THE PLAYERS Championship

Cameron Smith gets 5th PGA Tour win

Cam Smith - The Players by the numbers

- [ ] Smith led the PLAYERS field in average proximity to the hole from 50-125 yards, averaging 9 feet, 1 inch, while ranking fifth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+1.66 per round).

- [ ] Finished with the most one-putts every by a PLAYERS champ (42), while one-putting eight of his final nine holes Monday.

- [ ] Cameron Smith played 26 holes Monday at TPC Sawgrass, making 11 birdies – including 10 over his final 18 holes, the most final-round birdies ever by a PLAYERS Champion – in claiming the biggest victory of his career.

- [ ] With the win, Smith moves to No. 6 in the World Ranking, his highest position ever. 

Cam Smith - WITB

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees @16, D4 SureFit)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

7-wood: Titleist TS2 (18 degrees @19, D4 SureFit)

Shaft: UST Elements Red 8F5 (X)

Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (3), Titleist T100 Black (5-9)

Shaft: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Matte Black

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-10S)

Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Super Tack

Jin Young Ko wins again. Ko birdies 5 of the last 6 holes and wins for the 6th time in her last 10 starts while setting multiple scoring records with 15 straight rounds in the 60’s and 30 consecutive rounds under par.

Ryan Brehm wins Puerto Rico Open for his 1st career win.

API final round scoring avg of 75.481 (2nd highest since 1983)

Rory is whining

Scottie Scheffler wins for the 2nd in 3 starts! Caddie Tedd Scott

Scottie Scheffler WITB

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (8 degrees)

3-wood: Nike VR Pro (13.5 degrees)

Utility: Srixon Z U85 (3)

Irons: Srixon ZX7 (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F, 60-06K)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Special Select Timeless Tourtype GSS Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

PIP results! Tiger Wins!!!!

Next Up: The Players Championship

Notable absences:

Phil Mickelson - ?????

Rickie Fowler - GARBAGE

Bryson Dechambeau - injury

Kevin WD - wife scheduled to give birth

Saudi Tour announcements ???

More Phil fallout

- KPMG - gone

- Callaway - Pause

- Amstel light - gone

- Host of Amex - gone

Greg Norman responds to PGA about banning players

Zach Johnson Ryder Cup Captain 

- Did they pass on Phil?

Miguel Angel Jimenez 2 aces in route to win

Berger collapses and Sepp Straka stands up to get 1st win

Downpour on 18 was crazy

Driver testing 

Jason Day officially signs Bridgestone ball deal

- Tour B X

Bryson still a no go means no par 5s will be driven this week 

Straka WITB

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (9 degrees)


Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li White 60 TX



3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)


Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX 



Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (19 degrees)


Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 80 TX 



Irons: Srixon ZX7 (4-9)


Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 



Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (46, 52, 56, 60)


Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold



Putter: Odyssey Stroke Lab Tuttle 



Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond



Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

The Phil Show

- Speaks his mind about Saudi League

- Issues apology

- loses KPMG sponsorship

There is bad money everywhere, Turing a blind eye doesn’t make it ok

Korn Ferry Tour - LECOM Suncoast Classic

Byeong Hun An wins despite bogey on the final hole.

Unfortunate 4 putt by Michael Gellerman on hole 18.

Champions Tour - Chubb Classic

Bernhard Langer goes wire to wire

Shoots his age in the first round (64)

LA Open review

- Kikuyu grass

- Guys changing wedges

    - JT puts a K grind in play

- Heel relief K grind

- Fowler puts in a TM putter

Morikawa - Last 5 starts on PGA Tour

CJ Cup - 2

ZOZO - 7

Hero - 5

TOC - 5

Genesis - 2

NOT TOO SHABBY!

Joaquin Niemann’s swing WOW!!!

