they're simply finding all the ways to make it better. And, to help lead the way is the man who started it all, Roger Cleveland.

I've been fortunate to design wedges that have been trusted by generations of golfers, but the work is never finished. RTZ 2 Wedges reflect everything we've learned along the way, combining classic wedge design principles with modern performance to help golfers play their best scoring shots.

- Roger Cleveland - Founder & Advisor

What's New With RTZ 2

As the name not so subtlely acknowledges, the RTZ 2 is the next iteration of the RTZ line, and with it comes internal and external changes to boost performance through each model and loft, including an expanded grind package (more on that in a sec).

The biggest change inside RTZ 2 is the newest version of ZipCore, ZipCore iQ which configures the hosel core depending on the loft. With previous models the Zipcore had a standard configuration through the line, but by tweaking the mass properties based on loft engineers were able to produce wedges that offer even more consistent results in launch, spin, and dispersion.

RTZ 2 Grinds

As for those previously mentioned grinds, there are five to choose from, including Cleveland's core Full, Mid, and Low, The more bounce the better for softer conditions, and moving into less bounce for the mid and low options.

There is also the Adapt with includes full face grooves and a sole designed to be optimized for open faced shots, and the reintroduction of the famous 588 grind for golfers with a more moderate to shallow attack in to the ball, looking for versatility around the green without sacrificing full swing confidence.

There isn't a single wedge that works for every golfer. Players have different swings, play different conditions, and see different shots around the greens. RTZ 2 Wedges are built around that reality. By expanding our grind offerings and bringing back the 588, we're giving golfers more opportunities to find a wedge that fits how they play.

- Roger Cleveland

What Stays The Same

On top of the ZipCore iQ improvements the RTZ 2 wedges still feature many of Cleveland's proven wedges technology including:

HydraZip & Rotex Milling- Loft-specific face blasting and laser-milled lines to maximize spin in wet conditions plus roughened face texture to promote predictable spin and stopping power.

UltiZip Grooves - Loft Specific groove geometries throughout the line to produce more consistent launch and spin based on the most individual wedge needs.

RTZ 2 Custom Options

We can't forget about Cleveland's large custom program, which allows golfers to fully customize their wedges with stamping, ferrules, grips, shafts, and even etching.

Plus with the Tour Rack wedges, you can even get additional custom grinds options, including a new Roger Cleveland grind.

Price & Availability

The Cleveland RTZ 2 wedges will be available in Tour Satin, Black Satin, and Tour Rack Raw finishes with lofts ranging from 46° to 64°. The Tour & Black Satin wedges will be priced at $199.99, while the Tour Rack finish will be priced at $219.99.

Special Offer

To help celebrate the launch of the newest RTZ 2 wedges, Cleveland is offering complimentary personalization on RTZ 2 wedges from today's launch day (August 4) through to the RTZ 2 retail launch day on September 4th.

How to Watch, Tee Times for the 2026 Wyndham Championship

Riley Hamel — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:55:26 +0000

The PGA TOUR's regular-season finale has arrived. Here's how you can watch the Wyndham Championship, plus tee times for the first two rounds.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s almost time for the PGA TOUR’s 2026 regular season finale. The Wyndham Championship is once again the final stop for players to make a last-minute push for the postseason, because after Sunday, only the top 70 in the FedExCup Standings will earn an invitation to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The field at Sedgefield Country Club is loaded with the TOUR’s best, including Cameron Young, Jackson Koivun, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas, Tom Kim, Brooks Koepka, Keegan Bradley, and Jordan Spieth, among others.

The winner at Donald Ross’ Sedgefield CC will head home—or, more likely, to TPC Southwind—with 500 FedExCup points and $1.53 million of the $8.5 million purse.

Now, here’s all the information you need to watch the action from Greensboro, North Carolina, plus tee times for the first two rounds.

Tee Times for the Wyndham Championship

How to Watch the Wyndham Championship

Thursday & Friday

ESPN+: 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

Golf Channel: 3-6 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday

ESPN+: 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.

Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m.

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

You Asked, Callaway Delivered: The Apex MB Tour Raw Irons Are Here

Ryan Barath — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:15:25 +0000

After extensive testing on tour and requests by golfers, Callaway is ready to release the Apex MB Tour Raw irons for any golfer looking for pure precision & control.

Every once in a while, a product comes out that really gets the gear nerds going. In most cases, it's some sort of custom-designed putter or fairway wood for players on the PGA Tour. In rare cases, it's irons. The only thing is, unless you play on Tour or happen to really have the most inside of insider access, actually getting your hands on any of this stuff is basically impossible.

But Callaway is making the impossible possible with the limited release of the Apex MB Tour Raw irons, the same ones used by Min Woo Lee, Nicolai Hojgaard, Stefano Mazzoli, and even non-Callaway staffer Adam Scott.

Why Now?

With such an extensive consumer iron lineup, it's fair to wonder why Callaway would go to such lengths to redevelop their top-end tour blade, but when asked about releasing it to the public, Jacob Davidson, VP of Global Product Strategy had this to say.

"We have a saying in the building that great product always finds a way in people's bags. And I think that there really is no truer testament of that than these irons.

What we're really excited about this year is to roll out a limited-edition, first run of these irons to consumers. It's just something we wanted to do. We wanted consumers to have an opportunity to buy what our tour pros are playing. So, we're excited for the all-new Apex MB Raw Irons to be coming out in a limited fashion."

Apex MB Features

I'll break it to you quick: the Apex MB is as pure a blade as you're going to find so there isn't any internal tech you have to worry about. Instead, it all comes down to fit, finish, and feel.

Speaking of feel, the irons are one-piece forged to deliver the utmost in pure feedback and control, and come unchromed to expose the raw carbon steel they're forged from. This means that over time they will naturally patina, resulting in each set having a little life of it's own.

What truly stands out is Callaway Tour Tri-Sole design that features prominent leading and trailing edge relief to encourage the club to move quickly and precisely through the turf. This is especially helpful since the Apex MB comes with a slightly wider sole to help position the center of gravity, while the sole design help it play effectively thinner.

Price & Availability

The Apex MB Raw irons are now available for order today and are priced at $1600 for a full 7-piece set (no split sets available).

Golf Pride's New Grip Is All About Feel

Ryan Barath — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 22:43:26 +0000

The new CP combines soft materials with proven grip technology to help golfers stay connected to the club from the first tee to the last.

I've said it a hundred times: your grip is the only connection you have to the golf club, which is why finding the right one matters. The catch is that "right" means something different for every golfer.

Some golfers prioritize maximum traction in every condition. Others simply want a grip that feels comfortable enough to swing all day. If you fall into the second camp—but still want plenty of control—the new Golf Pride CP deserves a look.

For a lot of players, feeling good on the course is what matters more than birdies and bogeys. With the CP, we’re showing golfers how a grip can give them a feeling of comfort and confidence and allow them to enjoy a full round with a constant feeling of connection to the club in each and every swing.

- Jamie Ledford, President of Golf Pride

What The New CP Offers

Golf Pride's new CP is one of the softest in their lineup, meaning golfers get pure comfort and vibration reduction. Now, before you make assumptions and think vibration reduction is strictly for those with hand ailments like arthritis, one of the great benefits of vibration reduction is the ability to play and practice longer.

This makes the CP grip a perfect option for those new to the game but aren't quite used to holding onto a golf club and making a ton of swings. It's not different than making sure you have comfortable shoes before you start running.

As for true function, the CP grip features Plus4 technology for reduced taper and localized traction zones for glove and non-glove hands so you can feel the connection to your clubs better...and what golfer wouldn't want that?

Price & Availability

The Golf Pride CP is available in both standard and midsize at all major retailers and online stores in the US, and is priced at $11 per grip. Standard sizing is available globally starting today, with midsize soon to follow.

RELATED:An Ode To Ribbed Grips

A Beginner Viewer's Guide to the 126th U.S. Women's Amateur

Addie Parker — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:10:40 +0000

From the format and schedule to the biggest names in the field and how to watch, here's your guide to one of women's amateur golf's biggest weeks.

With the LPGA Tour taking a week-long break before returning stateside, allow the women's amateur game to be your center of focus this week.

Before players become the stars and major champions we know and admire, many of them first make their name at the U.S. Women's Amateur, and this year's 126th championship at The Honors Course in Tennessee is no exception.

Last year I got the opportunity to experience the championship IRL at Bandon Dunes and within moments, I quickly understood what makes this championship standout among the rest. It's one of the best displays of incredible golf as the 156-player field is stacked with nine of the top 20 players in the Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking, seven Curtis Cup competitors and golfers ranging in age from 14 to 64! Here's your fool-proof guide of everything you need to know to stay locked in.

The Course

Designed by Pete Dye, The Honors Course (Ooltewah, TN) has earned a reputation as one of amateur golf's premier championship venues. It was a course built specifically to celebrate and challenge amateur golfers, it has hosted everything from the U.S. Amateur and Curtis Cup to NCAA Championships, where Tiger Woods captured the 1996 individual title, and the U.S. Junior Amateur won by Min Woo Lee in 2016.

It will play just around 6,539 yards this week, but who are the types of golfers who can and will succeed on it?

Dye's designs are famous for forcing players to make decisions, asking them to choose between aggressive lines that create better angles into greens and safer routes that leave tougher approach shots—which usually rewards those who are elite and precise with their irons. On a course like The Honors Course, the smartest golfer often has just as much of an advantage as the longest one.

Format

While the week starts like a traditional stroke-play tournament, it quickly transforms into a gauntlet of competition. All 156 players will compete over 36 holes of stroke play, with only the low 64 earning a spot in the match play bracket. How you finish in stroke play (i.e your rank) will determine how you get bracketed.

From there, every match is win or go home, as the field is whittled down through five rounds of single-elimination match play before Sunday's 36-hole championship match crowns the winner.

Last year's champion Megha Ganne defeated defeated Brooke Biermann 4&3, in the 36-hole final at Bandon Dunes.

Players of Note

Aphrodite Deng

Since winning the 2025 U.S. Girls' Junior, the 16 year old has been on a steady climb to the spotlight. She recently announced her commitment to play at Stanford after having successful showings at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera (she finished T-17), and she also won the junior portion of the Mizuho Americas Open for the second year in a row.

Logan Whitton/USGA

Farah O'Keefe

Consider 2026 the year Farah O'Keefe arrived. The rising senior at Texas shined at the Chevron Championship earning low amateur honors. She then would go on to win the individual NCAA title in May. And then in June she began the poster player of the Curtis Cup, as the backbone to the winning USA squad.

Asterisk Talley

The top-ranked AJGA player has long felt like a professional, and she hasn't even graduated from high school. After coming to close to capturing the Augusta National Women's Amateur title, a win this week would be a perfect dose of karma.

Clairey Lin

Fresh off of her U.S. Girls' Junior win, the 16-year-old from Canada has also been on a bit of a run, and will follow her compatriot Deng to Stanford in 2028!

Logan Whitton/USGA

Rachel Heck

The formal Stanford Cardinal and Tennessee native was one of the most accomplished junior and amateur players in the world, and still decided to not turn pro. Now the 24-year-old resides in NYC where she serves as a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve Command. She also started her own business, Caddie Corner, where she paints and sells artwork!

Heck has said that she loves the life of being an am, and will continue to do her best to stay in these elite fields.

Rianne Malixi

The 19-year-old from the Philippines became just the second golfer ever to win both the U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Girls' Junior in the same season in 2024 before carrying that momentum to Duke, where she earned First-Team All-America honors and finished third at the NCAA Championship as a freshman.

Ina Kim-Schaad

The best-dressed golfer in the world will grace us with more of her magical fits this week!

She is one of four players over the age of 30 competing in the field.

How to Watch

Only match play will be broadcasted on Golf Channel beginning on Thursday.

Thursday, August 6

Round of 64: Golf Channel, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Friday, August 7

Round of 16: Golfchannel.com, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday, August 8

Quarterfinals: Golf Channel, 9 a.m.-Noon

Semifinals: Golf Channel, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, August 9

Championship Match (Afternoon 18): Golf Channel, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

You can follow live scoring here.

5 PGA TOUR Stars on the FedExCup Playoffs Bubble

Riley Hamel — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:31:07 +0000

72 holes remain of the PGA TOUR's regular season—how are we already here? With that in mind, five stars are on the FedExCup Playoffs Bubble and need good showings at the Wyndham Championship.

Welcome to the final event of the regular season, folks. Somehow, someway, we've already made it to the Wyndham Championship, and next week, 70 players will remain as the PGA TOUR heads to Memphis for the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

With 72 holes remaining before the cutdown, plenty of notable names are around the top-70 bubble, including the 21-year-old winner of the 3M Open.

But before we get into it, I wanted to cover some quick information about the Wyndham and playoffs as a whole. The winner at Sedgefield will earn 500 FedExCup points. After Memphis, the top 50 players will earn a spot in the BMW Championship, and from there, the top 30 players will head to Atlanta, where the winner will go home with $10 million.

Now, let's dive into five big names who are on the FedExCup Bubble.

5 PGA TOUR Stars on the FedExCup Playoffs Bubble

Tony Finau (No. 89)

Finau has never missed the playoffs as a professional, but that streak is now in serious jeopardy. He was in a decent position to earn some FedExCup points on Sunday at the Rocket Classic, but fired a final-round 77 that pushed him into a tie 71st and actually dropped him from 87th to 89th in the points standings.

As for the Wyndham, Finau will make just his second appearance at Sedgefield Country Club. A year ago, in his tournament debut, the World No. 134 tied for 44th.

He’s been a staple of the postseason for the last decade, but he’ll need a fantastic showing in North Carolina to earn a spot in the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Brooks Koepka (No. 86)

Koepka was originally in the field for last week’s Rocket Classic, but withdrew on Tuesday due to personal reasons. Needing a few good starts to earn a spot in the postseason, the last-second WD put a damper on his playoff hopes. Now, sitting at 86th in the standings, he’ll make just his second start at the Wyndham since 2016.

In the middle of the season, Koepka racked up six top-20 finishes in a nine-start stretch, but for the year, he also missed five cuts, finished outside the top 50 twice, and withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open. A true rollercoaster campaign for the five-time major champion.

If he squeaks into the postseason, he won’t collect anything from the FedExCup Bonus Program after utilizing the Return Members Program in January.

Jason Day (No. 75)

Day started the season on the right foot, tying for second at the American Express. But since, he’s finished inside the top 20 just twice: T-6 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and T-12 at the Masters. And over his last six starts, he’s finished 68th, T-65, and T-55, missed two cuts, and withdrew from the U.S. Open with a back injury.

It hasn’t been a season to look fondly on for Mr. Day.

But with a decent-to-good week at Sedgefield, he’ll earn a spot at the FedEx St. Jude. He just has to lock in and get it done.

Keegan Bradley (No. 72)

It’s been a weird season for Bradley. I was shocked to see he’s yet to grab a top-10 finish. But at the same time, he’s finished T-26 or better four times in his last six starts. So, he’s trending in the right direction, but he only has one more chance to get into the postseason.

