"The Starter" recaps the week gone by in golf. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights for RG. This week, Elliott breaks down Ben Griffin's maiden PGA Tour victory at Colonial, Ángel Cabrera's historic senior major double, and Chisato Iwai's commanding LPGA debut win.
PGA TOUR: Griffin Finally Breaks Through at Hogan's Alley
Ben Griffin stood over a four-foot par putt on the 72nd hole at Colonial Country Club, knowing that missing it would likely send the Charles Schwab Challenge into a playoff. Just moments earlier, Matti Schmid had holed an improbable chip shot from the deep rough behind the green for birdie, turning what seemed like a comfortable victory into a nail-biting finish.
Griffin, positioned awkwardly in the bunker and choking down on his club, had managed to get his own chip close enough to give himself a chance. As the 29-year-old from North Carolina settled over the putt, the weight of seeking his first individual PGA Tour victory was palpable. The stroke was pure, the ball found the center of the cup, and Griffin finally had his breakthrough moment.
The final margin was just one shot, with Griffin finishing at 12-under 268 after a challenging 1-over 71 in brutal conditions. Wind gusts around 30 mph at Hogan's Alley made scoring difficult for everyone in the field, but Griffin managed to hang on despite both he and Schmid struggling through the final round.
"I'm just really grateful," Griffin said afterward, reflecting on a journey that included a team victory at the Zurich Classic just a month earlier alongside Andrew Novak.
That win in New Orleans had given him a taste of PGA Tour success, but this individual triumph at one of golf's most respected venues carried different significance entirely.
The week began with Griffin and Schmid matching each other shot for shot through the first three rounds, an unusual occurrence that set up Sunday's dramatic finale. Schmid, the 27-year-old German making his 79th start on Tour while still seeking his first victory, had actually taken a three-shot lead during Saturday's third round before Griffin fought back.
Sunday's final round became a test of nerves as much as skill. Griffin opened with an eagle and a birdie to build a five-shot cushion after just five holes, seemingly putting the tournament away early. But golf at Colonial rarely allows for comfortable victories, and Schmid gradually chipped away at the deficit throughout the afternoon.
The pivotal moment came at the par-4 16th, where a two-shot swing brought Schmid within one stroke of the lead. Griffin managed to restore his two-shot advantage heading to the final hole, but Schmid's miraculous chip-in birdie at 18 ensured the drama would continue until the very last putt.
For Schmid, who shot 72 and had six bogeys and a double bogey to go with six birdies, it represented another near-miss in what has been a career filled with close calls. The German's aggressive play and never-say-die attitude earned him plenty of admirers, even in defeat.
Hometown Hero Scheffler Falls Short of Historic Three-Peat
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the week as the sentimental favorite, playing in his home state just one week after capturing the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. The three-time major winner was attempting to become the first player since Dustin Johnson eight years ago to win three consecutive starts, while also extending his remarkable streak of top-three finishes at Colonial to four years.
Despite beginning Sunday six shots behind the co-leaders, Scheffler mounted a respectable charge with a 3-under 69 that included two birdies and just one bogey. However, it wasn't enough to match his spectacular Saturday surge from 10 shots back that had brought him into contention.
Scheffler finished tied for fourth at 8-under, one shot behind Bud Cauley, who posted the day's best round with a 67. While the result ended his winning streak, it demonstrated the remarkable consistency that has made him golf's dominant force over the past several years.
The week also saw Rickie Fowler struggle to find his form, with the former Ryder Cup star never threatening the leaders. Fowler's round unraveled completely at the par-5 11th hole, where he made a devastating 7 that effectively ended his chances. The 74 was a disappointing finish for a player ranked 127th who had been in the top 25 as recently as early 2024.
PGA Senior Championship: Cabrera's Remarkable Senior Major Double
While the PGA Tour was battling wind at Colonial, Ángel Cabrera was making history at Congressional Country Club in the Senior PGA Championship. The Argentine legend captured his second senior major in just six days, following up his victory at the rain-delayed Regions Tradition in Alabama with a dramatic one-stroke triumph in Maryland.
Cabrera's path to victory was anything but straightforward. Trailing Padraig Harrington by two strokes after the Irishman rolled in a long birdie putt at the 14th hole, the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters champion found himself needing something special to claim the title.
That something special came in the form of a crucial two-shot swing at the par-4 15th hole. Harrington made double bogey, while Cabrera responded with a birdie to take the lead for the first time all day. When Harrington bogeyed the final hole, Cabrera needed only a closing bogey to secure the victory, which he duly provided.
The 54-year-old finished at 8-under 280 after a final-round 69, with Harrington and Thomas Bjorn sharing second place at 7-under. Retief Goosen, Jason Caron, and Stewart Cink finished another stroke back in a tie for fifth.
For Cabrera, who had endured well-documented personal struggles in recent years, the back-to-back major victories represented a remarkable redemption story. His first senior major at the Regions Tradition had been emotional enough, but to follow it up immediately with another major championship demonstrated the competitive fire that made him such a formidable player during his prime years.
LPGA Tour: Iwai's Dominant LPGA Debut Victory
Across the golf world in Mexico, 22-year-old Chisato Iwai was putting on a clinic at the LPGA's Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba. The Japanese rookie entered Sunday's final round one shot behind 54-hole leader Jenny Bae, but quickly made it clear that this would be her day.
Iwai's start was nothing short of spectacular, birdieing five of her first six holes to seize control of the tournament. She made the turn in 31 and added another birdie at the par-3 10th to reach 12-under, building a commanding six-shot lead that would only grow larger as the day progressed.
The final-round 66 was the low round of the week by two shots, and Iwai's six-shot victory margin matched the largest on the LPGA Tour this season. She finished at 12-under total, with Bae shooting 73 to finish second at 6-under, while Haeji Kang claimed solo third at 5-under.
What made the week even more special was the presence of Iwai's identical twin sister, Akie, who finished tied for 16th at 2-under. Akie, older by one minute, has two runner-up finishes this season but watched her sister reach the winner's circle first. The emotional celebration on the 18th green, with Akie dousing her sister in champagne, provided one of the week's most heartwarming moments.
"My mental is so calm, every day, every time," Iwai said after her victory. "It was just calm. Good play."
The victory comes at the perfect time for Iwai, who will head to next week's U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills with newfound confidence and momentum. Having tied for 19th at last year's U.S. Women's Open, she'll enter the major championship as one of the form players in the field.
Iwai becomes the third rookie to win in 2025, the fifth first-time winner, and the 20th LPGA player from Japan to capture a tour victory. Her journey to this moment included overcoming adversity, including a two-shot slow-play penalty in Utah just a month ago that contributed to a missed cut.
Looking Ahead
As the golf world prepares for next week's action, these three victories serve as reminders of the sport's unpredictable nature and the dreams that drive its participants. Griffin's patient pursuit of his first individual victory, Cabrera's remarkable late-career resurgence, and Iwai's breakthrough performance all represent different chapters in golf's ongoing narrative.
The game continues to produce compelling storylines across all its major tours, with established stars like Scheffler setting the standard while newcomers like Griffin and Iwai announce their arrival on the biggest stages. For fans of the sport, weeks like this one demonstrate why golf remains endlessly fascinating, capable of producing drama, emotion, and inspiration in equal measure.
Brendon Elliott, a distinguished PGA Professional, is best known for his dedication to the growth and development of junior golf. With nearly three decades of experience, Elliott has been recognized multiple times as one of the best instructors, both regionally and nationally.
Elliott's crowning achievement was being named the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award Winner, a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication. He is the founder of Little Linksters, an award-winning youth golf academy and nonprofit that works with kids of all abilities to help them develop a passion for golf. His innovative teaching methods and love for the game have made significant impacts on students and the broader golfing community.
Additionally, Brendon, a Golf Writers Association of America member, has become a renowned freelance golf writer, further solidifying his position as a top professional in the industry.
