Names such as Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, and Justin Rose all made gear changes at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

We also spotted some new equipment on-site at Bay Hill, including Bettinardi irons, new Scotty Cameron and PXG putters, and new Golf Pride putter grips.

Just to add a little more gear intrigue in honor of Arnie, we also got a look into NFL quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s golf bag, including his unbelievable custom “No. 16” putter, as well as NBA legend Vince Carter’s current setup during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

Yeah, I know; too much talk, not enough photos. I hear you, so let’s get into this week’s equipment highlights from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Click here to see all of our photos from Bay Hill this week

1) Scottie Scheffler switches into a TaylorMade Spider Tour X prototype putter

It’s been a long road of putter testing for Scheffler as he continues to search for the one putter that will stick longterm. Maybe his new Spider Tour X prototype is the answer.

His 2-under-par 70 in round 1 is certainly a nice start.

While his former Tour X SS proto putter that we spotted in 2023 came equipped with a custom milled face, his new Arnold Palmer Invitational version uses TaylorMade’s stock Pure Roll face insert. The new putter also has a visibly short plumbers neck construction.

TaylorMade weighed in with some insight on the new design after the first round:

“Scottie Scheffler put Spider Tour X putter in play this week after doing some extensive work with the putter at home. The putter is half-inch longer than Scottie’s previous gamer with the L-neck hosel and True Path with a full-line sightline on top. Scottie switched to Spider Tour X for increased MOI and stability compared to a blade.

“Spec wise, Scottie’s Spider Tour X has 3 degrees of loft with a lie angle of 72 degrees, and an 80/20 Pure Roll insert. He is also using Golf Pride’s Pistol grip.”

See more photos of Scheffler’s new putter here, or click here to see his full WITB from this week.

2) Collin Morikawa switches into a Logan Olson putter

Right as Scheffler gets off the Logan Olson train, Morikawa hops aboard.

New in the bag this week, Morikawa is now playing a custom Logan Olson blade putter, equipped with his familiar Mitsubishi Diamana putter shaft, and a SuperStroke Zynergy Tour 2.0XL putter grip.

See more photos of Collin’s new Logan Olson putter here

3) Fowler switches into a Cobra Darkspeed X driver, with a new Project X Denali shaft

If you’re particularly interested in Fowler’s new driver, or new driver shaft, or in the reasons why he switched, I recommend reading our full write-up over on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, where Fowler went super in-depth on the change and new driver setup. Fowler is quite in-tune with his equipment, so he’s always interesting to speak with about his testing process.

Here’s a snippet of what Fowler had to say about it:

4) Justin Rose switches to Srixon Z Forged II irons

According to Rose’s caddie, Rose played his first 9 holes with the new Srixon X Forged II set on Tuesday, and as confirmed during the first round of competition on Thursday, he officially made the switch.

I guess he liked what he saw. Or felt.

As GolfWRX Forum user Drewhill44 pointed out in the forum thread, Rose has won on the PGA Tour twice on the week of an iron switch, so special things could be in store for Rose with the new Srixon irons this week.

We’ll catch with Rose next week at The Players to see why he made the change.

5) Arnold Palmer’s 2-iron, and “memorial” WITB

As mentioned earlier, Arnold Palmer was a true club tinkerer. Seriously, his club collection totals over 10,000.

That’s a lot of golf clubs.

On Wednesday, an umbrella-shaded Arnold Palmer staff bag was on display, and filled with clubs from his collection.

The 2-iron particularly caught my eye, as did the custom Odyssey Toulon Latrobe blade putter, crafted in his honor.

All of the clubs in The King’s memorial bag are worth checking out.

6) Trevor and Vince

Trevor Lawrence and Vince Carter played alongside Baron Corbin and Collin Morikawa during the Wednesday Pro-Am, and they each had some cool stuff in the bag.

Lawrence, who wears jersey number 16 while playing quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was using a Royal Payne/Rex Golf collab putter, and Carter, who’s a certified NBA legend, was using a Ping G430 7-wood.

Superstars always know how to wow the crowd.

Click for the full story on Lawrence’s putter, or see more photos of his full bag.

7) Guess what company makes this putter…

What’s your guess? Here’s the answer.

8) Bettinardi’s first irons ever

This was quite a surprise drop from Bettinardi this week. Luckily, GolfWRX Gear Expert Brian Knudson already wrote an in-depth story about the irons here.

9) New Scotty Cameron putters and LD/Long Design grips

The Scotty Cameron putter launch train keeps rolling, and adds a new LD/Long Design grip to the passenger car, too.

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the putters and grips here

10) Golf Pride throws it in Reverse (Taper)

Speaking of new putter grips, Golf Pride launched three new Reverse Taper putter grip models that completely flip the thought process of tapered putting grips, in hopes of stabilizing the hands throughout the stroke.

You can read more about the new technology here.

I tried telling you, it was a wild week in golf equipment at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Cheers to a great weekend of golf watching, and we’ll see you next week at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Pour up an Arnold Palmer to celebrate.

Click here to see all of our photos from Bay Hill this week

G730 irons

Per Ping, maximizing ball speed was the primary objective in the design of the G730 iron, in design to allow shots that launch higher and fly farther for golfers who struggle with consistent face contact.

By unlocking the strength properties of hyper 17-4 stainless steel through an advanced heat treatment, Ping engineers thinned the larger face to increase flexing and help lower the center of gravity, in an effort to add significant ball-speed gains and generate several more yards of distance with every iron in the set.

The larger face expands the hitting surface, in design to preserve ball speed and ensure forgiveness on mishits. The PurFlex cavity badge, with multiple flex zones, aims to help control face bending while enhancing feel and producing a powerful sound.

The larger head and wider sole in the investment-cast design increases the MOI in both axes, and a lower center of gravity bids to elevate forgiveness for improved accuracy and consistency. Golfers will also notice more offset in the cavity-back design which is designed to aid getting the ball airborne easier and more consistently. The performance-enhancing hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish seeks to help ensure consistent launch results from varying conditions.

With an eye toward increasing distance but also optimizing gaps to best fit the golfer, the standard lofts are custom engineered to ensure set configurations that are designed to maximize performance throughout the bag. The four wedges in the set feature machined faces and grooves for added control, while the option of power (stronger) and retro (weaker) spec lofts allows fitters to further optimize performance.

What Ping Are Saying

“The G730 irons are engineered for golfers who can benefit from more distance and a higher level of forgiveness and consistency to shoot lower scores. The new G730 brings them all that in an easy-to-hit, confidence-inspiring design. It’s the longest and most forgiving iron in our current lineup and is a great solution to help maximize the performance of a lot of golfers. We’re excited to bring them an iron that’s engineered to make the game easier and more enjoyable.” – John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President

Specs, Pricing & Availability

• Available: 5-9, PW, UW, 50°, 56°
• Loft options: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
• Stock shafts: Dynamic Gold Mid 100 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold Mid 115 (S300, X100), PING Alta CB Black graphite (SR, R, S)
• Optional stock shafts: PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 105 (R, S, X), Elevate MPH 95 (R, S), UST Recoil Dart 65 (A), 75 (R, S), PING Alta Quick 35/45
• Stock grip: Lamkin Crossline in four sizes (Red -1/32″, Aqua -1/64″;, White-Std, Gold +1/32″)
• U.S. MSRP: $185 per club with stock steel shaft; $200 per club with stock graphite shaft

i530 irons

Ping’s new i530 irons feature an internal weight pad that provides a deeper and thinner face-to-sole transition, ensuring more face flexing and pushing mass down to lower the center of gravity in design for more ball speed.