Sitting at 72nd, he doesn’t need something overly special. A top 20 should give him a chance.

At last year’s Wyndham, Bradley missed the cut. But in 2024, he tied for 22nd. After what happened at Bethpage, I’m sure making the playoffs would mean a lot to the World No. 45.

Jackson Koivun (No. 70)

Put your hands together for Bubble Boy 2026 going into the final regular season event. To be honest, it’s bonkers to see Koivun in this position after making just four pro starts: MC at the John Deere Classic, T-10 at the ISCO Championship, win at the 3M Open, and T-31 at the Rocket Classic.

Now he heads to the Wyndham needing a solid week to earn a trip to Memphis—and I wouldn’t bet against him. As an amateur a year ago, he tied for fifth at Sedgefield. Not only do I think he’ll easily make the postseason, I think he could mess around and win again come Sunday.

The 10 Sunglasses We Love Right Now For Golf

Raymond Williams — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:00:48 +0000

From classic sport frames to AI-powered eyewear, these are the sunglasses reshaping how golf looks on and off the course.

A good pair of sunglasses is one of those purchases you don't think about until you own the right pair.

That's what this list is about. Some of these are purpose built for golf. Others weren't designed with golf in mind at all but have earned a spot in the rotation anyway. If you're looking for one pair that can pull double duty, or just another excuse to expand the sunglasses collection, these are the ones I'd be looking at right now.

This page was first published on May 22, 2026. Last updated August 3, 2026.

Every Winning Putter From The 2026 PGA TOUR Season (So Far)

Ryan Barath — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:45:25 +0000

Every winner and every putter used to win on the PGA TOUR in 2026, and how you can find them.

It's hard to stop a hot putter on the PGA TOUR, and so far in 2026, mallets continue to be a hot commodity with players across the board, especially in the winner's circle. Now, whether this trend continues for the rest of the season can't quite be predicted yet, but it will be something we will continue to monitor.

So with mallets on the mind, and the goal of once again following the trends as the golf season continues to roll on...let's dive into the winning putters on the PGA TOUR this season.

Featured Brands:Taylormade | Odyssey | Ping | Scotty Cameron |

Chris Gotterup - Sony Open: TaylorMade Spider

The TaylorMade Spider started off 2025 exactly how it finished the 2025 FedEx Cup - with a win. This time, it was Chris Gotterup instead of Tommy Fleetwood holding the trophy at the end.

Could this be another year of Spider dominance?

Scottie Scheffler - Amex: TaylorMade Spider

It's hard to stop the best player in the world when every part of their game is firing on all cylinders, and Scottie came to the Amex with one goal in mind: a win to start the season - mission accomplished.

Just like in 2025, Scottie's putter has remained unchanged from his L-Neck Spider, and I don't imagine it's going anywhere anytime soon.

Justin Rose - Farmers Insurance: Scotty Cameron T5 Phantom Proto

At Torrey Pines in sunny Southern California, Justin Rose beat a stacked field and marched to victory after shooting a first-round 62 on the Torrey Pines North course.

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

From there is was pretty smooth sailing on the South Course with rounds of 65, 68, and 70 on Sunday to beat Pierceson Coody, Si Woo Kim and Ryo Hisatsune by 7-shots.

Chris Gotterup - WM Phoenix Open: TaylorMade Spider

Although it took a playoff over Hideki Matsuyama, Chris Gotterup became the first two-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2026 at the WM Phoenix after draining a bomb on the first playoff hole.

With this win, the TaylorMade Spider sits at 3 wins in 4 events so far (with only one belonging to Scottie Scheffler). Maybe we could be seeing this Spider trend continue after all.

Jacob Bridgeman - Genesis Invitational: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

On a course that had soft yet fast greens, putting was challenge at Riviera during the Genesis Invitational, but Jacob Bridgeman had no issues while using his TaylorMade Spider Tour. He capitalized on his great approach play (he ranked first amongst the field at Riviera), and also ranked number 1 in putting to secure his first win on the PGA TOUR.

Nico Echavarria - Cognizant Classic: Odyssey TriHot 5K Seven

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

With clutch puttings down the stretch, Nico Echavarria secured the third win of his PGA Tour career at the Cognizant Classic. His putter of choice is an Odyssey TriHot Seven which featues additional mass placed towards the face for added forgiveness and face control.

Akshay Bhatia - Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard: Odyssey Jailbird 380 Broom

Although it took an extra hole against Daniel Berger, it was Akshay who came out on top at Bay Hill. It was an impressive performance that included gaining over 10 strokes on the greens against the field, which goes to show just how solid he was all week.

Cameron Young - The PLAYERS: Scotty Cameron: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

Considering that putting used to be a liability for Cameron Young, in the last two years he has completed changed the narative (and stats) to become one of the top putters on the PGA Tour. Sure he might have hit the longest recorded drive down the 18th hole on Sunday, but it was his putter that helped him secure his biggest victory.

Matt Fitzpatrick - The Valspar Championship: Personal Bettinardi Proto

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

On a tough golf course, it was a long putt on the final hole that helped Matt Fitzpatrick take home his first PGA Tour win since the 2023 RBC Herritage.

Gary Woodland - Texas Children's Houston Open: Scotty Cameron GoLo CS Proto

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

In what is (in my opinion) the best story of the year so far on the PGA Tour, Gary Woodland, blew away the field at the Texas Children's Houston Open to win for the first time since the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

This victory came just weeks after an emotional interview with Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard where he revealed his struggle with PTSD on and off the golf course.

Although most people associate Gary with being one of the longest drivers on tour, he was also one of the top putters in Houston; he gained over 8 strokes on the field and ranked first for the event.

JJ Spaun - Valero Texas Open: L.A.B. Golf DF3

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

Coming down the stretch, JJ Spaun was clutch with the putter, especially on 17th hole where he hit it inside 10" and drained the eagle to get the lead and never give it up.

Rory McIlroy - The Masters: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Image Credit: Ryan Barath

Rory used his Spider Tour to win his second Masters and join an elite club of players including Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

Matt Fitzpatrick - The RBC Heritage: Personal Bettinardi Proto

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

Matt used his personal Bettinardi Prototype to win for the second time on Tour in 2026 at Hilton Head in a playoff against the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. There must be something about the course because Matt also won this even back in 2023.

Matt & Alex Fitzpatrick - Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Personal Bettinardi Proto & Odyssey Ai-One #7S

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

Not to sound like a broken record, but Matt Fitzpatrick won once again on the PGA TOUR in New Orleans, but this time did it with his brother Alex by his side. The win made it three for the year for Matt and also granted Alex a PGA TOUR Card to 2028 and access to signature events for the rest of the 2026 season.

Cameron Young - Cadillac Championship: Scotty Cameron: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype

Photo Credit: GolfWRX

Another big event, another big win for Cameron Young..

When you finish third in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and first in Strokes Gained: Putting, you're going to be awfully tough to beat. That's exactly what Young was in Miami. He didn't just win—he dominated, finishing six shots clear of the world's No. 1 player.

Kristoffer Reitan - Truist Championship: Ping Ally Blue

After sneaking into the field through FedEx Cup rankings, it was Kristoffer who won at the beautiful Quail Hollow Golf Club with the help of his Ping Ally Blue Onset putter that he just put into play that week! How's that for a first event to use a new club?

Brandt Snedeker - ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic: TaylorMade Spider

Although he won with a nearly decade-old driver, Brandt went the other way with his putter and won with a new TaylorMade Spider, which he had started using just over a month ago. Goes to show that sometimes all you need is something to help on the greens.

Aaron Rai - PGA Championship: TaylorMade Spider Tour V

On greens that featured tricky sections with lots of slope, Aaron navigated them to perfection with his TaylorMade Spider Tour V. It marked the fifth win in six tries for a TaylorMade Spider Putter.

Wyndham Clark - CJ Cup Byron Nelson: Ping Ally Blue Onset

With the help of a hot driver and really hot putter, Wyndham Clark slayed the newly renovated greens at TPC Craig Ranch to get to 3-under par and lock in his first PGA Tour win since his win at the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm in 2024.

Russell Henley - Charles Schwab Challenge: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Proto

Russell Henley went berserk during the closing stretch of holes at Colonial Golf Club and birdied his final 3 to get into a playoff with Eric Cole, where he then made another birdie to win by draining a 5-footer.

This was Russell's 6th win on Tour and pushed him over the 50-million mark in career earnings.

JT Poston - The Memorial: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Torched

All it was a putter swap to kick-start JT Poston's summer at The Memorial where he gained nearly 7 shots on the greens for the week. What makes the win even more impressive was how he lost shots to the field off the tee but made them up everywhere else to earn the victory.

Bud Cauley - The RBC Canadian Open: Scotty Cameron GOLO Tour Prototype

(Photo: Golfwrx)

It probably took longer than he had ever imagined, but Bud Cauley became a PGA TOUR Winner at the RBC Canadian Open where he beat Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland coming down the stretch.

Wyndham Clark - U.S. Open: Ping Ally Blue Onset

After winning just a few weeks before, Wyndham Clark brought his hot play to Shinnecock where he went wire-to-wire for his second U.S. Open title.

Viktor Hovland - Travelers Championship: Ping PLD DS72

(Photo: Golfwrx)

It took an extra day and a playoff hole against Scottie Scheffler, but Viktor Hovland earned his 8th PGA TOUR win after draining a putt from right around 8-feet to secure Vik-tory at the Travelers.

Chris Gotterup - John Deere Classic: TaylorMade Spider

Chris Gotterup has certainly learned how to win on the PGA Tour in 2026, and at the John Deere Classic, he notched his third win of the season and 5th of his career.

Tom Kim - Genesis Scottish Open: Scotty Cameron

(Photo: GolfWRX.com)

Who said blades are dead?

With a deft touch on the link of The Renaissance Club, Tom Kim proved that blade putters can still win on the PGA TOUR in 2026, even if he is only the second player to do so with one with season. He did it was a custom Scotty Cameron Timeless Newport 2 which is a pretty as it is effective.

Ryan Fox - The Open Championship: Ping Anser 2D

It took literal seconds for Ryan Fox to pick his line and setup to make the winning putt at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and he did it with his trust Ping Anser 2D. This is the same putter he used when he won the Canadian Open in 2025, and I don't imagine it's going anywhere anytime soon.

Jackson Koivun - 3M Open: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype

It only took 3 professional starts for Jackson Koivun to win on the PGA TOUR, and he did it style with a full bag of Titleist gear including his Scotty Cameron putter. The Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R Tour Prototype has been a popular option on tour this year and was also used by Cameron Young to win The Players.

Michael Thorbjornsen - Rocket Classic: TaylorMade Spider Tour X

It might have been Michael's first win on the PGA TOUR, but it was certainly not the first win for the TaylorMade Spider Tour X. For the week, Michael gained close to 4 shots on the field in Detroit, which helped him beat charging Xander Schauffele by 2 shots.

*This page was first published on February 16, 2026. Last updated August 3, 2026.

Thorbjornsen Adds to PGA TOUR U Success with Rocket Classic Win

Will Neary — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 17:58:54 +0000

Michael Thorbjornsen has spent his year on the wrong side of the bubble, but a breakthrough win on Sunday at the Rocket Classic has him positioned well with FedExCup Playoffs looming.

It’s been a year of near misses for Michael Thorbjornsen. He missed out on the Masters by just four OWGR positions. The U.S. Open was a similar story. A late lead at the WM Phoenix Open slipped away. So did the PLAYERS Championship. But a bogey-free 63 on Sunday at the Rocket Classic–fueled by fellow PGA TOUR U graduate Jackson Koivun–was enough for his first professional win, getting him safely off the bubble for the FedExCup Playoffs.

At almost 25 years old, Thorbjornsen has been touted as one of the TOUR’s budding young talents ever since he earned his card through PGA TOUR U in 2024, quickly finishing T2 in his third professional event. For the Stanford graduate, it was always a question of when his first win would come, not if.

But winning has proven to be no easy task. In February, a Sunday eagle on the 15th hole at the WM Phoenix Open put Thorbjornsen alone at the top of the leaderboard, but two subsequent bogies sent him falling into a tie for third. Another chance came a month later at the PLAYERS Championship, but the Massachusetts native–in the final pairing with 2023 PGA TOUR U winner Ludvig Åberg–shot 77, finishing outside the top 20.

Thorbjornsen’s closing round at the Rocket Classic couldn’t have been more different. He hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation, and saved par the one time he missed. A back-nine 30 (-5) stamped with a 26-foot, snaking birdie putt on the final hole showed that he was ready for this moment. In an appearance on Monday's episode of Dan On Golf, Thorbjornsen ranked it as the best round of his career.

“I’ve been struggling on Sundays this year, so being able to do that and do it how I did, it’s probably number one,” Thorbjornsen said during the exclusive interview.

The success of PGA TOUR U graduates has been the talk of the golfing world as four graduates have tallied inaugural wins in just the past two weeks. Jackson Koivun, perhaps the most touted of the bunch, did so in just his third professional start, winning the 3M Open. It took Thorbjornsen just one week to match him, and that might not just be a coincidence.

“There is something about someone younger than you winning, and doing it before that’s like ‘Gosh, I need to catch up, I can’t be left behind here,’” Thorbjornsen said. “It wasn’t out of spite, not even close, but (Koivun’s win) was just even more motivation.”

If the success of other young stars wasn’t enough, Thorbjornsen was also fighting for a playoff berth. He entered the Rocket Classic sitting at 69th in the FedExCup Standings, occupying one of the final two playoff spots alongside Koivun, who was 70th. The win boosted Thorbjornsen all the way to 38th, 12 spots inside the cut line for the playoff’s second round, the BMW Championship. Thorbjornsen finally fought his way off the bubble.

Just hours after his win, Thorbjornsen withdrew from the season’s final pre-playoff event, the Wyndham Championship. Inaugural wins only come once, and with his FedExCup Standings position (and his spot at the 2027 PLAYERS, Masters and PGA Championship) officially secure, he’ll take the time to celebrate.

Six Months Into Jordan Golf, Tony Finau Has Me Sold

Raymond Williams — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:33:47 +0000

Good product matters. So does someone willing to wear it a little differently every week.

When Jordan Brand signed Tony Finau about six months ago, I was mostly curious what the product would actually look like over the course of a season.

I have to admit, I've been pleasantly surprised.

Jordan Golf has done a respectable job expanding beyond the basics. The collection feels more confident today than it did in years prior. But what I've appreciated just as much is Tony himself. It would've been incredibly easy to find two or three outfits that worked and just rotate them every week.

RELATED: Welcome Back, Jordan Golf

Instead, he's actually styled the collection.

Different layers. Different color stories. Different silhouettes.

That matters.

Good apparel only goes so far. It's the person wearing it that gives a collection personality, and Tony has quietly helped Jordan Golf establish one.

What's Staying With Me After a Week at the AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:09:30 +0000

From Shiho Kuwaki's place in championship history to the Solheim Cup implications and the unmistakable atmosphere of links golf, these are the moments and storylines I'll remember from the 50th AIG Women's Open.

