Five players held a share of the lead at Royal Birkdale on Sunday. Ryan Fox was the only one who kept his nerve, and he did it with a 12-footer on the hardest hole on the course.
IN THIS ISSUE
Ryan Fox Wins the Open at 39. First Major, Biggest Putt of His Life.
Mazzoli Wins the Opposite-Field Event, Grabs a Tour Card
Srixon's New ZXi Irons Just Won a Major and Callaway's Opus Wedges Have Real Spin
Triangle Junior Golf Shines, Plus First Tee's Fundraiser and Local Course Notes
THE OPEN . ROYAL BIRKDALE
Ryan Fox Wins the Open at 39. First Major, Biggest Putt of His Life.
Ryan Fox rolled in a 12-foot birdie on the 18th at Royal Birkdale to win The Open Championship by one, his first major and the biggest win of a career that had topped out at the 2023 BMW PGA. Five different players held a share of the lead Sunday. Fox was the one who didn't blink.
The heartbreak belonged to Cameron Young, who posted a 64, sat in the clubhouse for two hours, and finished one back. Again. He was a shot short at St. Andrews in 2022 too. Sam Burns coughed up a 54-hole lead, and defending champ Scottie Scheffler couldn't get the putts to fall, sharing fourth with hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood. The son of an All Blacks legend is your Champion Golfer of the Year.
"You asked me to bring a trophy home, and I am, aren't I?"
$3.2 million. A claret jug. Champion Golfer of the Year. At 39.
PGA TOUR . CORALES PUNTACANA
Mazzoli Wins the Opposite-Field Event, Grabs a Tour Card
Italy's Stefano Mazzoli closed with a 66 and drained a 24-footer on the 72nd hole to win the Corales Puntacana Championship by one, his first PGA Tour win. He was four back entering Sunday. Overnight leader Todd Clements played his last six holes in 3-over and let it slip. Mazzoli accepted Tour membership on the spot, good through 2027.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Rahm Can Clinch This Week Jon Rahm could seal his third straight LIV Individual Championship at JCB this week if DeChambeau finishes worse than a three-way tie for second.
DeChambeau Goes Quiet Bryson lost a ball for triple bogey on 11, tied for 14th, and declined to speak to media for the fourth straight day after his Friday penalty.
LOOKING AHEAD
3M Open at TPC Twin Cities
The Tour heads to Blaine, Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, July 23-26. It's a birdie-fest layout with water in play on the closing stretch, so expect low numbers and a Sunday scramble. Names to watch: Cameron Young (fresh off a runner-up at Birkdale and hunting redemption), Sungjae Im, and Maverick McNealy.
Srixon's New ZXi Irons Just Won a Major
Ryan Fox won the Open with a bag full of tour-only Srixon gear, and the day after, Srixon officially launched the new ZXi lineup at the 3M Open. Three models: the ZXi7 players' iron with the upgraded Pureframe IQ damping, the ZXi5 with variable-face MainFrame tech for more ball speed, and the ZXiU utility. Retail pricing isn't confirmed yet, but the last generation ZX7 landed around $1,300 a set. Srixon has quietly been one of the best value plays in irons for years. This is a lineup worth demoing before you re-up on a bigger-name brand out of habit.
Callaway Opus SP Wedges: Real Spin, Tour Validated
The Callaway Opus SP wedge ($215) sits in the low-launch, high-spin bucket, and the new Spin Gen 2.0 face held spin steady even off damp grass in testing. The trick is the Spin Pocket, which shifts weight high to raise the CG for a flatter, more controlled flight. It posted Callaway's best-ever tour conversion, with 32 in play at the Scottish Open and Schauffele, Rahm, and Min Woo Lee all gaming them. Five grinds on offer. If you're a decent ball-striker chasing bite on tight pins, get fit for the grind before you buy.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Titleist GTS3 First Look GolfWRX's Club Junkie put the new Titleist GTS3 driver through its paces if you're shopping the low-spin end of the GTS line.
Pinecrest High Finishes Second at the PGA Girls National Invitational
North Carolina had a hometown story at the PGA High School Girls Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst, July 11-13. Pinecrest High School (Southern Pines) finished runner-up to California, and local product Ira Joshi tied for third individually at 7-under. The event ran on Pinehurst Nos. 1 and 5, with the Boys Invitational following July 18-20 on Nos. 5 and 6. This is year two of a three-year Pinehurst run for the event. Good sign for the region's junior scene.
First Tee Triangle Launches Chip In for Change
First Tee Triangle kicked off its inaugural Chip In for Change fundraiser, pitting five Triangle clubs against each other to raise more than $40,000. Teams from Wakefield Plantation, Pine Hollow, North Ridge, Carolina Country Club, and Raleigh Country Club are each targeting $8,000. If you're a member at any of those, this is the easy ask. The money funds golf and life-skills programming for kids across the Triangle.
Old Chatham's U.S. Girls' Junior Delivered a Local Story
The U.S. Girls' Junior at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham gave the Triangle a hometown run: Anna June Hannant of Pikeville reached match play and kept advancing before a Missouri player halted her in the quarterfinals. Raleigh's Jenna Kim fell 3 and 2 in the first round to Jade Lee. Still, having a USGA championship on a course this good, this close to home, is the kind of week that makes the Triangle a real golf market.
Wildwood Green Running No-Fee Tee Times
Wildwood Green Golf Club in North Raleigh is posting no-fee tee times right now. It's a par-70 John LaFoy design, 6,500 yards, slope 129, and a solid quick-round option if the bigger tracks are booked or over budget this summer. Not a bucket-list course, but a fair test and easy to get on.
ALSO THIS WEEK
Burke County Open Goes 54 Holes The Burke County Open runs entirely at Silver Creek July 24 for the first time as a 54-hole event, with the entry deadline this Tuesday.
That's your read this week.
Tour intel, gear picks, and local course intel — every Monday.
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