The forged, highly flexible maraging steel C300 face is precisely welded to a 17-4 stainless steel hollow body. A polymer applied inside the head on the back of the face bids to improve feel and sound while maximizing face bending.

The body design contributes to distance by accentuating face bending. The lower CG is more aligned with where impact occurs, and distance-optimized lofts bids to help ensure more distance and higher max height for green-holding results. Three loft configurations (Standard, Power and
Retro) are available to optimize a golfer’s launch conditions during the custom fitting process.

The i530 irons feature a new machining technique that thins the back wall of the hollow-body design, saving weight in a bid to increase forgiveness and tighten dispersion for greater accuracy along with the added distance. In addition, precision-milled MicroMax grooves combine with the hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish in design to provide consistent launch and spin from all conditions.

What Ping Are Saying

“We’re seeing significant distance gains with the i530 iron mainly due to its higher face flexing and bending. It’s a great fit for the golfer whose top priority is more distance, including someone who may have lost yards with their current irons over time. It also has a level of forgiveness not typically found in distance irons. It’s packed with performance. It looks great, feels great and more importantly, will lead to lower scores and more enjoyment on the course.” – John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President

Specs, Pricing & Availability

• Available: 4-9, PW, UW
• Loft options: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
• Stock shafts: Dynamic Gold Mid 100 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold Mid 115 (S300, X100), PING Alta CB Black graphite (SR, R, S)
• Optional stock shafts: PING AWT (R, S, X), Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 105 (R, S, X), Elevate MPH 95 (R, S), UST Recoil Dart 65 (A), 75 (R, S), PING Alta Quick 35/45
• Stock grip: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet in six sizes (Blue -1/16″;, Red -1/32″;, Aqua -1/64″;, White-Std, Gold +1/32″, Orange +1/16″)
• U.S. MSRP: $205 per club with stock steel shaft; $220 per club with stock graphite shaft

He started the season using his previous Cobra Aerojet LS driver, equipped with a unique Mitsubishi Diamana Whiteboard prototype shaft, then switched into a new Cobra Darkspeed LS (Low-Spin) driver for The American Express, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and WM Phoenix Open. He then switched back into his Aerojet LS at The Genesis Invitational, and he switched yet again into a new Cobra Darkspeed X model – equipped with a new Project X Denali Black 70 TX shaft – at last week’s Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

The inconsistency with his driver choices has reflected in the stat sheet. For the season, he ranks just 167th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and 127th in Driving Accuracy.

Fowler has recognized the issue, and by putting the more forgiving Cobra Darkspeed X driver model into play, he’s aiming to hit more fairways.

“The LS head is really good; I was just struggling with it a little bit on dispersion and left-right,” Fowler said Tuesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. “I felt like the misses, I thought they could be a little tighter, and it was still pretty similar to Aerojet. It wasn’t like the LS wasn’t as good (as the Aerojet) or anything. And I would say that it was probably a little faster, but, a big thing out here is hitting fairways. So hitting out of the middle (of the face) it’s very good. I was just struggling with mishits.

“Yes, we do mishit them. And I just thought I could get a little tighter dispersion. So, that was where the thought of going and trying the X head. Just trying to get, like I said, a tighter window on mishits. And so with that head, there’s obviously different shape, different weighting, probably starting out, it’s maybe a touch more – or can be – not draw-biased, but have a little bit more left versus the LS.

“But I was just looking for some stability, something that I was going to be able to hit and trust to hit at the fairway more often. So that was kind of the main idea behind it. It was pretty solid last week. Trying to validate a little bit more.”

Fowler also found more forgiveness in the Denali shaft, further inspiring him to make this adjustment.

“Obviously, I’m a big fan of the Whiteboard; always have been,” Fowler said. “(Cobra Tour rep Ben Schomin) sent this Denali over. It felt pretty similar, maybe a little more stable. And so I went with that … it just matched up as a good combo, good feel, felt stable, had the forgiveness. The spin window is good. Heel shots weren’t spinning off the charts. Toe balls that were drawing weren’t getting too low. You know, it felt like I was able to hit shots, as far as lower flight, get it up in the air if I wanted to.”