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — The winner is always the headline, but after spending a week at the AIG Women's Open, I got to witness that the champion is rarely the only story that stays with you.

Nearly a day after the final putt dropped, I'm still mulling over the conversations I overheard walking between holes, visualizing the packed grandstands surrounding Royal Lytham's iconic closing stage with the clubhouse looking down at another victorious moment, and I can still smell the champagne celebration that took place on the 18th green.

Shiho Kuwaki's breakthrough victory deserves every bit of the spotlight. On the championship's 50th anniversary, she earned her place alongside some of the greatest names ever to win the Women's Open, adding another chapter to one of golf's richest legacies. But as I left England's northwest coast, what lingered wasn't the feeling that the major season had come to an end, it was the sense that there's still so much left on the line for 2026.

The week at Royal Lytham didn't just crown a new champion, it sharpened the Solheim Cup picture, reinforced the LPGA's incredible depth and proved to me why this championship feels unlike any other on the calendar.

These are the observations I can't shake after a week at the AIG Women's Open.

The Yellow Baller Has Entered the Chat

Let me start off by saying that I absolutely love this diva! I haven't seen someone wear Loudmouth since my junior golf days well over a decade ago, and then she takes it to another level with her fabulous long nails (painted two different colors, btw) and lashes that stretch to the sky.

The cherry on top came in the form of her winning presser, when she delivered this beauty of a quote about how she planned on celebrating, "I really love to drink alcohol and just drink and have fun, so I intend to drink a lot tonight."

Her drink of choice? A whisky sour.

This isn't a Cinderella story though, it's actually far from it. Before this week, Kuwaki was already one of Japan's most promising stars. The 23-year-old from Okayama began playing golf at age 4, turned professional in 2021 and quickly built a resume on the JLPGA Tour where she has collected multiple victories, including three wins in 2024 and two additional titles this season.

She arrived at Royal Lytham & St Annes with experience, just not of the major championship variety, especially compared to those who were the heavy favorites heading into the week. Kuwaki had made just one previous AIG Women's Open appearance last year, and three starts at this year's U.S. Women's Open, KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and the Amundi Evian Championship.

And her breakout win comes with some new found territory. With a major championship title on her already accomplished resume, she has secured a place among the game's elite and opened the door to a much larger global stage. She's locked up her place in the majors next season, along with her LPGA membership eligibility, which she has opted to defer her acceptance to 2027.

The LPGA Parity "Problem" is Back...(Sort of)

Last season showed us that quite literally anyone is capable of winning, and I think because we've seen such strong and dominant performances from Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu people have forgotten the sheer level of depth on this Tour. If there's one thing the LPGA continues to prove, it's that the list of players capable of winning keeps getting longer. The World No. 1 and No. 3 have understandably commanded much of the spotlight this season, but Royal Lytham was a timely reminder that the Tour's dispersion of talent has never been greater.

On paper, a leaderboard without many of the game's biggest names battling for the trophy can be easy to dismiss, but frankly what we just witnessed turned out to be one of the most compelling finishes of the season.

Shiho Kuwaki and Esther Henseleit traded blows down the stretch before Kuwaki prevailed in a playoff, while contenders shuffled seemingly every few holes as Sunday unfolded. The drama didn't come from one superstar chasing history—it came from the fact that so many players believed they had a chance to write their own.

Not to mention the strong display of the Tour's global reach as there were eight different countries represented in the top-10 alone.

The Solheim Cup Picture is Getting Clearer

The biggest subplot of the week was no doubt all the Solheim Cup implications. For Team Europe, this was the last push for a spot. The first eight automatic qualifiers were locked in once the final putt dropped, headlined by Charley Hull, Lottie Woad and Esther Henseleit.

Anna Nordqvist just delivered her captain's picks rounding out her team of 12.

The American picture still has a little more time to unfold. Team USA's automatic qualification window remains open through the end of August, at the conclusion of the CPKC Women's Open. But three players have already punched their tickets to the Netherlands: World No. 1 Nelly Korda, Angel Yin and Jennifer Kupcho.

With the remaining automatic spots and Angela Stanford's captain's picks still up for grabs, the race across the Atlantic is far from over.

Nobody embraces women's golf quite like the UK

Karen Stupples, the 2004 AIG Women's Open champion, told me before I decided upon Lytham that everything would be different. The golf sounds that I'm used to as an American would be squandered, and the echos and vibrations that only links golf provide will haunt me in the most beautiful way.

And she was right.

I've had the incredible pleasure of experiencing a lot of women's golf this year and the scenes that Sunday at AIG brought was unlike anything else. The chants, the cheers, even the most polite claps and reactions had a thunderous undertone—because the people show up.

Earlier this summer, I wanted to conduct a bit of a case study dissecting the fan engagement (i.e. the physical act of showing up) around the women's game. One of the most heavily attended LPGA events in the states is the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Though I didn't get to experience Grand Rapids in the flesh, the proof is in the pudding with what they have built at that event, and AIG seemed to very similar.

There were kids everywhere and they were offered so much more than the golf. There were games, face painting stations, simulator bays where they had teaching pros giving free lessons, ice cream trucks and carts with goodies lined parts of the course. It felt like a bit of a festival that also happened to be hosting one of the biggest events of the year.

The local community was proud to host, and some folks from across the UK made this their family trip for the summer! (To lovely family from Scotland that I met briefly, I think you all are the coolest for making this an annual thing.)

It was picture perfect hospitality at a world class venue, that delivered really entertaining golf. I don't think it gets much better than that.

This Feels Like a Turning Point for the Women's Open

Which leads me to my final point...the AIG Women's Open is becoming a banner event on the schedule alongside the U.S. Women's Open. Both are steeped in history, played at iconic venues and consistently ask the best players in the world to rise to the occasion. Outside of the Solheim Cup, there isn't another week on the calendar that carries quite the same weight.

What struck me most, though, was how often players talked about feeling genuinely cared for. Throughout the week, several shared that this is a championship where they feel spoiled in the best way—from transportation and recovery spaces to the countless behind-the-scenes details that allow them to focus solely on competing. Investing in the women's game extends well beyond the purse, the commitment must lie in the players, in the championship and in the product itself—exactly the kind of standard LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler has spoken about wanting to see more often across the Tour.

And perhaps that's why this championship really just delivered.

When players are given the resources to perform at their best, the golf follows. This year's finish had everything you'd want from a major: a breakthrough champion, a playoff, shifting momentum and a leaderboard that never stopped moving.

The AIG Women's Open may be the final major of the year, but it never feels like the end of the season. If anything, it feels like the event that sets the tone for everything that comes next.

2026 Solheim Cup: Meet the 12 Players Heading to Amsterdam for Team Europe

Addie Parker — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:05:36 +0000

Europe's lineup is set, the captain's picks are confirmed, and all eyes now turn to Amsterdam.

The countdown to the Netherlands officially begins now.

With the majors in the rearview, first-time Euro captain Anna Nordqvist wasted no time in finalizing her squad. Once the final putt dropped at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the first eight members of the team qualified based on the European Solheim rankings (Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit) and Rolex World Rankings (Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, and Nanna Koerstz Madsen).

Henseleit played herself onto the team with her performance at the AIG Women's Open, highlighted by an insane 45-footer that she absolutely drained. Not only did it seal her fate for the playoff, but also what got her in over Chiara Tamburlini, who had been in prime position to join the team via her LET points.

The points difference between the two is nearly devastating.

Earlier today, Nordqvist announced her four captain's picks in Leona Maguire, Julia Lopez Ramirez, Natasia Naduad, and Mimi Rhodes. Three of which are rookies...a strong decision from the veteran player who will partake in her 10th Solheim Cup in a month's time.

Dutch player Dewi Weber could not be selected as a captain's pick as she does not hold status on the Ladies European Tour.

This is a fairly young squad, with quite a bit of rookies, but I do like the balance that players like Charley Hull and Leona Maguire can and will bring. And as match play always proves, you can never, ever count anyone out.

Team USA's roster will be finalized after the Canadian Women's open later this month.

Europe's Roster:

Captain Anna Nordqvist; Vice Captains Caroline Hedwall, Mel Reid and Anne van Dam

Céline Boutier

Carlota Ciganda

Linn Grant

Esther Henseleit

Charley Hull

Nanna Koerstz Madsen

Julia Lopez Ramirez

Leona Maguire

Nastasia Nadaud

Mimi Rhodes

Maja Stark

Lottie Woad

The Major Trend That Isn't Slowing Down at the AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 21:44:42 +0000

There are a handful of contenders entering Sunday's final round looking to capture their first major championship title at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — There was a time when golf was defined by dynasties, and the biggest championships felt destined to end with the same names lifting the trophy. But lately, the LPGA Tour has entered an era of unprecedented depth, where every major seems to give birth to a new star.

I mean, where coming off a year that set the record for the amount of different winners in a single season in 2025. And there just seems to be this overwhelming feeling that players are reaching new heights of potential—a sentiment that is currently being held up at the AIG Women's Open.

The leaderboard heading into Sunday's final round is far more compelling than how it may look at first glance. Yealimi Noh takes a three-shot lead at Royal Lytham & St Annes, but five players remain within striking distance at 4-under par. Of the names inside the top-10, eight are chasing their first major championship—a leaderboard that perfectly reflects the current state of women's golf.

Noh is on the verge of the breakthrough many expected years ago, but just hasn't happened yet. She has long been considered one of America's most talented young players, after a standout junior career, but after years of flashes and steady progress, she's finally on the doorstep of the major breakthrough many expected all along.

She earned her first LPGA title just last year, and since then has struggled to find the same form that made her a winner. Up until this week, she hadn't broken par in a stroke play event since the third round of the Chevron Championship back in April.

"It only takes one round for your whole mindset and whole game to change," Noh said after her third round. "Yeah, I had a really rough couple months. Not even just missing cuts, but just not playing good golf or rounds. And Thursday I was just really happy to shoot under par and just really set me up for the week."

But those in the 4-under par cluster chasing the 25-year-old also have a chip on their shoulders.

Esther Henseleit has quietly put together the strongest major performance of her career, with her previous best finish has been T-7 at the 2024 Chevron and Evian Championships. Lucy Li is trying to turn a childhood filled with expectations into the defining victory of her professional career. Jeeno Thitikul owns nine LPGA titles and 11 major top-10 finishes but is still searching for the one trophy missing from her resume. Shiho Kuwaki isn't even an LPGA member, yet finds herself 18 holes away from one of the most improbable victories of the season that could change her career.

And then there's Haeran Ryu, the outlier in this group. While everyone else is chasing the first major of their lives, the Korean star is trying to make history with a third consecutive major championship in just three starts.

For a moment, Saturday's round looked like it was going to be another Ryu coronation. She reached 9-under and stretched her advantage before Royal Lytham reminded everyone how quickly links golf can change. A run of bogeys dropped her back into the pack, and yet even during her unraveling, she delivered a tutorial on course management that most could learn from.

The most notable moment was when she had a funky positioning in a green-side bunker that she decided to splash into the heart of it. She'd go on to make an up-and-down for bogey, but avoided an even worse score of a double or triple.

Even when her game, particularly her ball-striking, seems to be "failing her", being cerebral is her strong suit.

Even as Haeran Ryu attempts to make a run at history, nothing about Sunday feels inevitable, which has become a defining characteristic of today's version of the LPGA.

The story isn't that greatness has disappeared—it's that greatness has become harder to separate from the rest of the field. With so many players capable of winning on the sport's biggest stage, the AIG Women's Open isn't just crowning another champion, it could possibly be introducing women's golf's next star.

Haeran Ryu Leads After Two Rounds, Nelly Korda Lurks at AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:13:52 +0000

Haeran Ryu takes a one-shot lead into the weekend, Nelly Korda stays in the hunt, and several notable names fail to survive the cut at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Months ago, if you had told me we'd get two straight days of blue skies and sunshine at the AIG Women's Open, I would've laughed in your face, and yet here we are.

Friday delivered another picture-perfect day at Royal Lytham & St Annes—and another leaderboard packed with star power, as Haeran Ryu grabbed the solo lead while Nelly Korda and a host of contenders stayed within striking distance.

Here's everything that happened in round two.

ICYMI: The Six Stories That Defined Day One at the AIG Women's Open

Let's talk about Nelly Korda and the gritty round of golf she pieced together, that included six birdies, several of which came from way downtown.

There were a few stumbles along the way, but for the most part the World No. 1 showed a great deal of improvement missing just three fairways on the day and going 14/18 on greens in regulation en route to her 68.

Her putting was still a bit on the shakier side taking 29 putts to complete her round, two better than her first round stats. After her round she said that she's been bringing in her caddie Jason McDede in to help her get a better sense of what she was (and wasn't) seeing. "Lag putts are fine. Obviously just want to be on the green and give yourself an opportunity. I've had Jason come in and read greens and I've actually lined it up. Just because you have to play wind here, too and I just wasn't really seeing the breaks too well," she explained.

"So that's kind of why I pulled Jay in. I don't normally do that. I like to do it myself so I'm confident in my own decisions. These are the weeks kind of that I usually always pull him in."

Korda now sits just six shots behind Haeran Ryu, who worked hard to put some space between herself and the rest of the field. After a startling double bogey on the fifth hole, Ryu would go on to make five birdies to take the 36-hole clubhouse lead by one stroke.

"I think I don't want to focus for on other players. I just keep just think about my golf and the golf course," said the two-time major championship, who could go for her third in just three starts. "So because a lot of great players in here, so that's why I just want to think about my golf. Because this is a major; nobody knows what comes up."

England's very own in Lottie Woad and Charley Hull also had themselves at bit of a day, each sitting five shots back at 2-under par.

Jeeno Thitikul followed up her spectacular day with a lackluster 2-over round of 73, but still finds herself in the mix as she searched for her first major title.

Big Names Who Missed the Cut

Lilia Vu (+5)

The former AIG champion played really solid, steady golf on Friday but her opening round mistakes cost her to miss the final major weekend by one stroke.

Georgia Hall (+6)

Hall returned to the place should found glory in back in 2018, and despite an early exit, coming back just six months after giving birth is impressive enough.

Miyu Yamashita (+7)

Photo by R&A via Getty Images

The defending champ's early exit is a bit of a shocking one, especially given her form just a week ago in Scotland.

A Lim Kim (+7)

She needed the bunny earmuffs from last week to power her through!

Minjee Lee (+7)

Majors are better when Minjee is in contention. Seeing her hit this lull has been rather disappointing and I hope she is able to find another gear late this summer and finish the year strong.

Third Round Tee Times

(Times are eastern.)

