Equipment

A list of Titleist players who are already using the TS2 and TS3 drivers

Published

6 years ago

Jun 14, 2018

Titleist began its “validation process” for its new TS2 and TS3 drivers at the 2018 U.S. Open. What does that mean exactly? Well, surely getting the approval of Tour players on the new designs is crucial. And judging by the amount of players who already switched into the new drivers at the U.S. Open, that validation process is going well.

Titleist reports that 17 players out of the 35 players in the field using Titleist drivers are using the new TS2 or TS3 drivers, including major champions Jimmy Walker and Justin Thomas.

Below is the full list of Titleist professionals who are using either the TS2 or TS3 driver at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the new Titleist drivers here.

Titleist TS2 driver

Ben An (9.5 degrees)
Lanto Griffin (10.5 degrees)
Bill Haas (9.5 degrees)
Chesson Hadley (10.5 degrees)
Matt Jones (10.5 degrees)
Mike Miller (9.5 degrees)
Cam Smith (9.5 degrees)

Titleist TS3 driver

Eric Axley (9.5 degrees)
Rafa Cabrera Bello (9.5 degrees)
Charley Hoffman (9.5 degrees)
Adam Scott (10.5 degrees)
Webb Simpson (10.5 degrees)
Justin Thomas (9.5 degrees)
Jimmy Walker (8.5 degrees)
Richy Werenski (10.5 degrees)
Will Zalatoris (9.5 degrees)

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the new Titleist drivers here.

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11 Comments

Hoosier

Jun 16, 2018 at 9:07 am

For the record, saw Spieth using the TS3 yesterday.

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Les

Jun 15, 2018 at 3:02 pm

Ho Hum… just more eye-cnady bait for gearheadbaters … 😛

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Darren K

Jun 15, 2018 at 12:16 pm

“Validation” is a Scientific and engineering term that refers to steps in a product or process release. It has nothing to do with player’s opinions and approval. The tour players playing the clubs is essentially part of the release criteria that would have included Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing or SAT (which this is essentially) among other steps. The product is completely finished at this point, they are simply real world testing to assure that the expected attributes for the commercially produced hardware are the same as those produced with prototype hardware. Player preference would not change anything about what is released commercially at this point. All of these terms are very specific and comprise what is known as “Validation” or “Qualification.”

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Michael Rolton

Jun 15, 2018 at 11:37 am

Saw Tiger grabbing a sneaky look at Justin’s driver during round 2 of the US Open?!

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Scott

Jun 15, 2018 at 10:05 am

JT tremendous

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George

Jun 15, 2018 at 7:29 am

After hitting every fairway yesterday, shouldn’t we be asking what driver Jason Dufner is gaming?

Justin Thomas did bomb the longest recorded drive of his career and longest of the field yesterday at over 400 yards.

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- Dr Troy
  
  Jun 15, 2018 at 7:43 am
  
  But the wind was howling down on that drive. Cmon now
  
  Reply Report comment
  - George
    
    Jun 15, 2018 at 8:14 am
    
    Dr. Troy,
    The wind was howling for the whole field, still longest of the day from a player listed at 5’10” and 145lbs.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Travis
  
  Jun 15, 2018 at 11:11 am
  
  If memory serves, Duff Daddy is using the PING G400 LST
  
  Reply Report comment
Brian

Jun 15, 2018 at 5:13 am

I wonder what their driving stats are compared to the rest of the field this week, also new driver stats vs YTD stats for them.

Reply Report comment
Man

Jun 15, 2018 at 12:46 am

So they couldn’t copy the TM/Adams slot, so they just decided to copy TM’s old driver designs. Smart. Not. I still have my SuperTri. One of my all time faves. You can’t pass that design by me, Titty, I know what you’re up to.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

12 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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