Joaquin Niemann’s WITB

Driver: Ping G410 LST (10.5 degrees @10) (CG shifter neutral, D5+)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 X (45.75 inches, tipped 1 inch)

3-wood: Ping G425 Max (14.5 degrees @14.9)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

7-wood: Ping G425 Max (20.5 degrees @20)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X

Irons: Ping iBlade (4-9)

Shafts: Project X 6.0

Wedges: Ping Glide 3.0 (46), Glide Forged Pro (52, 56, 60)

Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46), DG Tour Issue S400 Golf Pride (52, 56, 60)

Putter: Prototype Ping PLD Anser

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Scottie Scheffler gets his first career win in Scottsdale!

Korn Ferry Tour - Bogata Colombia

Brandon Matthews Wins Astara Golf Championship

Utah updates

- Peter Kuest T45

- Patrick Fishburn T54

- Daniel Summerhays MC

DP World Tour - The Ras Al Khaimah Classic

Ryan Fox dominates for the win.

- 5 shot win

Saudi Tour Rumors

- Bryson and Phil are rumored to join?

- At least 7 big players rumored to switch over

PGA Tour - WM Phoenix Open

WM Open notes

- Preston Summerhays MC

Scottie Scheffler outlasts the field for his first win!

It took a 3 hole playoff against Patrick Cantlay, but he gets it done.

- He made 17 birdies over his final 36 holes of regulation, 12 of them coming on TPC Scottsdale’s back nine.

- birdied four of his final six holes in a closing 4-under 67 to force the playoff

- leading the field in putts per green in regulation (1.66) and ranking second for the week in Strokes Gained: Putting (+6.49)

Our Thoughts on the WM Phoenix Open?

Scottie Scheffler WITB

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (8 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: Nike VR Pro (13.5 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 8 X

Utility: Srixon Z U85 (3)

Shaft: Nippon Pro Modus3 Hybrid Tour X

Irons: Srixon ZX7 (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F, 60-06K)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Special Select Timeless Tourtype GSS Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Putting methodology

Marquee players offered big dollars to play Saudi/ Asian tour

Bryson Dechambeau - 130 million

DJ - A lot

Ian Poulter - 30 million

Jordan Spieth plays with stomach bug but Zalitorus has to withdraw with Covid

Leona Maguire wins the LPGA Drive On Championship and becomes the Irish winner on the LPGA Tour.

Carson Young wins The Panama Championship on the KFT for 1st career win.

Harold Varner III

Hoge - by the numbers

Over his final round, Hoge hit 12 of 14 (85.7%) fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation – including his last 10 GIRs, with seven of those approaches finishing inside 20 feet.

Tom Hoge WITB (first week with new putter)

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (9 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist TS2 (13.5 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Blue 8 X

Hybrid: Titleist 913Hd (18.0 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 904HB X

Irons: Titleist 620 CB (4), 620 MB (5-PW)

Shafts: Project X 6.5

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (52-08F, 56-08M), Vokey WedgeWorks (60-T)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

WITB - Harold Varner III

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 6.5

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX TX

7-wood: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black

Irons: Srixon ZX7 (4-PW)

Shaft: TrueTemper Dynamic Gold X100

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50, 54, 58)

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 7 S

Ball: 2021 Titleist Pro V1x

Golf clubs testing

Callaway triple diamond LS

Cobra LTD

This is our review for the week of January 27-30, 2022

Lydia Ko wins with a new setup in the bag

Viktor Hovland Wins Dubai desert classic

Rory squanders victory

- 17, drivable par 4 - Par 4

- 18, par five, bogey 6

Luke list wins the Farmers

Luke List WITB

Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 (9 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 80 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 80 TX

Utility iron: Callaway X Forged UT Prototype (19 degrees)

Shaft: KBS Tour V 125

Irons: PXG 0311 ST Gen4 (4-PW)

Shafts: KBS Tour V 125

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F,  54-14F)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedge: Titleist Vokey 2022 Wedgeworks Proto (60-T)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey O-Works 1W

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Viktor Hovland WITB

Viktor Hovland what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2022 Dubai Desert Classic. Thanks to SMS on Tour for the photos. 

