WiretoWire: Russell Henley hits new heights at Bay Hill

Russell Henley doesn’t feel like a top-10 player in the world. The numbers say otherwise. Henley, 35, earned his fifth PGA TOUR title Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, carding 11-under 277 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge for a one-stroke victory over 54-hole leader Collin Morikawa, who was bidding for his first win since 2023. The tournament swung on Henley’s chip-in eagle at the par-5 16th hole, moving him from one behind to one ahead, and both players closed par-par to cement the final outcome. Henley hadn’t won on TOUR since 2022, but his game had built toward this point for some time; his confidence on the greens has increased through work with putting coach Phil Kenyon, and he bonded with several of the game’s stars as a Presidents Cup first-timer for the U.S. Team last fall at Royal Montreal. Henley has watched YouTube videos of several of these players like Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, he said Sunday, gleaning insights on how they approach certain parts of their game. That knowledge came to fruition at Bay Hill, where Henley (one of the TOUR’s shortest hitters) conquered one of pro golf’s brawniest tests. “I've just tried to focus on trying to be really, really good at what I'm good at, try to put myself in the best situation and try to knock on the door as much as I can and get as close to the lead as I can,” Henley said while donning the champion’s cardigan. Henley earns 700 FedExCup points for his triumph at the Signature Event, moves to No. 2 on the season-long FedExCup standings, and cracks the world top 10 (now No. 7) for the first time. Safe to say, Henley has arrived.

Karl Vilips earns first TOUR title at Puerto Rico Open

PGA TOUR rookie Karl Vilips hasn’t wasted much time acclimating to the game’s highest level. After graduating from Stanford last spring and earning his TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour last fall, Vilips closed the Puerto Rico Open with a final-round 64 to earn his first TOUR title in just his third start as a member (fourth overall). Vilips finished at 26-under 262 at Grand Reserve Golf Club, three strokes clear of Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who was making his PGA TOUR debut. Vilips was sidelined to begin the season due to injury, but he made back-to-back cuts upon his return in February and turned on the jets in Puerto Rico, carding 25 birdies and two eagles in an electric performance. Vilips, 23, earns 300 FedExCup points for the Additional Event victory and qualifies for THE PLAYERS Championship, contested in his adopted home region of northeast Florida. An added bonus for the Stanford alum who recently signed with Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red apparel brand: a congratulatory voicemail from Woods shortly after the victory was made official. “I couldn’t, like, process it in the moment,” Vilips laughed afterward. “I’ll get back to that later. That’s pretty cool.”

TPC Sawgrass primed for THE PLAYERS Championship

THE PLAYERS Championship promises another thrilling showdown as the world's best take on Pete Dye's Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler returns to TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course after becoming the first player to go back-to-back at THE PLAYERS in 2024. Scheffler shot a final-round 64 last year, to defeat Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman by one stroke. Scheffler will look to become the first player to three-peat at any TOUR event since Steve Stricker achieved such triumph at the John Deere Classic in 2011. Other past champions teeing it up at the TOUR’s flagship event include Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day. Schauffele, who made his first start since an offseason rib injury at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, will be teeing it up hungry for revenge and in pursuit of his first PLAYERS win, along with Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Åberg, Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay.

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Mic check

“It's fantastic, I think it was the only major that I wasn't qualified for yet and it feels awesome to get my spot there. There was a little question mark on my summer travel plans because of that, but I'm excited to get back to Royal Portrush, really liked playing there in 2019.” – Corey Conners on qualifying for The Open with his third-place finish at Arnold Palmer Invitational

By the numbers

17 – Los Angeles and Dallas golf fans can now experience the feeling of standing behind the 17th hole Island Green at TPC Sawgrass with Cosm and the PGA TOUR’s collaboration, which delivers THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP in shared reality.

2 – THE PLAYERS Championship is the second of six events in 2025 that features ESPN BET, a live betting stream on PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ that will provide key data, insights and betting analysis.

1 – Logan McAllister earned his first Korn Ferry Tour title Sunday at the Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank, carding 19-under 265 at Prince of Wales Country Club for a one-stroke win over Davis Chatfield. It marked McAllister’s first win in his 60th Korn Ferry Tour start and just his third of 2025 after beginning the year on conditional status.

9 – Steven Alker won the Cologuard Classic on Sunday for his ninth PGA TOUR Champions title, beating Long Island club pro Jason Caron with a 12-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff at La Paloma Country Club.

Comcast Business TOUR top 10

The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.