News

The winner of next year’s PGA Merchandise Show

Published

14 years ago

Feb 1, 2012

Zak Kozuchowski

By Zak Kozuchowski

GolfWRX Managing Editor

We’ve already covered the big winners of the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show. If you haven’t read the story, click here to read about this year’s big winners.

But just as golfers always need to focus on the new shot, golf equipment junkies are always wondering what’s next in the industry.

Cobra-Puma Golf didn’t have a specific piece of equipment that stood out at this year, but its booths were still one of the most popular places to be at this year’s show.

Cobra-Puma created hip, fun environment that was unlike any other brand. As all things at Cobra-Puma seem to be right now, everything was orange. Drinks at the company’s booth included Sunkist and Shock Top beer, which was fittingly served in orange cups. If you wanted to hit one of the company’s new clubs at demo day (most of which are orange), all you needed to do was locate one of the company’s representatives, who were easy to spot in the company’s orange outfits.

But as much as orange overwhelmed the company’s image at this show, the Cobra-Puma brand proved to be about more than just color. It’s an image built on Cobra-Puma superstars Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler — two young golf professionals with limitless potential, great looks and great futures.

It was long rumored that Fowler would join the brand in 2012 (click here to watch the GolfWRX exclusive interview with Fowler when he official joined the Cobra-Puma team). We expected that he would add even more Puma logos to his outfits, but few expected he would jump so quickly into a set of Cobra irons and the company’s new driver and fairway woods.

It’s reminiscent of when Tiger Woods joined Nike Golf on the eve of his pro career, but even Woods wasn’t so quick to make the jump into his sponsor’s equipment. By getting Cobra gear into the hands of Fowler immediately, Cobra legitimized its new equipment line, a huge step after the company’s break from Fowler’s previous sponsor, Titleist.

Many golfers will question the oranged-out look of Puma-Cobra’s AMP driver, fairways, hybrids and irons, but after testing the products it’s clear that Puma was able to successfully integrate fashion and function in its golf clubs. Click here to see pictures of the AMP Forged Iron. Click here to see pictures of Fowler’s AMP Prototype Blades.

During the show, I had the chance to interview Thompson. She, like the brand she represents, is a part of the new breed in professional golf.

Thompson first made golf headlines at the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open, where she qualified for the event at the age of 12. She turned professional at age 15, even though she was not officially able to join the LPGA Tour due to age restrictions. She played her way into several LPGA Tour events through qualifying, however, and less than two years later successfully petitioned the Tour for membership based on her four-shot victory at the 2011 LPGA Navistar Classic in Sept. 2011, which made her the youngest LPGA tournament winner in history.

Thompson validated her talent again at the Dubai Ladies Masters in Dec. 2011, where she won by five shots. But the ultra-competitive 16-year-old, who plays heated matches in the off season with her brothers (Nickolas, a PGA Tour player and Curtis, who plays on LSU’s golf team), gave off a completely different vibe at the PGA Merchandise Show. She was ever present at all of the Cobra-Puma events, easily approachable, full of smiles, and even spent a few minutes hanging out with DJ Scotty B, making her the only person ever in pink golf shoes to ever work turntables.

Even an annoying writer like me was able to get a smile of of Thompson.

On Thursday night, Puma-Cobra threw a party. After flashing a Cobra-Puma provided white VIP wristband to get in, I was ushered into a venue that felt more like the Lincoln Road Mall in South Beach than any country club I’d ever visited.

Diego Velazquez, Anna Nordqvist and Blair O’Neal were in attendance, and mingled with the crowd like partygoers instead of brand ambassadors. I watched a young man order a beer and then be promptly checked for I.D., which made me laugh. Then, I remembered that the 16-year-old Thompson was in attendance.

Most of us will never have the talent of Fowler of Thompson, but that’s not really what Cobra-Puma is about. As the skirted man from the Jumbo Max Golf Grips TV commerical told me, “Golf is supposed to be fun.”

Cobra-Puma is certainly making the game more colorful, and it’s finding ways to have fun. The company is making great products as well. It will be exciting to see what Cobra-Puma has up its sleeve for next year, because it’s off to a great start.

Click here for more discussion in the forums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

1 day ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase