Welcome back to the Monday Finish, where we’re changing caddies and coaches, just looking for a spark. To the news!
GOLF STUFF I LIKE
Better than expected…
I began last week by floating a thought to several coworkers:
Is this the worst sports week of the year?
The NBA and NHL are well into their offseasons. The MLB is in its dog days. The NFL is still a meaningful distance away. And men’s professional golf has run out of majors, while the playoffs still sit a couple weeks away. With all due respect to the 3M Open, it felt at week’s beginning like a combination of post-holiday letdown and golf’s equivalent of NFL Week 18, where a few teams are clawing for playoff spots but the top seeds are already resting their stars.
But then something funny happened. A lot of somethings, really. A proper weekend of glorious golf chaos ensued. There were shocking, meaningful tournament winners across the board, from an LPGA debut to remember to a fitting Senior Open champ to a LIV pro in limbo to an Epson surprise all the way down to an Alps Tour winner out of nowhere. There was Caddie drama. Coaching switches. An electric debut. A rising star. A high schooler. Even a retiree? The golf world showed out, turning what could have been its least interesting week into a buffet of bizarre. All that weirdness — that’s golf stuff I like. Let’s get into it.
WINNERS
Who won the week?
Lottie Woad (and the hottest start possible)
Remember when 21-year-old English golf phenom Lottie Woad won the Women’s Irish Open a few weeks ago, beating a world-class field — as an amateur? Well, this week she turned pro ahead of the Women’s Scottish Open, a co-sanctioned LET and LPGA event. And then she won. By 3.
“It’s been pretty good, yeah. I don’t really know how to describe it. Just been shooting low scores, which is always nice,” she said, seemingly nonplussed by one of the most spectacular debuts in circuit history.
Better yet? Woad will now enter this week’s AIG Women’s Open as one of the favorites (the favorite, it turns out) and will look to complete an unlikely UK-and-Ireland triple with the Irish, Scottish and British Opens all in a few week’s time.
Kurt Kitayama (and his latest caddie)
We do not yet know the full story behind Kurt Kitayama‘s caddie Tim Tucker splitting with him following the week of their T5 at the John Deere Classic, nor what led up to the decision. But we do know the odd sequence of events that came next: Tucker filled in for Bryson DeChambeau at his LIV event in the UK this past week while Kitayama, with his brother on the bag, won the 3M Open — and changed his career trajectory in the process. He moved from No. 110 in the FedEx Cup to No. 53, guaranteeing himself a spot in the playoffs. He earned a multi-year winner’s exemption. He’s set thanks to one magical weekend.
“I’ve been pretty far out this entire year, and with only two events left, I just keep looking to improve and try and make my way in. Lucky I was able to get the win and that jumped me up huge,” he said.
Kitayama credited part of his turnaround to work with swing coach Chris Como. His weekend iron play was particularly spectacular; he led the field in strokes gained approach on both Saturday and Sunday en route to a 60-65 finish.
As for his caddie, older brother Daniel?
“The caddie change wasn’t my choice, actually, and so I had to find someone that I knew, that I trusted, and my brother’s been on the bag before. We won twice in Europe,” Kitayama said. “He’s always been around me at tournaments and whenever he can, so I figured that was going to be the best fit to finish the season.”
Padraig Harrington (and his fear)
Padraig Harrington won the ISPS Handa Senior Open at Sunningdale, a proper pairing for his U.S. Senior Open last month. No surprise: his winning press conference was just as good as his golf.
“As you get older, you realize a lot of things is legacy, and what you’ve done, and you want to win on a great golf course like Sunningdale,” he said. “You want to do things that stand out, and having won a real Open, coming out, winning the Senior Open, it does give some — it adds a validation. It’s certainly satisfying to do it, to extend your career that way.”
Harrington was asked if he ever relaxes while in contention; he admitted he didn’t have much of a warmup either weekend round and that, he said, may have helped him stay in the game.
“I don’t want to relax. That has cost me in the past. One of my worst traits is — I lost a Senior PGA a few weeks ago by relaxing. I get ahead of myself, and you know, sometimes when it’s an easy shot, easy tee shot, I can lose focus.
“So I want to stay hyped up. And to be honest, I think today, because I wasn’t comfortable with my swing, I never let my guard down. I was always into it and focused all day, and yeah, I think that fear really does help me, and certainly, I’m not one for wanting to be relaxed out there because I don’t think any of my best performances ever happened that way.”
The win, Harrington’s first Senior Open, comes after back-to-back Opens in 2007 and 2008. It also comes after two different runner-up finishes in this event.
“You start finishing in those positions and all of a sudden it becomes a bit of a millstone around your neck, if you know what I mean,” he said. “You know, the golden age for winning on the Champions Tour is kind of up to about 55, 56. So didn’t want to leave it a few more years or it would get tougher and tougher.”
Joaquin Niemann (and his new team)
Following last week’s Open Championship, Joaquin Niemann and two key members of his team — his longtime coach, Eduardo Miquel, and caddie Gary Matthews — split up under still relatively unclear circumstances. But the result was the same: for the fifth time in 11 LIV starts this year, Niemann emerged the winner.
