Rory impresses at Pebble Beach, A Lim Kim wins LPGA Opener | The Sunday Swing

The Sunday Swing 
February 2nd, 2025

Welcome back to another edition of the Sunday Swing presented by 2nd Swing Golf. This week was a busy one in the professional golfing world, as the PGA Tour hosted its second signature event from one of the most iconic courses in the world: Pebble Beach Golf Links. Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour was back in action this week to kick off the 2025 season at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Tournament History 

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has long been one of the most beloved events on the PGA Tour schedule. Founded by Bing Crosby and his friends back in 1937, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am has been bringing together some of the world's biggest icons along with the world's best golfers for almost 90 years.

With some of the smallest greens on the PGA Tour, Pebble Beach itself always provides dramatic and exciting finishes with approach play and short game at a premium. Sticking with the recent trend, the tournament format features two courses for the opening two rounds. Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach will both be played by the entire field before the conclusion of the pro-am. The previous five champions of this event are as follows:

2025 - Rory McIlroy (-21)
2024 - Wyndham Clark (-17)
2023 - Justin Rose (-18)
2022 - Tom Hoge (-19)
2021 - Daniel Berger (-18) 

The Big Swing 

This week the Big Swing belongs to Rory McIlroy. The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland came into this week having not played on the PGA Tour yet this season. His lone start came a few weeks ago at the Dubai Desert Classic where he finished in a tie for 4th. Rory’s week got off to an electric start at Spyglass Hill, where on the 119 yard par-3 15th hole, he hit a wedge from the tee that landed directly in the cup for a hole-in-one. He'd go on to card an opening round 66, placing himself just a couple shots off the day one lead. The luck of the Irish would continue later in the day when Shane Lowry arrived at the famous par-3 7th. His wedge skipped a couple of times on the green before finding the bottom of the cup for the second ace of the day.

After nearly perfect conditions on day one, the players faced a much different test on Friday. The winds were up and gusting and sideways rain began to fall as well, turning the beautiful Pebble Beach into a survival contest. McIlroy was able to do just that. Despite making four bogeys, Rory was able to salvage a 2-under par 70 thanks to an eagle at the par-5 18th. Continuing his strong play early in the season was Sepp Straka, who opened with back to back rounds of 65 and took the lead by three after two rounds.

Saturday’s conditions were a continuation from Friday with wind and rain impacting the players throughout the day. Straka’s lead was threatened throughout the day and was even lost at the midway point when he made bogeys at holes 10, 11, and 12. McIlroy and Lowry had both caught him at 15-under before Straka pulled away again with late birdies at four of his last five holes to card a 70. His late effort was good enough to get him a one shot lead over the pair of Irishmen, with Justin Rose, Tom Kim, and Cam Davis all just two back.

The weather improved again for the final round with the sun shining on the coastline. It took just one hole for Straka to lose control of the lead after a bogey at the opening hole. The final group of Straka, Lowry, and McIlroy would spend the majority of the front nine exchanging birdies and bogeys, all the while a long list of names chasing them in the groups ahead. Lucas Glover was among the chasers and he was putting together a good charge in the early going on Sunday. After birdies at 11 and 12, Glover moved to 3-under on his round and 16-under for the tournament. He remained there until making birdies at the final two holes to post 18-under in the clubhouse.

Meanwhile, McIlroy had caught fire as he began the back nine, making birdies at 10 and 12, then hit the drive of the week at the par-5 14th which would set him up to make a 20-footer for eagle. Standing on the 18th tee with a three shot lead, McIlroy was able to play the par-5 the traditional way in three shots and enjoy his walk up the coast. His approach from the fairway found the middle of the green, leaving him an easy two-putt par for the title. Lowry was able to close his final round with a birdie to shoot 68 and take second on his own at 19-under. 

For McIlroy, the victory marks his 27th on the PGA Tour, and his first since last season's Wells Fargo Championship. It also marks eight consecutive seasons with a win on the PGA Tour.

Winner’s Bag - Rory McIlroy 

Taylormade staffer Rory McIlroy picked up his 27th PGA Tour title on Sunday at the iconic Pebble Beach using a bag of all TaylorMade equipment. Off the tee, McIlroy games last years Taylormade Qi10 driver (9 degrees). Rory has tested the Qi35, but so far he has yet to make the change into the newest release. Same thing goes for his fairway metals, which consist of a 3-wood (15 degrees) and a 5-wood (18 degrees), both in the Qi10 head. Rory’s irons are technically a combo set, featuring a P760 4-iron, and TM “Rors” Prototype 5-9 iron. Around the greens, Rory carries four wedges, all of which are Taylormade MG4’s (46, 50, 54, and 60 degrees). On the greens Rory putts with a Taylormade Spider Tour X. One change that was documented before the week was that of the golf ball. Rory has typically played with a TP5x, but recently found that he liked the lower launch but spinner shots he could hit with his wedges using the TP5. This week he put it into play for the first time and the result was a two shot victory.

Key Stats:
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee- 1st
Strokes Gained: Approach to Green- 17th
Strokes Gained: Around the Green- 33rd
Strokes Gained: Putting- 7th 
Strokes Gained: Total- 1st 

In the World of Women’s Golf 

This week was an exciting one for LPGA fans as the season got off to a great start at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Similar to the PGA Tour’s Sentry Tournament of Champions, the field for this event consisted only of players who have won on the LPGA Tour in the last two seasons. While it is exclusive, the small 32-player field consists of the games best. Nelly Korda, Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, and Jin Young Ko are just a few of the superstars to headlined the field in Orlando. 

Another player with a major championship on her resume was A-Lim Kim of South Korea, who won the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open. Kim was the one who came out firing on Thursday, shooting a bogey free 7-under 65 to jump out to the early lead. Korda put herself behind the 8-ball early after only being able to muster a 1-under 71 on Thursday. However, Korda kicked it into gear on Friday, shooting 5-under 67. Kim kept her foot on the gas as well, shooting another round in the 60s in a 3-under 69. 

Korda’s strong play continued on Saturday as she posted her second consecutive round of 67, giving herself at least a chance on Sunday. Kim played great again in the third round and also posted 67, taking command of the tournament and opening up a three shot lead. 

On Sunday, Korda really made her charge. She made nine birdies, including the 18th, which moved her within one of Kim’s lead. Korda had two bogeys in her round that ultimately ended up being costly.

Kim was able to birdie three of the last four holes to get it to 20-under for the week and two shots clear of Korda. Linn Grant, the Swede also posted four under par rounds on the week, took solo 3rd at 15-under. The win for Kim marks just her third, but her second consecutive season with a victory.