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees @8.4)

Shaft: Fujikura Speeder TR 661 TX (45.5 inches, tipped 1/2 inch)

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM (15 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

 Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 9 X

Irons: Ping i210 (4-PW)

Shafts: KBS Tour V 120 X (4-PW)

Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro (50-SS, 56-SS), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 WedgeWorks (60)

Shafts: KBS Tour V 130 X

Putter: Ping PLD DS 72

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

There was a lot of golf being played this weekend!

Akshay Bhatia wins on the Korn Ferry Tour

PGA Tour Champions first event - Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Miguel Angel Jiménez wins in a playoff over Australian Steven Alker

LPGA Tour: Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona

Danielle Kong takes over in the final round.

Derek Lowe beats Anika in a playoff to win the celeb division.

DP World Tour: Thomas Pieters gets back in the winners circle at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Tyrrell Hatton does not like the 18th hole at Yas Links

PGA Tour: Hud Swafford wins The American Express with a hot putter!

Jon Rahm was not a fan of the course setup.

Equipment:

Stealth review

Jordan and Weston

Hudson Swafford WITB

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth (9 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke

3-wood: Ping i25 (14 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 125 MSI 80 TX

5-wood: Ping i25 (18 degrees)

Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85

Irons: PXG 0311 ST Gen3 (4, 5) 0311 ST Gen4 (6-9)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy (46-10, 50, 56-13), Vokey Design SM8 WedgeWorks (60-T)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 7.5 tour prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Kevin Na tweet

- someone changed Greyson Murray's Wikipedia, saying the guy died on twitter

Tim Rosaforte passes away at 66 from Alzheimers 

Tom Watson Honorary starter for 2022 Masters

Netflix and PGA Tour

- Netflix announces documentary series with PGA Tour, major championships

- Netflix confirmed a docu-series chronicling the lives of the game’s biggest stars inside the ropes and out

PGA Tour: Sony Open

Hideki gets rolling and Henley stalls on the final 9 holes. 

Matsuyama hits 3 wood stiff from 277 on first playoff hole to eagle and win! 

Korn Ferry Tour: Bahamas play suspended due to weather, tournament finish delayed

Daniel Summerhays joins the BYU Coaching staff as Assistant Coach

Cobra LTD release

Titleist Pro V1 X RCT golf ball review

Hideki Matsuyama WITB

Driver: Srixon ZX7 (9.5 degrees, flat)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15 degrees)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

5-wood: Cobra King RadSpeed Tour

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI

Irons: Srixon Z-Forged (4-9)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Wedges: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged Prototype (46, 52-10, 56-8 @57.5, 60-08 @62)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (S400 in 46, 52)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS

Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV

Grips: Iomic X

A lot of red numbers in Maui at Kapalua!

Cam Smith outlasts Jon Rahm to win the Tournament of Champions!

TOC winner, Cam Smith - 65, 64, 64, 65

Three lowest scores to par in 72 hole event:

Cam Smith - 34

Jon Rahm - 33

Matt Jones - 32

John Rahm and Justin Thomas, 61 course record.

Matt Jones 62, 61 on the weekend - 23 under on the weekend

Cam Smith winning WITB via GolfWRX

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees @16, D4 SureFit)

Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

7-wood: Titleist TS2 (18 degrees @19, D4 SureFit)

Shaft: UST Elements Red 8F5 (X)

Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (3)

Titleist T100 Black (5-9)

Shaft: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Matte Black

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-10S)

Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X

* He also brings two lob wedges with him every single week – a 60.10S and a 60 T Grind – and switches back and forth based on the turf conditions. He knows that playing golf courses like this, like Sony, like Fort Worth, Colonial, those kinds of golf courses – they’re going to be really grainy and hard to chip on, which is why he relied on more bounce in that loft.”

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype  

Putter deep dive

- 009M short slant neck

- Blacked out GSS

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Super Tack

Will Tiger play in 2022?

Bryson WD from Sony with wrist soarness

Top KFT points getter earns exemption into US Open…Finally a sensible move by the USGA!