The week was just the latest in a positively bizarre season for the 26-year-old Chilean, whose five top-10s on LIV have all been wins. (Jon Rahm, by contrast, has 11 top-11s in 11 starts but no victories.)
As for the breakups? Niemann was vague, saying things had been “a little weird” for a few weeks, citing “different emotions” throughout the week and admitting some uncertainty in working with Diego Salinas, his friend and new caddie.
“To be honest I was feeling a little bit nervous at the beginning of how everything was going to work,” he said. “It was a new situation, new communication with him, say the right things I want to say so he can understand me and same the other way.”
As for now? Niemann leads LIV’s points list and continues to make barrels of money. He’ll look to finish out the season in style. His only issue? His next chance to contend at a major championship (and truly change his global perception) won’t come for another eight-plus months.
“Anywhere that I go if I play my best game I know I can win. I think that’s the only thing that kind of matters for me, is to find that A-game more often,” Niemann said. “Yeah, it frustrated me a lot to not be playing good at the majors, you know, but I know I’m going to make it happen. I know I’m going to figure it out.”
Johnny Keefer (and his PGA Tour card)
A year ago Johnny Keefer had just finished up at Baylor. This week? He won the NV5 Invitational, moving to No. 1 on the Korn Ferry Tour’s points list and locking up his PGA Tour card for the 2026 season.
“I think obviously a lot’s happened since I turned professional. I got engaged, I’ve played in majors when I honestly didn’t expect to play in majors that quickly. I’ve won. A lot has changed. I think the biggest part about me that I’ve learned is that I stay pretty much the same for the most part,” he said.
Last summer, Keefer logged a preposterous nine top-five finishes in 10 starts on the PGA Tour Americas. This summer he’s shown himself to be the class of the Korn Ferry. Next stop? Taking on the best in the world.
Mia Hammond (and her post-high school future)
Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, 17-year-old Mia Hammond won the Epson Tour’s Greater Toledo Classic. Hammond, playing on a sponsor’s invite, shot 66-66-69 to win by one. Hammond is a member of the U.S. National Development Team and has committed to play college golf at Duke.
Victor Dubuisson (and his unselfish gesture)
More than a year after his surprise retirement, French golfer Victor Dubuisson showed up at an Alps Tour event — and won. In his first start since back-to-back WDs on the DP World Tour in late 2023, Dubuisson shot 62-65-61 to post 19 under; he’d ultimately win in a playoff.
“A lot of people will say that I could have done more and that I could have been World No. 1. But my strength is being satisfied with what I had. I’m happy with that. I don’t live in regret to dwell on all the time,” Dubuisson told L’Equipe post-retirement.
It was a particularly fitting touch, then, that Dubuisson turned down the winner’s check, worth roughly $9,000 in USD, “in a gesture of personal principle,” per the Alps Tour site. That first-place money went to runner-up Jorge Maicas of Spain.
Dubuisson leapt nearly 3,000 spots in the OWGR with the win, going from 4247 to 1486. No word on his follow-up act.
Scottie Scheffler (and his quiet $18 mil)
Scottie Scheffler did not play the 3M Open. Nor will he play the Wyndham Championship. But thanks to a blend of the end-of-season FedEx Cup standings ($10 million) plus the Comcast Business Tour Top 10 (another $8 mil) he’s in line for a nifty $18 million payday come Sunday. Not a bad direct deposit to get on your off-week — especially when you’re staring down the chance at $15 mil more in bonus money over the coming weeks.
NOT-WINNERS
A few notes on assorted others:
3M Runner-up Sam Stevens played his way into next year’s all-important top 50, leaping from No. 44 to No. 27.
Four golfers finished T3 and each got something important: Matt Wallace jumped from No. 123 to No. 92, an important step in retaining his PGA Tour card. David Lipsky moved from No. 115 to No. 88. Pierceson Coody’s finish earned him another start at this week’s Wyndham Championship. And Jake Knapp went from No. 55 to No. 47, inside the top 50 for now.
Justin Leonard, who played well at last week’s Open, made the cut and jumped 3,000 spots in the OWGR, followed that up with a runner-up at the Senior Open. Fun fact: his coach is Justin Thomas’ father, Mike.
“I was able to spend a couple days with Mike Thomas and just little mind things and trying to get a little more rotation in the clubface and stuff like that,” he said.
Hyo Joo Kim finished runner-up to Woad in Scotland, while Nelly Korda, still clinging to her World No. 1 rank, finished fifth in her final preparation for this week’s AIG Women’s Open.
And Bubba Watson made a ridiculous run on LIV, playing six holes in eight under par including two eagles featuring drivers off the deck en route to his best-ever LIV finish in solo second.
SHORT HITTERS
5 players in danger of missing the playoffs.
71. Nicolai Hojgaard (and No. 82 Rasmus Hojgaard)
It’s the first year the talented Danish twins have both been on the PGA Tour; they each also need a big-time result at the Wyndham Championship to make the playoffs. This could be their final Ryder Cup audition, too.