3:50 a.m. ET – Pia Babnik, Sara Kouskova

4:00 a.m. ET – Manon De Roey, Cara Gainer

4:10 a.m. ET – Nastasia Nadaud, Ayaka Furue

4:20 a.m. ET – Hyojoo Kim, Yunseo Yang (a)

4:30 a.m. ET – Alison Lee, Amelia Garvey

4:40 a.m. ET – Carla Tejedo Mulet, Patty Tavatanakit

4:50 a.m. ET – Maja Stark, Casandra Alexander

5:05 a.m. ET – Annabell Fuller, Alexandra Försterling

5:15 a.m. ET – Yuka Saso, Amy Yang

5:25 a.m. ET – Jinyoung Ko, Wei Ling Hsu

5:35 a.m. ET – Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Mi Hyang Lee

5:45 a.m. ET – Ashleigh Buhai, Chizzy Iwai

5:55 a.m. ET – Arpichaya Yubol, Jenny Shin

6:05 a.m. ET – Lindy Duncan, Aki Iwai

6:20 a.m. ET – Yuna Araki, Sei Young Kim

6:30 a.m. ET – Amanda Doherty, Alice Hewson

6:40 a.m. ET – Dewi Weber, Brooke Henderson

6:50 a.m. ET – Hannah Green, Nasa Hataoka

7:00 a.m. ET – Ariya Jutanugarn, Rose Zhang

7:10 a.m. ET – Minji Kang, Shannon Tan

7:20 a.m. ET – Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mao Saigo

7:35 a.m. ET – Auston Kim, Anna Nordqvist

7:45 a.m. ET – Esther Henseleit, Rio Takeda

7:55 a.m. ET – Aunchisa Utama, Yana Wilson

8:05 a.m. ET – Kajsa Arwefjäll, Mimi Rhodes

8:15 a.m. ET – Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko

8:25 a.m. ET – Robyn Choi, Jinhee Im

8:35 a.m. ET – Céline Boutier, Lottie Woad

8:50 a.m. ET – Minami Katsu, Chanettee Wannasaen

9:00 a.m. ET – Charley Hull, Lauren Coughlin

9:10 a.m. ET – Paula Martín Sampedro (a), Lucy Li

9:20 a.m. ET – Jing Yan, Soobin Joo

9:30 a.m. ET – Yealimi Noh, Jeeno Thitikul

9:40 a.m. ET – Shiho Kuwaki, Haeran Ryu

MORE: How to Watch AIG Women's Open

Cameron Young Did Nothing But Throw Darts on Friday at the Rocket Classic

Riley Hamel — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:33:52 +0000

After blistering Detroit Golf Club to the tune of a 9-under 61, Cameron Young said, “It felt like I had a 10-footer for birdie on pretty much every hole”—must be nice.

Coming off a silver medal at The Open, Cameron Young couldn’t have been too happy with an opening round 1-under 69 on Thursday with so many guys taking it low. But on Friday, it was his turn at the Rocket Classic.

RELATED:How to Watch the Rocket Classic

Starting on Detroit Golf Club’s back nine, Young made birdie at 10, par at 11, then rattled off six straight birdies from Nos. 12-17 to make the turn in 7-under 28. Heading to his second nine, it looked like he had a shot at his second-career sub-60 round—his first came at the 2024 Travelers Championship.

But on his way back to the clubhouse, he didn’t get many putts to fall. Still, he managed to add a couple more circles to his card on Nos. 4 and 8, solidifying his bogey-free 9-under 61 that put him in a tie for first with Patrick Cantlay after Day 2’s morning wave.

As you could probably tell, it was an easy walk for the World No. 3 on Friday. But just how easy was it?

“It felt like I had a 10-footer for birdie on pretty much every hole,” he said after signing his card. Must be nice, Cam. I think I’ve had five or six of those looks all year long.

After reading that, I had to do some digging. Here are all the putts Young had when he hit the green in regulation during the second round.

Cameron Young’s Birdie Putts on Friday

No. 10: 7 feet 10 inches

No. 11: 22 feet 9 inches

No. 13: 6 feet 11 inches

No. 14: 4 feet 7 inches

No. 15: 11 feet 4 inches

No. 16: 13 feet 8 inches

No. 17: 8 feet

No. 1: 11 feet 7 inches

No. 2: 13 feet 8 inches

No. 4: 25 feet 9 inches (eagle putt)

No. 6: 15 feet 3 inches

No. 7: 8 feet 4 inches

No. 8: 20 feet 1 inch

No. 9: 17 feet

Five putts inside 10 feet, nine inside 15 feet, and 11 inside 20 feet. Yeah, that’ll do.

As of 1:30 p.m. ET, Young ranked third in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, second in SG: Approach, eighth in SG: Around the Green, and seventh in SG: Putting for the second round. Again…that’ll do.

But his performance shouldn’t come as a shock. Not only has he been one of the best players on the PGA TOUR all year long, but he’s also played well at the Rocket in the past, finishing T-2 in 2022 and T-6 in 2024.

Now, after taking it deep Friday, he’ll have the chance to win his third event of the year.

Bench Tested: Callaway Quantum Mini Spinner Fairway Wood

Ryan Barath — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 02:39:32 +0000

Designed to maximize longer approaches, we put the Callaway Quantum Mini Spinner fairway wood to the test against Callaway's other long game clubs.

*In Partnership with Callaway*

When it comes to approach play, the numbers are simple - the farther you are from the green, the more likely your score is to be higher. The main reason is that longer approach shots are just plain harder, and those longer clubs require more precise contact to launch and spin in the right windows to maximize precision and stopping power.

This is where Callaway's new Mini Spinner line of fairway woods comes in to help, and adds to an expansive selection of options from Callaway designed to help golfers find the right ball flight and gapping for their long games.

What Is the Quantum Mini Spinner?

What makes the Mini Spinner unique is that it works counterintuitive to the way most fairway woods are designed - rather than being designed to launch higher and with less spin, the Mini Spinner line was developed to (as the name suggests) actually spin more with the help of a higher center of gravity.

We went with a steel crown and a composite sole. A lot of times on our fairways, you see the opposite. You see composite on the crown, steel on the sole to try and lower the center of gravity. Well, this is the opposite. We wanted a high center of gravity to generate more spin.

- Evan Gibbs – Sr. R&D Director, Woods

Other elements of the design include Callaway's Step Sole to improve ground interaction, an Ai-optiimized face, and lengths mades 3/4" shorter that standard Callaway fairway woods to generate better contact consistency.

The end result is a club that can help golfers, and has already seen massive success at the professional level in Japan, as explained here by Evan Gibbs;

It (the club request) came directly from a player in Japan who was struggling to find a club to fit (the top end) part of the bag. This is where typically a lot of the fitters focus. And there's increasingly a lot of options in this part of the bag with utility irons and hybrids and fairway woods. But she saw an opportunity to create something unique that had a very specific performance characteristics that offered some clear benefits over hybrids and fairway woods.

Specifically, for her, she wanted a club that she could hit into greens, replacing long irons, but something that was created a little bit more spin for more stopping power and a lot more consistency. This is sort of a scoring club, something that she had to hit consistently and be able to hold greens a lot more than a hybrid could.

As for our testing, we put the Quantum Mini Spinner up against the Quantum Titanium 5-wood, along with the Apex UW, to find out just how much extra stopping power the Mini Spinner can generate.

Price, Specs, & Availability

The Callaway Mini Spinner fairway woods are available for pre-order now and will be in retail shops starting on August 14th. It comes in a 7, 9, and 11-wood (right-hand only) and are priced at $380

Chris Francoeur Fires First 59 of KFT Season

Will Neary — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 20:37:13 +0000

Chris Francoeur just tallied the first 59 of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season, and he did it without making a single putt longer than 15 feet (kind of…).

You know what’s crazy about golf? Maybe “crazy” is the wrong word. Incredible? Heartbreaking? Beautiful? Who knows. Anyways, I’ll tell you. No matter how well you play, you always could have done better. Even on your best day, you’ll walk off the 18th green thinking about that one birdie putt that burned an edge. It's inevitable.

I know it’s happened to me. I’m no professional golfer, so usually I’m lamenting about a couple bad bogeys I made down the stretch, but the point is the same. Anyways, Chris Francoeur just fired the first 59 of the Korn Ferry Tour season and, honestly, it could have been lower.

It’s been a season somewhat bereft of highlights for Chris, who has yet to tally a top-25 finish across 11 KFT starts. But that’s nothing a little 11-under-round can’t fix.

Don’t get me wrong, there were certainly highlights to Chris’s round. He drove the green on the 369-yard par-4 13th hole (his 4th hole), adding an easy birdie. A dramatic eagle chip rolled in on Chris’s 13th hole of the day, getting him to 10-under par and bringing a 59 (or better) squarely into focus. But there were also near misses, or shots left on the table.

Image: Getty Images

A 7-foot birdie putt on his third hole rolled by the cup, as did an 11-footer on his 16th hole. An 115-yard approach came up 30 feet short. He didn’t make a single putt longer than 15 feet, which I’m convinced has to be a record for a round better than 60 (yes, I know, I’m not counting the chip-in, but still).

It’s the second sub-60 round in as many weeks between the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA TOUR, as Chris follows Michael Kim’s round at the 3M Open. Peter Malnati and Cameron Young scored 28 on the front nine at the Rocket Classic on Thursday and Friday, respectively, putting the golf world on 59 watch. And who can forget the three record-tying 62s that fell at Royal Birkdale. It's been a busy month for low scores.

Chris sits at 120th on the Korn Ferry Tour’s Points List, needing to find his way into the top-20 to earn his PGA TOUR card. With a win, the KFT’s current projected standings would have him just outside the bubble with just a few weeks remaining on the schedule to make up ground.

The Six Stories That Defined Day One at the AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:11:01 +0000

The leaderboard took shape, the course showed its teeth and the prank that stole the show. Here are the stories that defined Thursday's opening round.

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — I've heard people romanticize links golf for years. The wind. The bounces. The history. The way every hole asks a different question. I figured I understood it, until I walked through the gates at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Thursday morning and saw it for the first time.

With crisp temperatures in the 60s, blue skies overhead and just enough breeze to remind you where you are, the 50th AIG Women's Open couldn't have scripted a better opening act. For my first major championship on links soil, it was impossible not to get swept up in it.

The golf quickly lived up to the setting. World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul took control of the championship seemingly out of nowhere, two-time major champion Haeran Ryu picked up right where she left off in France, Nelly Korda had a sluggish start, and Charley Hull's prank is making more rounds than her play.

Here are the six stories that defined the opening round.

Jeeno Thitikul set the tone

For a player still in search of their maiden major, a start like this for a bid at a title couldn't have been scripted any better. The 23-year-old Thai sensation started her week off with a blistering start, with a 7-under par round of 64, making history at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

There wasn't a blemish on her card, and it was a rather clinical day with her putter, taking just 27 putts, on a course that has no problem humbling you, especially if you don't land it in the perfect place.

Thitikul looked to be in complete control from start to finish for what was her lowest career major round outside of the Amundi Evian Championship.

But while Thitikul commands the headlines, she wasn't the only major storyline to emerge from Thursday.

Haeran Ryu is right where she wants to be

Fresh off her win from Evian, Haeran Ryu certainly looks like the best player in the world right now. No matter where she is, or what course she's playing, she's just simply getting it (ball in hole) done, and it looks effortless.

I wouldn't be shocked if we see quite a bit of back and forth between her and Jeeno. Nor, would I be shocked if it was the two-time major champion to come out on top.

And if she does so, she's be just the fifth woman in history to win three consecutive majors, and the first to do so in three starts.

If you aren't paying attention to her, I don't know what you're doing.

Nelly Korda's slow start isn't cause for panic

It was an underwhelming opening round for the World No. 1, who just never really found her groove...a sentiment that has carried over since KPMG, to be honest.

But that doesn't mean she's out of it, because links golf. In her pre-tournament presser Korda said, "My attitude this week is control what you can control. Sometimes with links golf you can kind of get pretty agitated with the bounces that you get. You hit a good shot, get a bad bounce, end up in a pot bunker, have to pitch out unfortunately and save par. So this week my attitude is going to be control what you can control."

As I watched her today I noticed that her ball striking was off ever so slightly, over-drawing them a touch and relying heavily on her short game to get her up-and-down. Korda hit just 10 of 18 greens, compared to Ryu and Thitikul who each hit 15 and 16, respectively.

If she can get that stat more ironed out, I think we'll see the four-time major winner, not just make the weekend, but have a surge on moving day.

She currently sits at +2.

Royal Lytham & St Annes showed exactly why it's a major venue

If Thursday proved anything, it's that Royal Lytham & St Annes isn't going to hand anyone this championship.

The benign weather, especially for the later groups, kept scoring lower than it could have been, but the course still demanded precision. Miss a fairway and the thick rough quickly became a problem. Stray too far off line and the famous pot bunkers are right there waiting to gobble up your ball.

Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand plays a shot from a bunker on the sixth hole during the First Round of the AIG Women's Open 2026 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes on July 30, 2026 in Lytham St Annes, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

One player even shared with me that she felt as though she was getting punished for hitting the ball too long, and that in some cases hitting it deep was more penal.

The forecast is expected to become more challenging as the week unfolds, meaning surviving Royal Lytham will only get tougher from here. These first two rounds are the true days to score.

Charley Hull's prank stole the show

Not every memorable moment from day one came with a scorecard. This one, rather, a scratch card. Charley Hull once again proved why she's one of golf's most entertaining personalities, shrugging off any criticism surrounding her prank on caddie Adam Woodard with the same no-nonsense attitude she brings to the course. Hull said she'd "100 percent" do it again, insisting it was all in good fun before joking that she'd make it up to him by buying him "100 scratch cards." As for those who weren't amused?

Her message was simple: "Loosen up."

Hull sits five shots back at 2-under.

A Couple of Quick Notes and Parting Thoughts

Biggest surprise:

Yealimi Noh leading this championship at one point was beyond surprising to me.

She's made just seven cuts in her 14 starts this season, and her best finish came at the first event of the year in January, where she was T-17. But it goes to show you, that links golf has a way of flipping things upside down, and the underdog just may stand a chance.

After her maiden title in 2025, Noh has struggled to stay in form, so hopefully this is the boost she needs to keep her foot on the gas.

Amateur watch:

Stanford's Paula Martin Sampedro was last year's AIG's low amateur and picked up right where she left off. A one point she was staring down a share of the lead, but ended her day at -2.

But also be on the lookout for Charlotte Naughton of England, who's currently +2, but with the crowd behind her, she could make a push for the weekend.

Style Snapshot:

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France came to play in a sea foam green fit from Fore All. This was really, really good.

Links golf also likely means lots of layers...and this is the best of that.

Getty Images

If this was my first real taste of championship links golf, it couldn't have been a better introduction.

The course lived up to the hype, the leaderboard is packed with star power and the unpredictability that makes links golf so addictive is already on full display. Three rounds remain, and somehow it already feels like anything can happen.

Bettinardi Offers First Premium Junior Putter Line

Ryan Barath — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 02:32:20 +0000

In a company first, Bettinardi has created a line of three premium putters, specifically designed for junior golfers.

Golf has never been more popular across a larger range of age groups, including junior golfers, which is why the market for clubs specifically designed for juniors has never had more options.

But what about putters?

Bettinardi believed there was a better way for juniors to find the right fit and set out to make it a reality by creating their new junior series putters.

