Weekend: Detry Continues His Ascent
Belgium has a tour winner and strong Ryder Cup contender. Plus, a bunch of notes from the last Phoenix Open in its traditional form, along with international wins by Li, Oh, Geary, Newman and Raad.
A runaway. A mismatch. A never-in-doubter.
That was Thomas Detry’s win at the WM Phoenix Open. Only when a golf tournament is a runaway, the inherent qualities of a time-tested design, firm conditions and a 36-hole cut will make the entire spectacle a far more satisfying event than the dreck that followed from New Orleans.
Funny, if the PGA Tour was something other than a marketing operation obsessed with reaching 16-year-olds, the drones overpaid to protect the “product” from visionless players might recognize the terrificness of last week at TPC Scottsdale. The 90th WM Phoenix Open marked the end of an era. Monday’s open qualifying would be the last before next year’s field sizes shrink and the event will be reduced from the 132 (who could not finish by Friday evening despite an absence of frost delays or wind).
Friday’s 36-hole cut delivered genuine old-school drama that players, the Commissioner, and marketing point-missers have been working overtime to eradicate. You know, in the name of keeping “stars” hang around for the weekend when they’re going through the motions if not in contention. Even a military-grade moron could have detected the tension and drama delivered by the full field facing a cut. All they had to do was watch amateur Luke Clanton miss an 18th hole birdie putt. A three on the almost-driable par 4 would have vaulted Clanton to the weekend and PGA Tour status with a clinching point in the PGA Tour’s “accelerated” university program. But the 20-footer slid by on the high side and Clanton was visibly crushed at the lost opportunity. He’ll be fine. But in terms of spectating, it delivered.
In the same group and taking his sweet, sweet time—at least 90 seconds to decide on a wedge shot from a perfect lie improved by multiple mashes behind the ball—Nick Dunlap birdied the last to make the cut. It might be the thing that turns around his season even as the second-year rising star finished T57.
The next group saw Hideki Matsuyama drive into the middle of the 18th’s lake only to earn a reprieve from Jordan Spieth and Nick Taylor. The playing partners felt Matsuyama’s drive had somehow crossed land, then took a hard hook left to its final resting spot mid-lake. Their generosity allowed Matsuyama to drop from 180 yards out, make par, and reach the weekend where he finished T25 to build momentum into this week’s Genesis title defense. ShotLink also found a more accommodating final resting spot compared to what spectators and television viewers witnessed:
Those quibbles aside, the Thunderbirds put on another classic old-school Phoenix Open with continued support from a strong sponsor and huge crowds (again). Next year it won’t be quite the same. And for what?
As for Detry (-24), he was already in the Masters off of a top-four finish in last year’s PGA. The holder of one of golf’s most beautiful swings earned his first PGA Tour victory at age 32 thanks to birdies on the final four holes, separating him by seven strokes over Michael Kim and Daniel Berger. Detry joins a premium list of runaway winners in the Phoenix, topped by Johnny Miller’s otherworldly 14-shotter in 1975. Poor Arnold Palmer only won by 12 in 1962.
Detry has also moved into Ryder Cup contention. He started the week 28th on the European list and moved to 6th on the list (according to Nosferatu’s computations). Detry also continues a sensational 2025 start by non-Americans. Five of the first six Tour events have been won by international players: The Sentry (Japan/Matsuyama), Sony Open in Hawaii (Canada/Nick Taylor), The American Express (Austria/Sepp Straka), the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Northern Ireland/Rory McIlroy) and WM Phoenix Open (Belgium/Thomas Detry).
Also…
In just his second start since August’s wrist surgery, Jordan Spieth (T4/-16) recorded his best finish since a third-place finish at the 2024 Sentry. He is playing this week’s Genesis at Torrey Pines on a sponsor’s invite.
Will Chandler, who earned a spot in the field via the Open Qualifier (R.I.P.), finishes T6 after his first made cut in third career PGA Tour start as a card-holding rookie.
Runners-up Berger and Kim played their way into this week’s Genesis Invitational as part of the AON Swingriskrewardthingymajiggy.
With no room to add a tee, the par 4 18th at TPC Scottsdale has become a drive and flip-wedge for most of the field and a strange conclusion to rounds. A testing reboot taking effect in 2028 might make the lake and bunkers meaningful again. But don’t forget: the PGA Tour and PGA of America are opposed to the horrors of players facing meaningful strategy in the name of selling $800 drivers.
Last year’s double major-winner Xander Schauffele remains on the sidelines with a rib injury. 🤔
The PGA Tour issued a statement thanking President Donald Trump for offering to help seal a deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Judging by the social comments sections—always risky—they did not win over new fans. Except for Brandel Chamblee.
Haotong Li Returns To The Winner’s Circle
Haotong Li claimed his fourth DP World Tour title with a final hole birdie to edge Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen by one in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by one stroke.
