Equipment
Singh signs with Hopkins, Stenson moves to Callaway
Vijay Singh has signed an endorsement deal with Hopkins Golf that will have the 50-year-old Fijian wearing a Hopkins visor and carrying the company’s staff bag and wedges, while Henrik Stenson has signed on to become a Callaway staff player.
Singh is eligible for the Champions Tour, but he will play the majority of his starts on the PGA Tour this season. He joins 35 other Champions Tour golfers who elected to play Hopkins Golf wedges in 2013, including John Huston, Don Pooley, Wayne Levi, Gene Sauers, Bill Glasson, Dan Pohl, Chien Soon Lu, Roger Chapman, Gene Jones, Jim Thorpe, Vicente Fernandez and Calvin Peete.
“It’s not often that a start-up company signs a player of Vijay’s caliber,” said company CEO Greg Hopkins in a press release. “Vijay will not play equipment that doesn’t perform, which by itself, says it all for our Hopkins wedges.”
Singh is evidently quite comfortable working with Hopkins, who was the president and CEO of Cleveland Golf during the majority of Singh’s time spent as an endorser for that company.
“Greg Hopkins and I have made a good team for the past fifteen years,” Singh said. “Why stop now!”
Stenson is currently the No. 3-ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings, and became the first golfer to win both the Race To Dubai (European Tour) and FedExCup Championship (PGA Tour) in the same year in 2013. He is so far the biggest signing for Callaway in 2014 in a signing season that has seen Callaway ink deals with Lydia Ko, Harris English, Thomas Pieters, James Erkenbeck and Chase Sieffert.
“After having the best season of my career to date in 2013 using Callaway irons and fairway woods, the option of extending my relationship with Callaway Golf was a very natural progression, and I look forward to continued success in 2014 being back as part of the Callaway family,” Stenson said in a Callaway press release. “As the cliche goes, why mess with a good thing?”
Stenson’s first European Tour event of 2014 will be the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. His first PGA TOUR event in 2014 will be the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
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bob
Jan 15, 2014 at 1:04 am
my new email address
LY
Jan 9, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Ron:
When players change to a different golf club company is it the players seeking the company because they like those particular golf clubs or the company seeking the players.
Chuck
Jan 6, 2014 at 10:17 pm
Apart from Hopkins wedges, what other clubs will Vijay be carrying? Driver? Wood(s)? (Seven-wood?!?) Irons? Don’t care about the putter, because it will change by the time anybody posts it. But to have Vijay freed of any endorsement constraints outside of the Hopkins wedges… that will be interesting.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 7, 2014 at 10:43 am
Good question, Chuck, for which I don’t have a reputable answer. I could make something up, but you’d call me on it!
It must be nice for a professional golfer to free her or himself up from the need to earn more money via an endorsement contract. We might see some very inspired play from the great Fijian this year.
christian
Jan 5, 2014 at 3:01 am
Stenson will probably be forced by his new contract to ditch his JDM Legacy Black irons, too bad.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 5, 2014 at 5:41 am
That’s a good-looking club. Is that what the Legacy iron used to be called?
http://www.golfwrx.com/139333/stenson-wins-with-callaways-exotic-legacy-black-irons/
and
http://www.golfwrx.com/96594/henrik-stenson-witb/
kmo
Jan 5, 2014 at 8:11 am
He should be able to keep the Legacy irons they are also offered in Europe, think a few Euro staffers play them. I don’t see why they would force him to change. It would be a poor choice on theyre (callaway) part if they did force a change as far as irons go.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 5, 2014 at 8:55 am
Agreed, kmo.
We’ve come a long way from the name-association days of the pre-2000s. It is the duty of club fitters to tell their customers “no, this isn’t the EXACT club that HS plays, but it is nearly identical and more importantly, specked out to your personal needs.” If someone wants to purchase HS-specked equipment as a trophy, go nuts.
To us, the observer, it would be detrimental for any company to force a change and then clean up the mess of a performance regression. That’s not to say that the brass of big companies think as we do!
Lee
Jan 9, 2014 at 3:47 pm
I’m sure he will keep his Legacy’s as mentioned they are available in Europe for big bucks. Henrik burning up the Tour with them should = sales for Calli!
A
Jan 5, 2014 at 1:14 am
Yeah that Big Bertha Alpha is awesome.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 5, 2014 at 5:45 am
Big Bertha Alpha? Did he play that before the TaylorMade SLDR?
paul
Jan 4, 2014 at 9:02 pm
I still think Lydia is a bigger deal. But i am biased. lpga comes to my town, not the pga. i love seeing the writer of an article so active in the comments 🙂
Ronald Montesano
Jan 5, 2014 at 7:09 pm
I agree…I had the chance to shoot Lydia a good bit at Sebonack last summer. She ought to bring a great deal of positive attention to the women’s professional game. As far as the instructor switch goes…
Zak
Jan 4, 2014 at 5:56 pm
I saw someone say that Henrik Stenson will be playing a full bag of Callaways this season, does that mean he will he parting ways with his beloved (and extremely successful) Piretti putter?