In the growing junior golf market, most kids’ putters seem like an afterthought. Many brands only offer one head shape at best, and they’re cast overseas. The Junior Series is made the same way we make our Tour-level putters, with multiple head shapes, premium materials, and precision milling right here in the USA.”

- Sam Bettinardi - President of Bettinardi Golf

What The Line Has To Offer

Just like you would find in the BB or Antidote line, the new Junior series offers multiple models to help young golfers find the right fit for stroke and alignment. The options include three models, all named after one of the family's three children.

(LB1 Blade - DB1 Mid Mallet - MB1 Zero Torque)

The LB1 utilizes the iconic BB1 shape and profile with the initials referencing Luciana. The DB1 mallet is named after Dominic and offers the classic BB49 mallet profile to add aditional forgiveness. Finally, the MB1 is based on the Antidote SB2 and nameds after Matteo.

But its just just about offering classic shapes and calling it a day.

The line has been fully engineered to work for junior golfers who will be playing them at shorter lengths (starting at 26"), and rather than being heavy, which is where most people might assume the weight would go - the putters are actually lighter to help balance out the feel and provide better feedback and control.

I’ve seen what a properly weighted putter does for a young player firsthand with my son Matteo, who’s been successfully rolling the MB1. Putting became much more enjoyable for him with a properly weighted putter in his hands. He was able to feel the difference in control and consistency almost instantly

- Sam Bettinardi

Price & Availability

The Junior Series will be available beginning today (July 30) at Bettinardi.com and select authorized Bettinardi retailers. The LB1 (right- and left-handed) is priced at #375, while the MB1 and DB1 (right-hand only) are priced at $425.

This Guinness x PRG Collection Is Worth Raising a Pint To

Ryan Barath — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:05:07 +0000

PRG and Guinness have teamed up on a collection that's equal parts premium golf gear and Irish pub nostalgia.

In the world of brands, there are some that are so iconic they can be recognized simply by a shape. This includes the classic Coke bottle, Apple's silhouette, and, of course, the Guinness pint glass. Fun history note: the Guinness harp logo predates the pint glass and was originally trademarked way back in 1876 (but was first used in 1862).

Now, as a way to celebrate their own Irish history and share the love of one of the worlds most beloved beer brands, PRG has teamed up with Guinness to produce a collection of accessories that includes headcovers, totes, flags, towels, and scorecard holders.

It's Not Just About Looks

Beyond the obviously cool branding, that also includes the famous Guinness Toucan (illustrated by John Gilroy - I'm trying very hard to resist turning this into a Guinness history lesson), PRG in bringing serious materials to this launch.

The entire collection utilizes PrimeTouch, a new material composition that enhances the feel, performance, and looks of PRG's leatherette products.

As a company founded in Northern Ireland, this partnership is one we are incredibly proud of. Guinness is a brand that is recognised around the world, but with a rich Irish heritage and culture, something that resonates strongly with PRG.

- Stephen Riley, CEO of PRG Golf

Is Ontario Canada's Best Golf Destination?

Luke Leesburg — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 22:35:33 +0000

TOUR-level venues, neighborhood munis, exclusive private clubs and destination resort golf, all packed into a single week. The Working Holiday crew checks in from above the border.

Before this trip, Ontario wasn't somewhere I had ever really considered as a golf destination.

To be honest, until becoming mates with Mac, it wasn't really on the radar at all. But over the years we've watched him spend more and more time in the region, constantly talking about the golf, the people and the quality of courses, while somehow always coming back with incredible content, it quickly became one of those places we knew had to make the cut for a Working Holiday episode.

Over the past 12 months, the crew has explored more of Canada's golf scene than I ever knew existed. Every couple of months Mac would throw another destination into the group chat and it got to the point where Pete and I would just look at each other and ask, "There's more? Still?"

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As usual, these Working Holiday trips are built around Mac's existing schedule, and this one was no different. His reason for being in town was the RBC Canadian Open, where he'd been invited to play in the Wednesday Pro-Am. From there, the week took us in a completely different direction. We headed out to the suburbs to see where Mac grew up, played a couple of the local muni tracks that shaped his game, stumbled into an incredible members' day at one of Toronto's premier private clubs thanks to a last-minute schedule change, before finishing with what would become the standout of the trip, a drive north to Lake Muskoka to experience Muskoka Bay Resort.

Here’s a list of where we played:

TPC Toronto Osprey Valley: 3 courses on property. Greens fees pricing from $150-$250 USD.

Foxbridge Golf Course: The local muni. $35 for 9 holes or $70 for 18 holes.

Wooden Sticks Golf Course: Insane replica golf course. Greens fees pricing from $180-$220 USD.

Coppinwood Golf Club: Private club. We’re thankful for Mac’s friends.

Muskoka Bay Resort: Incredible golf course with onsite lodging. Greens fees around $200 USD.

Looking back, it was probably the perfect snapshot of golf in Ontario. Tour-level venues, neighborhood munis, exclusive private clubs and destination resort golf, all packed into a single week. One thing this trip taught us is that there isn't one right way to experience Ontario golf.

If you're chasing bucket list golf, you could quite easily build an itinerary around the championship venues alone and have an incredible week. But if you want to experience the region the way we did, I'd encourage you to mix it up. Pair the headline courses with a couple of local munis, don't be afraid to drive an hour or two outside of Toronto.

The city has an energy that deserves more than just being somewhere you sleep between rounds. Pete and I managed to catch a concert at a retired airstrip one night, then based ourselves in Kensington Market, which put us right in the middle of the nightlife, great coffee spots and some seriously good local breweries. Those little moments away from the golf ended up being just as memorable as anything we did on the course, and they're a big part of what makes Toronto such an easy city to recommend.

And one final tip, don't underestimate Toronto traffic, and avoid the Toll Rode… It has a sneaky way of adding up and the invoice in the mail can come with quite the shock.

The One & Done Is PXG Newest Zero Torque Putter!

Ryan Barath — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:54:56 +0000

PXG is making its presence known in the putter market by once again expanding its zero-torque offerings with the newest One & Done.

Whether you like them or not, zero-torque putters are here to stay. And, considering their popularity, if you haven't at least tried one, now might be a good time. PXG is well aware of the zero-torque trend and has entered the market full steam ahead with several models that have become quite popular, with the newest One & Done being the latest addition to their expansive line.

This putter is designed to work with the golfer, not against them. By positioning the shaft axis just above the center of gravity, we significantly reduce the torque forces that cause the face to rotate during the stroke. The result is a putter that stays remarkably square to path and helps golfers produce a more repeatable roll.

- PXG Design Engineer Matt Andrews

One & Done Design Features

PXG zero-torque putters generally fall into two categories: ones with their patented S-Neck hosel, and the more traditional straight-shaft offerings. The One & Done falls into the straight-shaft category and offers a clean & simple look from address with multiple parallel alignment cues.

At the core (pun intended) of the One & Done ZT, is PXG's S-Cor Polymer - a material utilized in all of their Battle Ready family of putters to dramatically increase MOI by reducing the mass within the head.

A secondary benefit of the S-Cor Polymer is that it allows for the putter to maintain a soft feel without the use of an insert.

The putter face also features PXG's third-generation pyramid face milling pattern, which is engineered to provide a consistent feel and roll performance across the face.

The message here is simple, PXG isn't trying to revolutionize the zero-torque putter space, they are simpley working effectively to expand fitting options and look preferences to help more golfers find the right putter. And, what this really proves is that when it comes to putters, PXG isn't one and done.

Price & Availability

The PXG One & Done ZT putter is available now in both right and left-handed models and is priced at $450. It is available at PXG retail stores, at PXG.com, and through select fitting and retail partners around the world.

Arnold Palmer Invitational Added to Championship Series for 2028

Will Neary — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:16:03 +0000

The Arnold Palmer Invitational will maintain its status as one of the TOUR’s higher-tier events, becoming the fourth tournament officially added to the anticipated Championship Series schedule.

Another piece of the 2028 PGA TOUR schedule puzzle has fallen into place. The Arnold Palmer Invitational, a staple at Bay Hill Club & Lodge for almost five decades, is the latest tournament to be added to the Championship Series, as announced by the tournament and the PGA TOUR on Thursday.

The anticipated TOUR schedule, first described by CEO Brian Rolapp in June, includes two separated levels, with the Championship Series being the more elevated. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is the fourth tournament to be included, joining the Travelers Championship, the Sentry (now at Torrey Pines), and a new tournament sponsored by Japanese insurance giant Sompo at a location to-be-determined.

“The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard has a long history showcasing the best of the best in men’s professional golf, and becoming one of the PGA TOUR Championship Series events allows us to further recognize the strength of our tournament while celebrating the legacy of Arnold Palmer,” said Tournament Director Drew Donovan. “Mr. Palmer believed in challenging the world’s best players while creating an unforgettable experience for fans. As a PGA TOUR Championship Series event we will continue to deliver championship golf at Bay Hill and give back to the Central Florida community.”

The tournament, which has held position as a Signature Event on TOUR since 2024, will continue with Mastercard as the title sponsor. The world’s best will be no stranger to the course, as Bay Hill has long drawn the upper echelon of golfing talent to its fairways and greens (and water hazards). Its illustrious list of winners includes World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time Masters champion Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Akshay Bhatia, Russell Henley and more.

Image: Getty Images

“For more than two decades, Mastercard has been proud to partner with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, helping create unforgettable experiences for fans while honoring Arnold Palmer’s enduring legacy of excellence, generosity and community impact,” said Michael Moutenot, SVP, Marketing & Communications, North America, Mastercard. “As one of golf’s most iconic events, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard has long brought together the game’s best players on one of its most celebrated stages. We’re excited to see the tournament continue to play a prominent role as part of the PGA TOUR Championship Series and look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with the PGA TOUR and the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation.”

While the Arnold Palmer Invitational’s inclusion as an upper-tier event for 2028 probably comes as no surprise, it’s a welcome indication that the TOUR is prepared to continue giving us breadcrumbs as we wait for Rolapp’s expected announcements at the TOUR Championship.

There’s still a lot unknown about the changes coming to the PGA TOUR in 2028, but one thing is for certain: one lucky golfer will be walking off the 18th green at Bay Hill, sporting an incredibly bright red cardigan and with a whole lot of money heading toward their bank account. Sounds pretty good to me.

Image: Getty Images

I mean, c'mon. That's a snazzy piece of fabric.

The Changes to Detroit Golf Club Were Extensive—And They Look Awesome

Riley Hamel — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:41:03 +0000

When you watch the Rocket Classic this week, Detroit Golf Club will look a lot different. Let's talk through all the changes.

After Sunday afternoon, Detroit Golf Club is done hosting the Rocket Classic—if you don’t know why that’s a bummer, let me explain.

If you’re a chronic golf watcher, you may have noticed DGC has a completely different look this week compared to what he saw just 12 months ago. Over the last year, golf architect Tyler Rae came in and completely restored the property with the goal of reviving it back to Donald Ross’ original design.

Every green now reflects Ross’ work: sloping back-to-front, raised, and expanded. With most restorations, green surfaces are planted and grown. This makes them play extremely firm and fast for the foreseeable future. Instead, Rae and DGC sodded the surfaces. So, as you’re watching the Rocket this week, you’ll see the greens play receptively, and wedges and short irons will spin—I learned this little nugget from The Lads most recent YouTube video with Ryan Ruffels, Jake Knapp, and Brad Dalke. If you want a closer look at the course, it’s a video I recommend.

Seven bunkers were added—there’s now a total of 91—and they’ll play deeper and more penal. They’re also trimmed with fescue grass, and to me, that’s one of the purest looks a track can have. 10/10, Mr. Rae.

As for the scorecard, Nos. 7 and 17, which were played as par 5s, have been converted to long par 4s. Now, DGC will feature four par 4s longer than 500 yards.

If you’re wondering, “Riley, how do you know all of this?” Well, my Twitter friend Ron Klos posted a fantastic thread the other day, and it’s 100 percent worth the short read.

It’s a buzzkill that a classic course received a high-level restoration to bring it back to its glory and the TOUR is immediately leaving, but I’m looking forward to watching the best players in the world attack this golf course.

Trey Mullinax Suspended for Violating the PGA TOUR’s Anti-Doping Policy

Riley Hamel — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:15:25 +0000

After violating the PGA TOUR's Anti-Doping Policy, Trey Mullinax will be sidelined until 2027—but he's adamant he did it unknowingly.

Well, this is something you don’t see often in golf: Trey Mullinax has been suspended for violating the PGA TOUR’s Anti-Doping Policy.

According to a statement released Wednesday, Mullinax tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. He’ll be sidelined for six months and will be eligible to return on January 16, 2027. According to the Sports Business Journal, the TOUR’s ‘27 season will begin with the American Express from Jan. 21-24.

Mullinax, the 544th-ranked player in the world, made just two starts this season—Texas Children’s Houston Open and Zurich Classic of New Orleans—and missed the cut at both. His one TOUR win came in 2022 at the Barbasol Championship.

“I take full responsibility for what happened,” Mullinax said in a statement. “At the end of the day, it is my responsibility to understand and follow the PGA Tour’s Anti-Doping Policy and all of its rules and regulations. I failed to do that, and that is on me.

“I recently used a medication to treat a condition I was originally diagnosed with in college without seeking approval under the Tour’s Anti-Doping Policy. My lack of knowledge is not an excuse. It was my responsibility to know the rules before taking any medication and I failed to do so.”

Mullinax, born in Alabama and a product of the University of Alabama, made one start on both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Canada this year, missing the cut at both stops.

How to Watch, Tee Times for the Rocket Classic

Riley Hamel — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:02:42 +0000

The penultimate event of the PGA TOUR's regular season has arrived. Here's how you can watch the Rocket Classic, plus tee times for the first two rounds.

It’s time for the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s regular season at Detroit Golf Club, where a strong field of the circuit’s best will tee it up in the Rocket Classic.

Jackson Koivun, fresh off his first win in just his third professional start, trails only Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup on the odds list. The 21-year-old has already earned the respect of the folks in Sin City.

Joining those three players will be Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Cantlay, Si Woo Kim, Jake Knapp, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth, among others.

Sunday’s winner in Detroit will head home with $1.8 million of the $10 million purse, along with 500 FedExCup points. DGC, designed by Donald Ross, will play as a par 70 this week, measuring 7,328 yards.