Li looked to be cruising to victory after doubling his overnight lead to four strokes by birdieing the first two holes at Doha Golf Club. But a seesaw battle with Neergaard-Petersen—a Continental Europe member of the recent Team Cup—kept things interesting. Reportedly. I put my Middle East viewing in with LIV this week, regrettably.
“It’s an emotional one,” Li said of the win. “Seems like everyone is quite emotional. I’ve been playing really well. I handled my emotions quite nicely, especially on that back nine. It was quite tough for me and those bogeys were hard to swallow. But I kept telling myself I was still in it here and I just keep hitting my shots.”
Li was once ranked as high as No. 32 in the world but had fallen to No. 300 entering the Qatar event. He’ll cut that ranking in half with his win.
Meronk Goes Wire To Wire In Revolting Riyadh
Cleeks GC’s Adrian Meronk won what was quite possibly the worst-looking, most dystopian, nightmarish excuse for a golf tournament ever contested. The 31-year-old from Poland led wire-to-wire and finished 17-under-par, two clear of Jon Rahm and Sebastian Munoz.
The LIV season opener was contested under the lights and in front of almost no galleries each day. The greens at refulgent Riyadh Golf Club appeared largely unputtable due to turf and topdressing issues. Balls would roll to a stop, then settle into a nice cabbage gap. (Dear H.E., please tell the Crown Prince to resist decapitating the lad…it could be a subsurface issue. Or your hellish climate and generally crappy karma.)
The good news for LIV or even the USGA who mysteriously validated the circuit last week with exemptions while playing 54-hole garbagefests?
Despite playing a clunker like the Air Riyadh Cabbage Putting Crapfest with lowly Anthony Kim again battling Kevin Na for last place, no one watched.
Vic Open: Oh Comes From Seven Back At 13 Beach
Back to being the lone tournament with both men and women playing the same course, the Vic Open may have featured the weekend’s best performance. In brutal weather conditions at 13th Beach, Su Oh came from seven back with a final round 74 to win. The 28-year-old was tied for second place when signing for her two-over-par round and waited two hours to find out if she’d win.
South Korean-born but a full-fledged Melbournian, Oh watched as Japan’s Shina Kanazawa and Madoka Kimura faced horrible conditions when they arrived.
Martin Blake with more on Oh’s win at the 13th Beach.
On the men’s side, New Zealand’s Josh Geary clinched the 2025 Vic Open with his Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title in almost 12 years. Speaking to the treacherous conditions, Geary closed with a 6-over-par 78 to finish at 13-under-par and four strokes clear of Connor McKinney.
“It's the hardest round of golf I've had to play,” Geary said. “If you’d asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow and still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you're dreaming, but that's just how hard it was.”
Paul Munnings with more on Geary’s win.
In somewhat related news, Golf Australia announced the end of its mixed Australian Open.
Newman Comes Out On Top In The Africa Amateur
Bryan Newman of South Africa won the Africa Amateur Championship at Leopard Creek by two over Zimbabwe’s Keegan Shutt. Newman earns an exemption into The Open at Royal Portrush, along with spots in The Amateur Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
After starting with a five-stroke lead, Newman got off to a rough start before a key birdie at the 13th was enough to offset closing bogeys at Nos. 16 and 17.
“It feels really amazing,” the 17-year-old champion said. “It's so special. To do it here at Leopard Creek makes it even more special. “It's just such a privilege playing here at Leopard Creek, definitely the best course in South Africa, maybe in Africa as well, but it's also special playing with all the other players around.”
Newman entered the week ranked 1135th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Raad Wins Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational
Gia Raad captured the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational title by two strokes over her fellow South African Bobbi Brown.
With the win Raad earns starts in The Women’s Amateur Championship, Final Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open and three professional events. Raad, who finished third in last year’s inaugural playing and overcame a second hole double bogey en route to the win.
“It feels surreal. It's been a very quick week, I'm not going to lie,” Raad said of her final round 71. “But today was a tough day, and I'm just really, really happy. I don't really have the words to describe it.”
Raad turns 18 on Tuesday and is committed to attend Auburn in 2026.
Finally: I did not want to put a damper on this weekend’s action by sharing this massive news earlier. New LIV Golf on-course commentator Pat Perez, whose nasally first effort had me yearning for his fellow on-course walkers Su-ann Heng and Dom Boulet, confirmed that shorts are no longer allowed in LIV events. Thoughts and prayers to all the game growers and weirdos who enjoyed seeing Ian Poulter’s OB stakes-for-legs.
Happy Genesis (at Torrey Pines for a year) Monday,
Geoff
Seemed like everyone at the WM was hitting 330 yard drives and 230 yard 6 irons. Maybe it’s the dessert air. It’s one thing when Rory hits it 330 but it gets pretty boring when half the field does it. And there’s no such thing as a long par 4 or 3-shot par 5.
Monahan, Scott and woods went to kiss the ring. I’m shocked,shocked I say. Vile