Tour News
Top equipment free agents heading into 2021
Although golf doesn’t have professional teams outside of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup competitions, we still have our own version of draft day, signing day, and free agency as players move not from teams but from equipment companies. These changes not only bring with them a gluttony of testing, switching, and conversation around performance but also a close examination of a player’s game pre-, and post-switch.
Heading into 2021, the list of unsigned and rumored to be signed players has never been bigger.
These are top free agents heading into the new year.
Jason Day & Jon Rahm
Jason and Jon were noticeably absent from this year’s TaylorMade Christmas card, while the newest staff player Tommy Fleetwood was included right next to Rory and Tiger. As we covered for PGATour.com, both Day and Rahm have been TaylorMade staff players for their entire careers with Jason’s tenure going back to 2006.
It has been rumored that Rahm has been spotted extensively testing Callaway equipment, and considering his ties to Phil Mickelson—Phil’s brother was Jon’s first professional agent—this is the most likely scenario. As for Jason, considering his career earnings and inconsistent health in recent years, it is most likely he will do what a lot of players have done recently and become an equipment free agent and have some sort of golf bag and hat deal outside of the equipment world.
Justin Rose
Justin Rose has had an interesting couple of years when it comes to his equipment. He switched to Honma going into 2019 and won right out of the gate. He then struggled with swing issues, and in early 2020, he and Honma split and Rose was an unrestricted free agent filling his bag with whatever he felt suited him best (Justin Rose 2020 WITB).
With his valuable portfolio of sponsors outside of the equipment world, the likelihood he will sign a full club deal with another equipment manufacturer is unlikely, but it doesn’t make it impossible, which is why it will be something to watch in 2021.
The “unlikely to sign” list
Brooks Koepka – Brooks has made it well known that his time is his time and considering the fact that even now, after four major wins, he has yet to sign an equipment contract puts to rest the possibility he will ever be tied down to a single OEM for clubs.
Paul Casey – Much like Brooks, Paul Casey has had the luxury of using whatever clubs he sees fit since Nike left the hard goods space, and with his global playing schedule and name recognition, you would think by this point he would have signed a deal. But when you have a good thing going, why change, and I think that’s the approach Paul is sticking with.
Ryan Palmer – Ryan in a way embodies everything that is what we at GolfWRX love. He is known to tinker when new gear is released, but still maintains his love for great clubs )Ryan Palmer 2020 WITB). After famously saying in an interview “With the amount of money we play for (on the PGATour) why would I risk using something I don’t 100% feel confident in?” we expect that the status quo will continue, which still makes it a lot of fun to watch!
Billy Horschel – Billy was one of the first players to sign with (at the time) equipment upstart PXG, but for 2020 he joined the ranks of other equipment free agents on tour (Billy Horschel 2020 WITB). Once again, like other veteran players on this list, Billy has done very well with career earning including a FedEx Cup win, so he is likely to stay the course and play what he wants for 2021, but stranger things have happened and he will be a player to follow.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Ben
Apr 9, 2021 at 4:16 am
Without sponsored deals I believe the most commonly used clubs on tour would be:
Driver: Ping – Stability
Fairway: Cobra – Great off the deck but willing to admit this is the least likely.
Irons: Mizuno – Feel
Wedges: Vokey – Even lots of contracted players use them already.
Putter: Scotty Cameron – Same as wedges
BTW I don’t use any of the above in my own bag.
josh
Dec 31, 2020 at 12:24 am
Jason day doesn’t need a hat deal. His Nike gear makes sure of that.
Alex
Dec 30, 2020 at 7:31 pm
Wish more guys were free agents. I get it, but if you have a Nike or adidas contract or your name isn’t Rory, DJ, Bryson, JT why would you want to play equipment you don’t truly believe in. My bag
Ping G410 driver
Callaway epic flash 3 wood
Titleist 818 H2 hybrid or Cleveland/Srixon driving iron
Srixon 585 4 iron
Srixon 785 5/PW
Vokey SM7 50
Vokey SM5 56 bent to 55
VokeySMY 60 bent to 59
Taylormade Ghost Manta mallet
Ted K
Jan 2, 2021 at 8:32 pm
Hey narcissist, nobody gives a c r a p about what’s in your bag!
Ben
Jan 3, 2021 at 12:03 am
Hey Ted, this is WRX so I care more about what’s in his bag than your comment that offers nothing. There are plenty of Golf sites where no one cares go hang out there. Happy New Year.
Mark
Dec 30, 2020 at 6:57 pm
Maybe if enough players go without equipment deals the price of drivers could come down to $399 and get a set of irons under $999 again.
stephen hall
Dec 30, 2020 at 7:32 pm
Not a chance
Jeff
Dec 31, 2020 at 4:29 pm
The cat has left that bag
Benny
Jan 2, 2021 at 7:37 pm
You can do this now, just not with the main OEM’s