Tee Times for the Rocket Classic

Thursday (Round 1)

7:00 AM – (1) Brendon Todd, Lanto Griffin, Eric Cole

7:00 AM – (10) Nick Dunlap, Joel Dahmen, Max McGreevy

7:11 AM – (1) Emiliano Grillo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Mark Hubbard

7:11 AM – (10) Seamus Power, Michael Kim, Zac Blair

7:22 AM – (1) Peter Malnati, Austin Smotherman, Danny Walker

7:22 AM – (10) Patton Kizzire, Chandler Phillips, Takumi Kanaya

7:33 AM – (1) Ricky Castillo, Chris Kirk, Tony Finau

7:33 AM – (10) Jackson Koivun, Wyndham Clark, Keegan Bradley

7:44 AM – (1) Andrew Novak, Davis Riley, Lucas Glover

7:44 AM – (10) Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler

7:55 AM – (1) William Mouw, Kevin Yu, Matt Kuchar

7:55 AM – (10) Akshay Bhatia, Aldrich Potgieter, Si Woo Kim

8:06 AM – (1) Stefano Mazzoli, Ryan Gerard, Stephan Jaeger

8:06 AM – (10) Brandt Snedeker, Adam Schenk, Nick Taylor

8:17 AM – (1) Harry Hall, Davis Thompson, Kevin Streelman

8:17 AM – (10) Nico Echavarria, Karl Vilips, Aaron Wise

8:28 AM – (1) Adam Svensson, Mackenzie Hughes, Sam Stevens

8:28 AM – (10) Doug Ghim, Vince Whaley, Pierceson Coody

8:39 AM – (1) Gordon Sargent, Kensei Hirata, Christo Lamprecht

8:39 AM – (10) Haotong Li, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Ryan Celano

8:50 AM – (1) Neal Shipley, Pontus Nyholm, Daniel Azallion

8:50 AM – (10) Patrick Fishburn, Keita Nakajima, Joe Hooks

9:01 AM – (1) Jesper Svensson, Davis Chatfield, Keenan Huskey

9:01 AM – (10) Johnny Keefer, Ben James, Ryan Ruffels

12:10 PM – (1) David Lipsky, Justin Lower, Sudarshan Yellamaraju

12:10 PM – (10) Chad Ramey, Denny McCarthy, Kevin Roy

12:21 PM – (1) Brice Garnett, Matthieu Pavon, Rico Hoey

12:21 PM – (10) Patrick Rodgers, Beau Hossler, Michael Thorbjornsen

12:32 PM – (1) Lee Hodges, Ryo Hisatsune, Thorbjørn Olesen

12:32 PM – (10) Matt Wallace, Andrew Putnam, Jordan Smith

12:43 PM – (1) Russell Henley, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka

12:43 PM – (10) Garrick Higgo, Matt McCarty, Sungjae Im

12:54 PM – (1) Cameron Young, J.J. Spaun, Ben Griffin

12:54 PM – (10) Steven Fisk, Joe Highsmith, Corey Conners

1:05 PM – (1) Jake Knapp, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth

1:05 PM – (10) Brian Campbell, Harris English, Webb Simpson

1:16 PM – (1) Michael Brennan, Taylor Pendrith, Billy Horschel

1:16 PM – (10) Jacob Bridgeman, Cam Davis, Nicolai Højgaard

1:27 PM – (1) Tom Hoge, Max Greyserman, Dylan Wu

1:27 PM – (10) Austin Eckroat, Mac Meissner, Hank Lebioda

1:38 PM – (1) Rafael Campos, Taylor Moore, Matti Schmid

1:38 PM – (10) Erik van Rooyen, Ben Kohles, Rasmus Højgaard

1:49 PM – (1) Kristoffer Ventura, Zecheng Dou, A.J. Ewart

1:49 PM – (10) Marco Penge, Luke Clanton, Brad Dalke

2:00 PM – (1) Alejandro Tosti, Trace Crowe, Zach Bauchou

2:00 PM – (10) Jackson Suber, Hayden Springer, Chandler Blanchet

2:11 PM – (1) Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Marcelo Rozo, Justin Quiban

2:11 PM – (10) John Parry, Adrien Saddier, William Jennings (a)

2:22 PM – (10) John VanDerLaan, Jeffrey Kang, Patrick Wilkes-Krier

Friday (Round 2)

7:00 AM – (1) Chad Ramey, Denny McCarthy, Kevin Roy

7:00 AM – (10) David Lipsky, Justin Lower, Sudarshan Yellamaraju

7:11 AM – (1) Patrick Rodgers, Beau Hossler, Michael Thorbjornsen

7:11 AM – (10) Brice Garnett, Matthieu Pavon, Rico Hoey

7:22 AM – (1) Matt Wallace, Andrew Putnam, Jordan Smith

7:22 AM – (10) Lee Hodges, Ryo Hisatsune, Thorbjørn Olesen

7:33 AM – (1) Garrick Higgo, Matt McCarty, Sungjae Im

7:33 AM – (10) Russell Henley, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka

7:44 AM – (1) Steven Fisk, Joe Highsmith, Corey Conners

7:44 AM – (10) Cameron Young, J.J. Spaun, Ben Griffin

7:55 AM – (1) Brian Campbell, Harris English, Webb Simpson

7:55 AM – (10) Jake Knapp, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth

8:06 AM – (1) Jacob Bridgeman, Cam Davis, Nicolai Højgaard

8:06 AM – (10) Michael Brennan, Taylor Pendrith, Billy Horschel

8:17 AM – (1) Austin Eckroat, Mac Meissner, Hank Lebioda

8:17 AM – (10) Tom Hoge, Max Greyserman, Dylan Wu

8:28 AM – (1) Erik van Rooyen, Ben Kohles, Rasmus Højgaard

8:28 AM – (10) Rafael Campos, Taylor Moore, Matti Schmid

8:39 AM – (1) Marco Penge, Luke Clanton, Brad Dalke

8:39 AM – (10) Kristoffer Ventura, Zecheng Dou, A.J. Ewart

8:50 AM – (1) Jackson Suber, Hayden Springer, Chandler Blanchet

8:50 AM – (10) Alejandro Tosti, Trace Crowe, Zach Bauchou

9:01 AM – (1) John Parry, Adrien Saddier, William Jennings (a)

9:01 AM – (10) Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Marcelo Rozo, Justin Quiban

9:12 AM – (1) John VanDerLaan, Jeffrey Kang, Patrick Wilkes-Krier

12:10 PM – (1) Nick Dunlap, Joel Dahmen, Max McGreevy

12:10 PM – (10) Brendon Todd, Lanto Griffin, Eric Cole

12:21 PM – (1) Seamus Power, Michael Kim, Zac Blair

12:21 PM – (10) Emiliano Grillo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Mark Hubbard

12:32 PM – (1) Patton Kizzire, Chandler Phillips, Takumi Kanaya

12:32 PM – (10) Peter Malnati, Austin Smotherman, Danny Walker

12:43 PM – (1) Jackson Koivun, Wyndham Clark, Keegan Bradley

12:43 PM – (10) Ricky Castillo, Chris Kirk, Tony Finau

12:54 PM – (1) Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler

12:54 PM – (10) Andrew Novak, Davis Riley, Lucas Glover

1:05 PM – (1) Akshay Bhatia, Aldrich Potgieter, Si Woo Kim

1:05 PM – (10) William Mouw, Kevin Yu, Matt Kuchar

1:16 PM – (1) Brandt Snedeker, Adam Schenk, Nick Taylor

1:16 PM – (10) Stefano Mazzoli, Ryan Gerard, Stephan Jaeger

1:27 PM – (1) Nico Echavarria, Karl Vilips, Aaron Wise

1:27 PM – (10) Harry Hall, Davis Thompson, Kevin Streelman

1:38 PM – (1) Doug Ghim, Vince Whaley, Pierceson Coody

1:38 PM – (10) Adam Svensson, Mackenzie Hughes, Sam Stevens

1:49 PM – (1) Haotong Li, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Ryan Celano

1:49 PM – (10) Gordon Sargent, Kensei Hirata, Christo Lamprecht

2:00 PM – (1) Patrick Fishburn, Keita Nakajima, Joe Hooks

2:00 PM – (10) Neal Shipley, Pontus Nyholm, Daniel Azallion

2:11 PM – (1) Johnny Keefer, Ben James, Ryan Ruffels

2:11 PM – (10) Jesper Svensson, Davis Chatfield, Keenan Huskey

How to Watch the Rocket Classic

Thursday & Friday

ESPN+: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Golf Channel: 3-6 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday

ESPN+: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Golf Channel: 1-3 p.m.

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

What 50 Years of the AIG Women's Open Means to Someone Who's Lived It

Addie Parker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:16:22 +0000

As the championship celebrates its 50th anniversary, 2004 winner Karen Stupples looks back on the evolution of the Women's British Open—and why winning it has always meant more than a trophy.

Dame Laura Davies said it best about the evolution of the AIG Women's Open, the crowds have grown, the television coverage has expanded, the prize purse has skyrocketed, but the significance of winning this championship has never changed.

Today, the AIG Women's Open stands among the crown jewels of women's golf. Backed by a record $10 million purse, major championship status and a championship rota that visits some of the world's most iconic links courses, it has become one of the most anticipated weeks on the women's golf calendar.

Fifty years ago, none of that was a guarantee.

When the Women's British Open debuted at Fulford Golf Club in 1976, the winner's check was worth just £210 (which is roughly $280 USD in today's standards). The tournament was an extension of the Ladies' Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and featured only a handful of professionals and remained nearly 25 years away from earning major championship status. Fittingly, the first champion wasn't an established LPGA star but rather an amateur.

Jenny Lee-Smith became the inaugural winner, embodying what the championship represented in its infancy: not prestige, but possibility. Before it became one of the most celebrated titles in women's golf, the Women's British Open was a proving ground for the players determined to push the game, and themselves, forward.

Jenny Lee-Smith winner of the 1976 Women's British Open at Fulford Golf Club on August 21, 1976 in Fulford, England. (Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

2026 AIG WOMEN'S OPEN: The Favorites, Sleepers, and Wild Cards to Watch at the AIG Women's Open

Few people have experienced that evolution in its completion quite like Karen Stupples. Before she became a champion and lifted the trophy high in 2004, she experienced this open as a young British golfer dreaming of competing on its biggest stage, just like Lee-Smith.

Her first encounter with women's golf and the championship, like many young golfers of her generation, was through newspaper stories, where she familiarized herself with the names that appeared in them. "My first real experiences of [the Open] was qualifying for it in '96 as an am -- I already had a decent amateur career, but I was, you know, still trying to find my way through and figure out what I wanted to do."

Stupples stepped foot onto Woburn Golf Club, and suddenly, those names that she was reading about in the paper were standing beside her on the first tee. Though the championship was still developing its identity, for young players like her, simply earning a place in the field felt like a glimpse into another world.

[For] a player from the UK and from Europe, this is the one that that we all grew up watching and and dreaming of winning...It just plants that seed of where you could be in the world of golf. Like it it gave me an opportunity to see what my potential could be if I just persevered enough, if I just worked hard enough. I had an opportunity to make a career, make a living playing golf and win the British Open...these things were were planted in me at a very young age because of the AIG Women's Open.

Karen Stupples of England acknowledges the crowd after winning the Weetabix Womens British Open with a score of 19 under par, at Sunningdale Golf Club on August 1, 2004 in Sunningdale, England.(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

"I remember looking around and seeing superstars everywhere," Stupples described. "There's Laura Davies, there's Alison Nicholas, there's Trish Johnson…The same way as the U.S. Women's Open does the in America for the American girls, that it plants that seed into them into their minds to say, this is this is what I want to do...This is the big one for all of us over here. It's it's just that hope that this is what your life could be."

MORE: They Weren't in the Field This Weekend, Now They're Playing the AIG Women's Open

She got her first taste of what her life as a golfer could be, she'd go on to turn pro in 1998, and play her rookie season on the LPGA in 1999.

By the time the Women's British Open arrived at Sunningdale in 2004, Karen Stupples was no longer the wide-eyed amateur soaking in the atmosphere. Eight years after qualifying for her first championship at, she had established herself on the LPGA Tour, collecting a slew of top-10s, but the breakthrough victory she'd been chasing had yet to happen.

Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the Evian Masters (now the Amundi Evian Championship), Stupples believed her best chance to win one of the year's biggest events had already come and gone. In fact, despite her coach predicting months earlier that Sunningdale would suit her game perfectly, she never gave it much thought. "I thought, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever,'" Stupples said with a laugh.

But she arrived at Sunningdale carrying the confidence she'd found the week before, and her ball-striking remained as sharp as ever. After briefly falling out of the lead, she entered Sunday's final round just one shot back. Knowing she needed a fast start, Stupples delivered one of the most remarkable openings in championship history—an eagle at the first followed by an albatross at the second.

"I thought, 'Ooh... maybe today's my day,'" she recalled. The shots became part of Women's Open lore, but they aren't what Stupples remembers most.

What has stayed with her is the feeling of playing a home championship surrounded by people who had believed in her long before she became a major champion. English flags lined the fairways. Fans shouted, "Come on, Karen," as she walked from green to tee. It wasn't until she stood on the 15th tee, clinging to a one-shot lead, that the magnitude of the moment truly settled in. "I wasn't particularly nervous at all until I got to the 15th tee," she said. "I realized the finish line was coming."

Stupples steadied herself with a birdie-birdie-birdie-par finish to secure the title, but when she reflects on that week more than two decades later, the trophy isn't the first image that comes to mind. Instead, she thinks about the people waiting for her when the final putt dropped.

Her parents were there, along with the coaches, mentors and friends who had sacrificed to help a young woman chase a dream that, at times, felt impossible. For Stupples, winning the Women's British Open wasn't simply a career-defining moment—it was a chance to repay everyone who had helped make it possible.

"It was amazing to do it in front of my fans and my family," she said. "I wanted it so much more for them because of everything that they had given me. I always thought I was going to be the player who was close, but not quite. Then I did it. It was very satisfying for so many more reasons other than the trophy."

Everybody that has won this championship has had one of those moments where, as a kid, they wished to win the British Open or a major championship. Sometimes those wishes get answered. This is one of those championships that can make that happen.

And more than two decades removed from her career-defining win, she's still part of the championship, this time inside the broadcast booth, walking the fairways, calling the action and helping tell the story of an event she has lived from nearly every angle.

But the English star is only one chapter in a much larger story. Over five decades, every champion has helped shape the identity of the AIG Women's Open. From Jenny Lee Smith's amateur breakthrough in the inaugural championship to the global stars who elevated its stature to players like Karrie Webb, Annika Sörenstam, Lorena Ochoa and the generations that followed added their own unforgettable moments, turning the championship from an ambitious idea into one of the most meaningful titles in women's golf.

Yet for all the changes the championship has undergone, the larger purses, the worldwide audience and its place among the game's five majors, the feeling at its core has remained the same. The AIG Women's Open has always represented possibility: the chance for a player to step onto one of golf's greatest stages and accomplish something they once only dreamed about.

For Stupples, the championship's future is tied to preserving the qualities that have made it special from the beginning. She hopes the AIG Women's Open continues to embrace the history and character of the courses it visits, while giving players the opportunity to showcase a different side of the game.

"I hope that the R&A continues to take it to historic, fantastic courses that have a history that can provide drama and challenge for the players," Stupples said. "I hope that they continue to keep respecting the women's game in the way that they have with regards everything that they do."

She believes that part of that respect comes from maintaining the unique challenge of links golf—a style of play built on creativity, imagination and adaptability. "I think that's what links [golf] brings," she explained. "It allows the world to see a different type of golf that is not flying it to point A and then flying it to point B and then making a putt. It requires a little bit of feel, a little bit of creativity."