85. Adam Scott
Scott has been a mainstay in the FedEx Cup Playoffs since their inception, and based on his 54-hole position at the U.S. Open you’d assume he’d be a lock. But he slipped to T12 that Sunday. Despite just three missed cuts he’s missing a signature finish; Scott doesn’t have a top 10 all year.
89. Tom Kim
He’s just 23 years old but it feels like Kim’s had a career’s worth of experiences. This season has been discouraging for Kim, though; he has just one top-20 finish since February. He’s exempt through 2026, but he’ll need some magic in Greensboro — where he won in 2022 — to make it to Memphis.
101. Joel Dahmen
The fan favorite finished T2 at the Corales but then missed seven of his next eight cuts and then splitting with beloved caddie Geno Bonnalie. He’s shown signs of life these last two weeks but hasn’t strung four rounds together; perhaps this is the week.
106. Max Homa
Fear not, Homa Nation — Max is exempt on Tour for several years yet. But it is a bit strange seeing him on the outside looking in. He’ll need a top-two finish to change his fortunes.
RYDER CUP WATCH
Another top 10?!
It was a relatively quiet week on the Ryder Cup front, but two players made meaningful moves:
Chris Gotterup landed in Minneapolis on an absolute heater off a win at the Genesis Scottish Open and a third-place finish at the Open; he backed that up with a T10 at the 3M. He’s still just No. 20 in the Ryder Cup standings but he’s trending his way into the middle of the U.S. team discussion.
Matt Wallace has been steady if unspectacular and he sits on the outer edge of Team Europe’s bubble, but a T3 at the 3M has him hoping. If he doesn’t make the FedEx Cup playoffs it’ll be interesting to see if he goes point-hunting back in Europe before the team is settled. How much does he think about the Ryder Cup?
“Just a little bit, just a little bit,” he said, then gave up the bit. “Always. It’s the thing that gets me up in the morning. Whether it’s a good day, bad day, it’s the thing that drives me on. So from last week [at the Open, where he shot a Sunday 75] I was gutted not to have finished off what would have been a good week. It’s the thing that got me up on a Monday to go and practice and motivated me to go play well this week.”
TEAM USA RYDER CUP RANKINGS
1. Scheffler 2. Schauffele 3. Spaun 4. Henley 5. DeChambeau 6. English 7. Thomas 8. Morikawa 9. Griffin 10. Bradley 11. McNealy 12. Harman 13. Novak 14. Cantlay 15. Burns
TEAM EUROPE RYDER CUP RANKINGS (As of July 7)
1. McIlroy 2. MacIntyre 3. Fleetwood 4. Hatton 5. Lowry 6. Straka 7. R. Hojgaard 8. Rose 9. Aberg 10. Hovland 11. Wallace 12. Detry 13. Fitzpatrick 14. J. Smith 15. Rai
Complete standings here.
ONE SWING THOUGHT
From Max Homa.
On a different type of pressure:
“Yeah, I need to win. I really need to win because my wife’s pregnant and I need to go home. We have like, two weeks left,” Homa said earlier this week. “It’s a little extra stressful, but I think the only way that you can go out and win a golf tournament is by not exactly trying to win a golf tournament. So it’s a weird headspace. But I know what I need to do, I need to play unbelievable. Fortunately my game’s felt awesome the last month or so, so yeah, just got to, I don’t know, I don’t know how you just make yourself win. I’m just trying to keep doing what I’m doing and see what happens on a Sunday…”
He ultimately finished T39 at TPC Twin Cities; he’ll have one more chance this week.
ONE BIG QUESTION
What does it mean that LIV will stop paying fines?
The latest Telegraph report from the intersection of LIV and the DP World Tour is that LIV will halt its practice of playing player fines. Were everything else to remain the same, that would mean that LIV golfers who have maintained membership on the DPWT (think Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin) would have to pay their own fines or give up membership. That would have ramifications for the league itself as well as the 2027 Ryder Cup team and beyond.
The DPWT is in a tricky spot; LIV’s higher-profile players are some of the bigger draws on the European circuit, but letting them back onto the tour scot-free would risk alienating pros who’d remained loyal. There are also several dimensions at play here; it’s still plausible to imagine the Saudi PIF making a play at major DPWT investment between now and the 2027 Ryder Cup, for instance. Perhaps later we’ll have answers; for now we’ll just ask the question. What does this news mean?!
ONE THING TO WATCH
I’m not quite ready to leave Portrush behind; here’s our video with Shane Lowry, who didn’t repeat his 2019 magic but seemed to enjoy himself nonetheless:
NEWS FROM SEATTLE
Monday Finish HQ.
Our neighbor’s apples started falling this week, which is a sign that August is on the horizon. It also raises an interesting neighborhood etiquette debate. It’s vaguely annoying that these apples just pile up on the sidewalk and ultimately rot there. It’s also occasionally tempting. Can I grab one off the ground if it looks tasty? What about off the tree, if it’s about to drop? The mind wanders…
We’ll see you next week!
Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.