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 6:12 pm
If there is a club in the bag that sponsors allow a player to outsource, it is the putter. If Stenson were to switch putters and putt poorly, no one would ask HOW he shot the poor score; it would simply be attributed to the new clubs.
kevin
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Will the visor have antlers on it ??
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Why would it? Antlers have nothing to do with Hopkins Golf.
Oh, wait, I get it. The deer antler (velvet) thing.
Well, even if DAV worked (it doesn’t http://www.bornfitness.com/does-deer-antler-velvet-work-and-build-muscle/) Vijay would still have to hit the shots. Nothing gives you mental fortitude and psychological strength.
So, No.
Keep reading, Kevin. And definitely keep commenting!!
Vijay
Jan 4, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Glad you gave Kevin permission to keep commenting. What a guy
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 6:13 pm
None of you guys need permission, Veej. It’s important to me to keep things open. We might disagree, but I still want to read opinions.
Dwaine Ingarfield
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:21 pm
I hope Vijay has a great year. I’ve always been a big Vijay fan.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:49 pm
tough youth…crossing sewer tunnels under an airport runway to get to the local golf course…when you come up from nothing, you’re different from the rest of the pro tour crowd.
Johan
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Stenson has told Swedish media that he will have 14 Callaway clubs in the bag but keep titleist pro v1x. Most likely get a BB Alpha driver because he wants low spin driver. Callaway are hoping he will like new fairway woods and irons but I can’t see him switch that right away. A bit surprising he will switch putter though considering he owns stock in Piretti and also exclusive distribution in Sweden! It would be nice to see Odessy make an affordable cottonwood type putter!
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 9:51 pm
It is surprising that he would switch the most personal club, the rolling stick. The money must be very good.
nevadagolfguy
Jan 4, 2014 at 12:07 am
I have always liked vijay for whatever reason. As of late every time I hear about him though it’s always about some huge negative thing he has going on. It’s refreshing to hear a positive! On a side note, I’m sure he is doing his buddy Hopkins a favor but on the other hand…a buddy of mine just got a set of new wedges from them the other day and I have to say they are some great feeling/playing wedges. I’m sure it is at least somewhat an interest in playing the clubs and not all a friend doing a favor because they flat out perform.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 12:22 am
I agree, Nevadagolfguy. Friendship will not allow a professional to play with inferior equipment. I had the opportunity to whack a Hopkins wedge and agree with you and your buddy.
cmasty
Jan 3, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Wouldn’t want Vijay at this point if he paid me to give him clubs. He’s a liability.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 3, 2014 at 10:11 pm
cmasty,
I think the key is the personal/professional relationship between Hopkins and Singh. They go back. Also, Vijay has an ax to grind right now, which might motivate him to great things on one of the two tours. Since our memories are short, wins will increase his value to Hopkins.
MJ
Jan 3, 2014 at 8:28 pm
Stenson makes sense. Pretty much already with them.
Big signing for Hopkins. Surprised they’ve got the capital to pull it, however. I know Vijay can’t be cheap.
It needs to be affordable!
Jan 3, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Vijay probably did his buddy a favor. It was rumored before Hopkins started up with clubs that he would become Vijay’s agent after leaving Cleveland…
Vijay did Hopkins a favor.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 3, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Good points. Is it possible that Vijay received a percentage of the Hopkins name, or ponied up some money to support the cause?
MC
Jan 3, 2014 at 9:13 pm
I recently bought the Callaway Legacy Black Irons (same model as Stenson’s) with complimentary Callaway staff bag; what a great deal. Couple them with my Diablo Octane *13 Tour 3 wood, I pretty much have a nice set of Callaway clubs.
I love both of my Callaway 3 wood and irons, they have that tour preferred sound and pleasant feeling when hit them square.
Glad to know that I’m in Stenson’s side. He did know what are the best clubs out there.
I’m predicting that he will scrap the SLDR then start using X Hot driver. I wonder if he will be still playing his Piretti?
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:51 pm
(the real)MC,
Both good questions/predictions. It will be interesting to see if Stenson can first, follow up with a solid season and second, break through in the majors competition.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 4:16 pm
MJ,
Sure does, especially since Ernie left to go to Adams (which is essentially going to TaylorMade). That had to free up some room to officially sign HS.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm
I think the keys to the Vijay signing are the prior working relationship and what may be unsaid (totally-unconfirmed supposition on my part of ownership slice of Hopkins golf.)
Jeffrey Trigger
Jan 3, 2014 at 8:08 pm
This isn’t much of change for either Singh or Stenson. Stenson played almost all Callaway, minus the driver and putter. Honestly, the way Stenson is playing, you could give him Northwestern irons, and I don’t think there would be much difference, find me a golfer in the world right now who is hitting irons more pure than Stenson… Hopkins only makes wedges, so I don’t see Singh changing out his clubs.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 4, 2014 at 2:52 pm
Ahhhh, Northwestern. I don’t think Stenson wants to waste a year acclimating to anything new. I suspect he’s a creature of habit.