Above all else, that sense of possibility is what will define the AIG Women's Open for the next 50 years. The purses will continue to grow, the audiences will continue to expand and the championship will continue to evolve—but the meaning of winning it will remain unchanged.

For Stupples, that feeling was once a young golfer reading about the greats of women's golf in the newspaper, hoping one day to compete alongside them. Years later, she became one of those names herself—forever connected to a championship that has spent five decades turning childhood dreams into history.

MORE: Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu and Lydia Ko Headline Marquee Groups at AIGWO

Sentry, Sompo Added as Championship Series Sponsors for 2028

Will Neary — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:35:21 +0000

The PGA TOUR announced on Wednesday that Sentry will join Travelers and Sompo as a Championship Series sponsor when schedule changes are put in place in 2028.

It seems like the puzzle pieces are slowly starting to fall into place. In the two days following the PGA TOUR’s announcement that the Travelers Championship would be a part of the Championship Series in 2028, Sompo and Sentry—two insurance giants—have joined the fray.

TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp gave an outline for an entirely new PGA TOUR in an announcement prior to the Travelers Championship in June, which included competition split between the Championship Series and the Challenger Series.

The Championship Series—the more exclusive of the two levels—will feature the biggest names, venues, purses, events, you name it. The Challenger Series—you can think of it as golf’s version of the Championship in English football (soccer)—will be made up of lower-ranked players looking to find their way back to the big leagues.

On Wednesday, the TOUR announced that Sentry—a name quite familiar to golf fans—will be the title sponsor of one of the Championship Series events, set to take place at Torrey Pines. Sentry was already set to take over sponsorship of the existing Torrey Pines event from Farmers Insurance for 2027, and that event will continue to host golf’s biggest stars in 2028.

“Torrey Pines is one of golf’s most iconic venues, and we’re excited to deepen our connection with San Diego and build on the incredible tradition of championship golf at Torrey Pines by welcoming the world’s best players to compete in the PGA TOUR Championship Series,” said Pete McPartland, chairman and CEO Sentry Insurance, in a statement.

This followed Tuesday’s announcement that Sompo—a leading global insurance and reinsurance company based in Japan—will also be a Championship Series sponsor. While details surrounding the new schedule remain somewhat hazy, the picture is slowly starting to come into focus.

“Just a few weeks after we announced our new competitive model, we are delighted to welcome Sompo as the first new sponsor supporting the PGA TOUR Championship Series that will launch in 2028,” said Dhruv Prasad, PGA TOUR chief commercial officer, in a statement.

Prasad added that you won’t have to wait for the schedule overhaul to see this event debut. Sompo’s inaugural event—to be contested at Silverado Resort’s North Course in Napa, California—will be from July 26 through August 1, 2027. When it integrates into the Championship Series the following year, it will find a new home, perhaps in a bigger market, Prasad said.

In the meantime, the Silverado Resort is no stranger to the TOUR. Its North Course has hosted the Procore Championship (previously sponsored by Fortinet, Safeway, and Frys.com at different stages) since 2015, usually landing in the beginning of the fall. With Sompo as title sponsor, it will play host to one of the final events on the regular season schedule.

Image: Getty Images

“We are proud to partner with the PGA TOUR at such an exciting moment for the sport and to help shape the future of one of its premier events,” said James Shea, CEO of Sompo Property and Casualty, in a statement. “This partnership represents a major opportunity for Sompo to further expand our global brand awareness and showcase the strength of our business to customers, partners and communities around the world.”

As news continues to roll in regarding the 2028 PGA TOUR schedule, it will be interesting to see what markets will be explored by new events like the one set to be sponsored by Sompo. In his announcement prior to the Travelers Championship in June, Rolapp indicated that larger and generally under-explored golf markets—Chicago and Boston are two that come to mind—could very well find their way onto the Championship Series schedule.

I’m a Boston guy transplanted to Chicago, so trust me when I say that I will be keeping one (if not two) eyes trained on these announcements as they come. Until then, at least I have the Presidents Cup at Medinah to look forward to.

Is It Knapp Time in Detroit? We Think It's Knapp Time in Detroit.

Rick Gehman — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:32:09 +0000

Our picks for the Rocket Classic are here, and we're feeling a comeback on the way.

Detroit Golf Club has been beefed up since we saw it last year, but I’m still a little dubious about how much more difficult it will actually play. The winning score will be higher considering this year will play as a par-70 compared to the par-72 version from previous editions.

The greens have been made larger, but the bunkers protecting them have been deepened in an attempt to add some more angles to one of the flattest courses on the PGA TOUR schedule. The two par-5s that were converted will now play as long par-4s in hopes of squashing some of the aggressive birdie-making.

The venue, outside the fairways, will be a bit more rugged. Fescue and native grasses are now more prevalent, even to the point of filling in the pond that used to be in front of the 14th green.

While the course will look great and be in prime condition, these seem like small changes to a course that yields some of the lowest scores on TOUR. That will be cosmetically adjusted via par, but still expect players to “bomb and gouge” their way to success this week.

Winner: Jake Knapp (+3600)

It’s been a tale of two seasons for Knapp. His “first season” featured elite play out of the gates, where he piled up seven top-11 finishes in his first eight starts of the year. Unfortunately, he dealt with wrist and thumb injuries that caused his play to fall off and forced him to miss two months of action between the RBC Heritage and the U.S. Open.

Since returning, Knapp has clearly been knocking off the rust, but what I saw last week in Blaine is exactly the type of play that has me optimistic for this week. Knapp gained more than 10 strokes in the ball-striking categories, and it looks like he’s on the verge of breaking through again.

Detroit Golf Club is the perfect place for Knapp to let his best weapon, the driver, roam free. He’ll be able to throw caution to the wind and attack aggressively around these grounds. That’s exactly what he did last year en route to his T4 finish.

Top 5: Chris Gotterup (+340)

Remember what Gotterup did to Waialae CC early this year? He might just do that again to Detroit Golf Club. If you don’t remember, let me refresh you. He attacked a wide-open golf course by bombing it off the tee, struggling to hit his wedges, making plenty of putts and hoisting the trophy.

Gotterup wasn’t even that good at the Sony Open, and he was still able to win thanks to his incredibly high floor in most facets of his game. Since then, he’s won two more times and enters the week with a sparkling resume. He’s earned three top-20s in a row and is one of the elite drivers on the TOUR right now. During that three-start stretch, he’s gained at least seven strokes from tee to green in each of them.

Top 10: J.J. Spaun (+280)

On paper, this doesn’t seem like a great spot for J.J. Spaun. However, for a man who won his U.S. Open at Oakmont, we can just throw that paper out the window. He’s capable of competing and contending on any course.

He’s one of the best approach players in this field, and he’s earned three top-10 results in his last eight starts. His path to the top of the board often correlates with how well he’s putting in a given week. That part of his game is starting to heat up, and he’s gained +7.94 strokes putting in his last 12 rounds. He’s been even better on the greens at Detroit Golf Club, where he’s piled up a staggering +17.51 strokes putting in his 24 career rounds. That’s translated to top-35 finishes in all six of his career starts and two top-10s in his last three visits.

Top 20: Michael Thorbjornsen (+148)

All gas, no brakes — that’s the Michael Thorbjornsen experience. He’s immensely talented, with the ability to blitz a golf course that doesn’t offer much penalty for wayward shots — like Detroit GC.

His trip across the pond proves that his game is maturing and he’s starting to tackle some more unique challenges as well. He finished T7 at the Scottish Open and T40 at The Open Championship. In those eight rounds, he gained +6.73 strokes off the tee, leaning into his best weapon.

Now he’ll return to Detroit GC, which is a much better fit for his game than most courses on the TOUR schedule. He finished T4 here last year while averaging 324 yards off the tee and hitting 79% of his fairways. Wowza!

Top 20: Jackson Suber (+270)

Suber missed the cut at last week’s 3M Open, which was one of his worst starts in recent memory. I’m willing to forgive quickly because Suber has proven to be the real deal and has been piling up strong finishes for the last four months.

He has three top-10 finishes in his last eight starts, led by high-end tee-to-green play. He has gained strokes from tee to green in seven of his last 11 starts, including two weeks when he gained more than 11 strokes in the category.

If there was ever a spot for a quick bounce-back, it would be here at the Rocket Classic. Suber finished T6 last year and gained strokes in all four categories.

Love Letter To: Vineyard Golf Club

Connor Laubenstein — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:13:42 +0000

What Hanse and Wagner have produced is a routing of genuine consideration: unhurried, honest and fair, but paired with enough visual misdirection and local knowledge to make you want to take another spin immediately stepping off 18.

There is a particular kind of quiet on Martha's Vineyard at 6:45 on a Friday morning in late June — fog clinging to the scrub oak, ferry horns not yet sounding, the whole island holding its breath before the summer crowds descend. Vineyard Golf Club, all 225 preserved acres of it, does almost everything this quietly. A membership roster full of influence, never once advertised as such. A commitment to fully organic course maintenance that arrived with no press release. A proprietary AI stack, built without a word said out loud. A peanut butter sandwich, made with more care than it had any right to require. There are golf clubs that feel frozen in amber, and there are golf clubs that spend too much energy proving they've thawed. Vineyard Golf Club is neither. It simply doesn't feel the need to tell you what it is. I quickly fell for this prime example of hushed industriousness.

On the day, I joined Eri Seguin, VGC's head pro, and David Dekker, the club's co-president — two men who talk about their golf course the way you'd hope a parent talks about a kid who's finally found their footing. My godfather Jim, a partial island resident, rounded out the foursome. Two lifer caddies flanked us, dishing jokes and institutional memory in equal measure. They remember how the holes looked before Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner reshaped the front nine in 2013 and rethought the back half in 2015, telling the stories as they hand you a club. Among the more pleasant forms of instruction available to a golfer are history lessons, local customs, and cultural commentary — and caddies like this are often the best delivery vehicles for all three.

What Hanse and Wagner produced was a routing of genuine consideration: unhurried, honest and fair, but paired with enough visual misdirection and local knowledge to make you want to take another spin immediately stepping off 18. Tee boxes and hole routing let a 20-handicap and a scratch player each find their own version of a hole worth playing. The green complexes are enormous and alive, twitching with undulations and shelves. The bunkering is natural-looking and scratchy. Sightlines are intentionally muddied with sandy waste, and only when you reach the green and look back does the optimal strategy reveal itself.

The foundation beneath all of it is the organic commitment. VGC opened in 2002 as one of the only 100% organically maintained golf courses in the world, built from the beginning to cooperate with an island that has stringent things to say about what you can and cannot do to its ecosystem. No synthetic pesticides. No conventional fertilizers or fungicides. Nothing the Vineyard's environmental code wouldn't bless. An outsize maintenance crew and a budget the club makes no apologies for. This is what it costs for a golf course to shake hands with its environment rather than stand in contrast to it — as tithing to its operational philosophy, not as a marketing strategy.

Maintaining a golf course is a game of whack-a-mole with unforeseen issues: fungus, heat, drought, the occasional member with an anger problem. This summer, one of the moles in question is Martha's Vineyard's deer problem — and with them, the Lone Star tick carrying Alpha-Gal Syndrome, capable of ending a person's relationship with red meat and dairy for good. The island's community Facebook group, Islanders Talk, has been unable to discuss much else. VGC's response is characteristically its own: fescue and native grasses cut shorter than they'd prefer, and an alcohol spray solution left out like holy water in the locker room. Wipe your shoes, wipe your legs, go eat lunch. Organic problem, organic solution.

VGC’s soft-spoken innovation churns away off the golf course, too. Somewhere in the clubhouse offices, Eri's team is building a proprietary AI suite for club operations — not because technology is fashionable, but because eliminating friction for members, guests, and employees is another form of hospitality. RFID bag tags track every member's clubs while they're on property. A VGC-specific language model and chat function lets staff query on the fly — member locker numbers, standing tee times, who plays with whom on Tuesday mornings, dining preferences — all at the speed of a text. Inventory threads itself intelligently through the pro shop. A golf club that invented its own rules about how to treat the land is now quietly writing its own code. VGC is, in every meaningful sense, running on principles from one century and tools from the next.

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The VGC membership list is not public. Power brokers. Titans of industries polite enough not to announce themselves. A former U.S. President who, per club lore, refuses the local rule granting free relief from poison ivy and plays every lie exactly as he finds it. The club has no public social media presence — only a private Instagram shared among roughly 500 members and staff.

For many members, VGC is merely one arrow in a quiver of other impossible-to-get bag tags – Pine Valley, Augusta National, the list goes on as long as you like. The atmosphere, though, is nothing like that implies. The caddies throw barbs at each other and anyone within range. Upturned yellow plastic barrels bob in the irrigation pond beside the first tee, a nod to Jaws, which was filmed on the island. Eri, David, and the rest of the VGC team wear their pride lightly, the way people do when they've actually built something special and don't need anyone else to confirm it.

After nine holes, we stopped into the remarkably well-stocked snack shack at the base of the clubhouse. What I keep returning to is the Uncrustable. Whole wheat bread. Smooth, organic peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Edges crimped with a rustic flair that caught me off guard. Made on-site, with actual ingredients.

At its factory peak, the Uncrustable is the summit of processed golf snacking — that preposterous sealed circle from the freezer aisle is the best thing available at most clubs. This was something else: a humble thing made with disproportionate care. Somewhere around the fourteenth hole, I realized it was as precise a description of Vineyard Golf Club as I'd managed to find.

Both things are true here. A club clannish enough to run an Instagram account no one outside its gates has ever seen, yet progressive enough to build technology most modern clubs haven't conceived of. An organic golf course that responds to deer and ticks with the same philosophy it applies to everything else. A handmade Uncrustable and an AI stack assembled under the same roof on a Friday morning.

Vineyard Golf Club doesn’t seem interested in choosing between the past and the future. It plays both, as they lie.

Brooks Koepka has Withdrawn from the Rocket Classic

Riley Hamel — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 19:29:48 +0000

Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from this week’s Rocket Classic—with the playoffs right around the corner, here’s why that’s a big deal.

Brooks Koepka withdrew from the Rocket Classic on Tuesday, and with the playoffs right around the corner, his postseason hopes just took a huge hit.

Koepka, who most recently tied for 28th at The Open, currently sits 84th in the FedExCup Standings. The top 70 players will earn a spot in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of three playoff events, meaning the five-time major champion is currently on the outside looking in.

Next week’s Wyndham Championship is the final event of the PGA TOUR’s regular season, so if Koepka wants to play golf into late August, he’ll need a great week at Sedgefield Country Club. Last week, the Wyndham announced that Koepka had committed to the field.

He’s made three previous appearances at Sedgefield, highlighted by a tie for sixth in 2015.

When he utilized the Returning Members Program at the beginning of the year, Koepka agreed to forfeit any money from the FedExCup Bonus Program in 2026. That, however, doesn’t impact his earnings from tournament purses.

Jackson Koivun and Tommy Morrison Are Making a Case for College (and PGA TOUR U) Enrollment

Will Neary — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:08:44 +0000

Well, that happened fast. Less than two months ago, Jackson Koivun and Tommy Morrison were finishing up college. Now, they’re both winners on golf’s highest levels. Does college golf lead to professional success?

The PGA TOUR University Class of 2026 has hit the ground running. (Technically, I guess, they’ve hit the fairways walking?)The graduates–including Sunday’s winners Jackson Koivun and Tommy Morrison–are off to a blazing start. Their success makes a strong case for college golf as the best path to winning at the professional level.

Not everyone chooses that road. Tom Kim, who recently tallied his fourth PGA TOUR win at barely 24 years old, turned pro when he was just 15 years old. Akshay Bhatia–the same age as Kim–also decided to skip college and turn to pro golf when he was just 17. He’s won three times on TOUR, most recently at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

What I’m trying to say is, there is an argument to be made for both sides. There are success stories for those who decided college golf wasn’t their cup of tea, and turned professional at a younger age. But recently, it’s been PGA TOUR U’s graduates that have been making the most noise.

“(Tommy) and all the other guys in that class have been playing really well on the Korn Ferry Tour,” Koivun said Monday in an exclusive interview with Dan On Golf. “It’s just proving that the PGA TOUR U is something special.”

Whatever the PGA TOUR U and college golf have going on under the hood, they sure seem to be producing talent that is immediately ready for golf’s big leagues.

Morrison earned status on the Korn Ferry Tour by ranking 6th in PGA TOUR U, and has finished top-10 in all four of his professional starts. And he’s gotten better every time. After starting with a T10 at the OccuNet Classic, he rattled off a T5, solo 2nd, and a win. I guess next time he’ll just win by more? He’s already up to 8th in the KFT’s Points List and has all but guaranteed himself a PGA TOUR card for 2027.

Koivun, in his third start as a professional, now has a win and a T10 finish to his name (not to mention the three other top-10s he grabbed last summer as an amateur). He gained TOUR status via PGA TOUR U Accelerated, which allows you to tally points through awards and high finishes to get your card. In his three years at Auburn, Koivun earned enough for two TOUR cards.

There really doesn’t seem to be any need for adjustment. It’s almost like someone needs to remind these guys that they’re not in college anymore. This is supposed to get harder, at least for a little bit.

“I did feel a little difference being a pro,” Koivun said. “So it just took me about a week to get settled in. Then I played well last week, and said ‘We’ll get it done this week.’”

Well… I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to get harder for more than a week.

While Koivun and Morrison might be the class’s headliners (so far), they’re far from alone. Ben James finished T4 at the Corales Puntacana Championship in just his fifth professional TOUR start. Christiaan Maas, Jake Potter and Luke Summy have all snagged top-5s on the KFT. Lance Simpson–missing out on a KFT card by just one rank–has three top-10s in four starts on the PGA TOUR Americas.

And that was just me cherrypicking the best of the best. Needless to say, the kids are alright.

After his win at the 3M Open on Sunday, Koivun has his sights set on the FedExCup Playoffs. He currently sits at 70th–in the final playoff spot–with two events to play.

AIG Women's Open: Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu and Lydia Ko Headline Marquee Groups

Addie Parker — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:33:14 +0000

Set your alarms, because there's one last week of major championship golf to watch.

The 2026 major championship season has belonged to Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu.

No two players in history have won two different major titles in the same year, and for the final dance of the year, these two will go head-to-head in an all-star group that also features Lydia Ko, who is one of the most decorated champions in modern women's golf for the 50th iteration of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

It doesn't get any more premier than that.

Defending champion Miyu Yamashita will go off the afternoon wave at 1:15 pm local time alongside World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and Lauren Coughlin.

The group following them is another stellar trio in Charley Hull, Brooke Henderson, and Hannah Green.

Full List of Tee Times

1:30 AM ET — Alice Hewson, Amanda Doherty, Chloe Williams

1:41 AM ET — Amelia Garvey, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby

1:52 AM ET — Wei Ling Hsu, Aditi Ashok, Darcey Harry

2:03 AM ET — Anna Nordqvist, Cassie Porter, Sayaka Takahashi

2:14 AM ET — Minami Katsu, Yealimi Noh, Steph Kyriacou

2:25 AM ET — Carlota Ciganda, Karis Davidson, Maria Jose Marin (a)

2:36 AM ET — Ina Yoon, Alison Lee, Yunseo Yang (a)

2:47 AM ET — Jiyai Shin, Auston Kim, In Gee Chun

2:58 AM ET — Linn Grant, Jinyoung Ko, Kiara Romero (a)

3:09 AM ET — Sei Young Kim, Rio Takeda, Yuna Araki

3:20 AM ET — Hyojoo Kim, Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo

3:31 AM ET — Lottie Woad, Akie Iwai, Andrea Lee

3:42 AM ET — Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu

3:58 AM ET — Hye Jin Choi, Grace Kim, Mimi Rhodes

4:09 AM ET — Somi Lee, Esther Henseleit, Ayaka Furue

4:20 AM ET — Lindy Duncan, Amy Yang, Julia Lopez Ramirez

4:31 AM ET — Sophia Popov, Jenny Shin, Perrine Delacour

4:42 AM ET — Yan Liu, Shannon Tan, Yuka Saso

4:53 AM ET — Yani Tseng, Nastasia Nadaud, Alexandra Forsterling

5:04 AM ET — Arpichaya Yubol, Cara Gainer, Minji Kang

5:15 AM ET — I.K. Kim, Manon De Roey, Carolina Lopez-Chacarra

5:26 AM ET — Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Anna Zanusso, Justice Bosio

5:37 AM ET — Sara Kouskova, Soo Bin Joo, Annabell Fuller

5:48 AM ET — Pia Babnik, Anna Foster, Bel Wardle

6:14 AM ET — Jing Yan, Agathe Laisne, Lauren Walsh

6:25 AM ET — Kelsey Bennett, Weiwei Zhang, Kajsa Arwefjall

6:36 AM ET — Erika Hara, Chiara Tamburlini, Melanie Green

6:47 AM ET — Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Kana Nagai, Esme Hamilton

6:58 AM ET — Shiho Kuwaki, Helen Briem, Lucy Li

7:09 AM ET — Anna Huang, Jenny Bae, Paula Martin Sampedro (a)

7:20 AM ET — Lilia Vu, Shuri Sakuma, Rose Zhang

7:31 AM ET — Ariya Jutanugarn, A Lim Kim, Casandra Alexander

7:42 AM ET — Hinako Shibuno, Georgia Hall, Valentine Delon (a)

7:53 AM ET — Gaby Lopez, Chisato Iwai, Celine Boutier

8:04 AM ET — Ruoning Yin, Nasa Hataoka, Jennifer Kupcho

8:15 AM ET — Miyu Yamashita, Jeeno Thitikul, Lauren Coughlin

8:26 AM ET — Charley Hull, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson

8:42 AM ET — Maja Stark, Jinhee Im, Allisen Corpuz

8:53 AM ET — Min-sol Kim, Patty Tavatanakit, Megan Khang

9:04 AM ET — Pajaree Anannarukarn, Youmin Hwang, Leona Maguire

9:15 AM ET — Ashleigh Buhai, Fuka Suga, Dewi Weber

9:26 AM ET — Minsun7 Kim, Mi Hyang Lee, Nicole Broch Estrup

9:37 AM ET — Chanettee Wannasaen, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Yu Liu

9:48 AM ET — Ryann O’Toole, Robyn Choi, Charlotte Naughton (a)

9:59 AM ET — Nataliya Guseva, Noora Komulainen, Lauren Crump (a)

10:10 AM ET — Carla Tejedo Mulet, Diksha Dagar, Yana Wilson

10:21 AM ET — Daniela Darquea, Polly Mack, Gina Kim

10:32 AM ET — Aunchisa Utama, Ana Pelaez Trivino, Vanessa Bouvet

How to Watch

All times are eastern.

Thursday, July 30: 4:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (Golf Channel); 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (USA)

Friday, July 31: 4:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. (Golf Channel); 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (USA)

Saturday, August 1: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (USA); 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (NBC)

Sunday, August 2: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (USA); 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (NBC)

The Favorites, Sleepers, and Wild Cards to Watch at the AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:40:47 +0000

From proven major champions to under-the-radar contenders and players who could go either way, here's who deserves your attention this week at Royal Lytham.

I can't think of a better way to end the major season than with the AIG Women's Open—celebrating it's 50th iteration—at one of the most prolific courses in the UK. Because if there's one thing links golf loves, it's a surprise.

The unruly nature of this style of course has a funny way of turning unlikely contenders into major champions, rewarding the players who can embrace the chaos. And a venue like Royal Lytham & St Annes has delivered some of the best finishes in the championship's history. From Catriona Matthew capturing her career-defining major just 11 weeks after giving birth, to Georgia Hall delivering a breakthrough victory in front of a home crowd in 2018, the fairways here are storied.

One of the best parts about this major is that the player who lifts the trophy won't necessarily be the one with the most impressive resume, but the one who can navigate every unpredictable bounce, brutal bunker and difficult decision this historic links throws their way.

Here are the names we're watching a little bit closer this week and why.

The Heavy Favorites

Royal Lytham will favor those who can expertly land and place there shots in the right spots. This course is littered with bunkers, making things challenging enough, but throw in some wind and rain (which the forecast is predicting quite a bit of) and we're likely to be watching one of the more interesting weeks play out.

Some of the best ball strikers in the women's game have already cemented themselves with titles this year, can they capitalize on the final major of the season?

Haeran Ryu

Coming off back-to-back major wins at the KPMG Women's PGA Champion and the Amundi Evian Championship, Ryu has shown us exactly why her name deserves to be in heavy rotation this week. Though it is interesting to note that the 25-year-old has never competed in the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open (usually held right before the AIG), and has never had a finish better than a tie for 21st in a links competition.

Nelly Korda

The other major winner this season and the top-ranked player in the world, Nelly Korda will once again have a shot at completing the career grand slam this week.

Korda has undergone a frustrating few weeks, she left Hazeltine disappointed in her performance, she then missed the cut at Evian, and she had to grind through a tough test at Dundonald Links, but her final round was her best overall round in terms of her stats. She hit the most fairways and greens, showing improvement in her accuracy despite the windy conditions and carded a 3-under 69 to sneak inside the top-20.

Korda has been outside of the top-10 just three times all year.

Jeeno Thitikul

Despite having two wins on Tour this season, I still feel like the World No. 2 just hasn't had the year I would have like to have seen her have. Backing up a historic season collecting three wins and setting the Tour's lowest scoring average in history was always going to be a tough act to follow, but Thitikul is just so consistent in her playing style that I just always expect her to be in the mix.

She took some time off after Evian, and is coming into the week a bit fresher than most of the field. If she can find rhythm with her irons this week, I like her chances at making a charge.

Miyu Yamashita

Defending a title, let alone a major, is never easy, but Miyu Yamashita is one of the unlikely players that has a way of surprising you, and her AIG win last year was proof enough. To win your first LPGA title during one of the most historic weeks of the season during your rookie year is no small feat, and she's backing up her sophomore season with strong performances.

The Japanese star won the Meijer LPGA Classic last month, and has collected seven other top-10s, with her most recent just last week in Scotland. So it appears that the defending champ is going to put up a fight.

The Sleepers

A Lim Kim

With her bunny earmuffs in tow, A Lim Kim surged at the Women's Scottish Open, and I think the 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion has the potential to do it again this week. Though she has quite a bit of length off the tee, her towering iron shots and ability to maneuver the ball will be a strong suit at Royal Lytham.

Hyo Joo Kim

After winning is consecutive weeks earlier this season, it's been a little quiet for Hyo Joo Kim, but she's the type of player to emerge at the right time. As one of the short game players on Tour I think she possesses the skills to navigate Royal Lytham.

She finished T-16 last week in Scotland, and historically has played well at the AIG Women's Open, with her best finish came three years ago at Walton Heath in a tie for fourth.

Lauren Coughlin

Seeing LC's name atop the leaderboard last week at the Women's Scottish Open was unexpected, but not surprising. She has already shown a knack for links golf, winning the event back in 2024.

Her strength lies in her ability to control her ball and staying patient. She's had a rocky summer so far, but a top-10 finish ahead of a major week is a nice little confidence boost to remind herself, and us at home, that her game is actually a natural fit for Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Wild Cards

This might be the sneaky most important category, and I wouldn't be surprised if this year's champion is someone that flies under the radar. These are the gutsy, gritty players that love to scramble, and can make magic happen at any given moment.

Jenny Shin

The lady of the hour is Jenny Shin, who arrives at Royal Lytham & St Annes riding the biggest wave of momentum in the field. Last week, the LPGA veteran snapped a decade-long winless drought in storybook fashion, going wire-to-wire to capture the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open for just the second LPGA title of her career.

The obvious question is whether she can carry that form into the AIG Women's Open. Confidence is a powerful thing in golf, especially on links courses where conviction often matters as much as execution—and she said that she fell in love with links courses years ago at Carnoustie. Shin has proven she can handle the wind, the firm conditions and the mental grind that comes with links golf. Now, she'll try to do what only a handful of players have accomplished: turn a Scottish Open victory into a major championship run the very next week.

Charley Hull

Trying to categorize the Brit was quite challenging, but ultimately there's no better phrase for Charley Hull than wild card. Her golf game both bewilders and amazes me. She wastes practically no time hitting her shots, and when watching her, I feel like she's already thinking about the next hole.

She obviously will be a crowd favorite this week, and after finishing as the runner-up last year behind Yamashita, I think this is the title she wants more than anything.

They Weren't in the Field This Weekend, Now They're Playing the AIG Women's Open

Addie Parker — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:52:18 +0000

Meet the four English golfers who secured their places in the AIG Women's Open field after advancing through a dramatic Final Qualifying on Monday.

As if the last major of the year needed more of the ante being raised, the gauntlet of final qualifying came down to a dramatic finish. More than 100 players arrived at St Annes Old Links on Monday morning with hopes of clinching one of the final 13 spots available into this week's AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Getting into a major championship field is a win within itself, but doing so in the eleventh hour feels a lot sweeter for a select group of players. Four of those celebrations came from English players who will now get to tee it up in front of a home crowd.

Bel Wardle led the English charge after tying for medalist honors at 4-under, while amateur Lauren Crump, Annabelle Fuller and Jodi Ewart Shadoff also punched their tickets to the season's final major in golf's ultimate last-chance qualifier. (It is wild that the 18-hole gauntlet takes place just days before the first tee shot is struck.)

Eight players, who were all tied at 2-under par, went into a playoff to decided the final six spots available.

This championship has only seen a select few of its own claim the title, with Georgia Hall being the last one to do so at the 2018 Open, which also happens to be the last time it was held at Royal Lytham. Now seven years later, celebrating its 50th edition, the AIG galleries will have four more homegrown players to rally behind.

See the full list of final qualifiers below.