Read more here.

The answers were plentiful, and after much debate and discussion here at WRX HQ, we present to you some of the most difficult greens GolfWRXers have ever stroked a putt on, along with StrackaLine maps of the greens.

Check them out below.

We want to know (with @StrackaLine)

What is the HARDEST green you've ever putt on? Drop the course and hole below ?

— GolfWRX (@GolfWRX) February 9, 2024

No. 10 at Oakmont Country Club

Site of Phil Mickelson’s infamous 2007 U.S. Open four-putt, Oakmont’s 10th green slopes severely from front right to back left. It is, in a word, brutal, on a course full of some of the slipperiest putting surfaces in the game.

(Photo via Oakmont Country Club)

No. 10 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

Another 10th hole, another torturous green, this time at Shinnecock. The 415-yard par 4, named Eastward Ho, challenges golfers with an uphill approach to a devilish green that loves to reject shots, thanks to extreme slopes around the perimeter. The 10th played as the most difficult hole when Shinnecock hosted the 2004 U.S. Open, and its green is a big reason why.

No. 16 at Pasatiempo Golf Club

The green at Pasatiempo’s 387-yard 16th is a beastly back-to-front sloper with three separate tiers. Course designer Alister Mackenzie called the hole the best two-shotter he knew.

No. 8 at Sweetens Cove Golf Club

12,500 square feet. Double plateau. This thing looks like a stegosaurus’ back.

Practice green at Tobacco Road Golf Club

Mike Stranz’s 1988 gem is known for its wild greens — and that starts right out of the clubhouse with the practice green.

(Photo via TripAdvisor)

If you could use a little help navigating the golf course, check out StrackaLine’s range of products. GolfWRXers can use code GolfWRX for 20% off. 

While speaking with the media, fellow LIV golfer Jon Rahm said he was happy about Niemann’s invite, but still thinks another LIV player should be invited to the majors.

“I mean, isn’t that what we all want to see? Yeah, it’s very encouraging. I’m very happy to see Joaco get invites. To be fair, he’s shown the interest of wanting to qualify many different ways and has played the way you’re supposed to play, so I think it’s only right that he gets invites.

But if that’s the way you’re going to go, I think there’s one player that played fantastic all last season that’s been a little bit left out, and not saying that they all have to, but I think Talor Gooch should be under consideration to possibly get an invite into those majors, as well. He was the best player out here last year, and if that doesn’t show good golf and being worthy of being in majors, I don’t know what does.

While we don’t have a clear path to majors through LIV yet, I think they should be taking everybody under consideration.”

Gooch was the individual LIV champion last year and won three events. As of now, it appears he won’t be included in any of the four major championships.

More from the 19th Hole

However, Hovland hasn’t begun 2024 quite as well as he’d anticipated. In his three starts this year, he’s finished T22, T58 and T19. Although he’s been good off the tee, his iron game isn’t quite where it was last year, and he’s lost strokes on approach in a small sample size.

While speaking with the media prior to his start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Hovland revealed that he is currently unhappy with his swing.

“It’s been a little bit frustrating so far this year. Feel like my swing hasn’t been quite as good as it has been in previous years, so it’s been, felt like I’ve tried to prioritize just being home and practicing, putting a lot of work in.”

“It’s just the mechanics of the swing. Just haven’t been able to hit the shots that I want to,” Hovland said. “When you’re seeing a shot, and your swing is not producing those shots, it becomes very tough to compete, especially at this level.”

Hovland went on to say that he believes his swing was better in 2021 than it was last season, which was his best season as a professional.

“I actually prefer my golf swing better in 2021, kind of early 2021 I feel like my ball striking was the best. Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely swung it well last year, but it wasn’t as good as I would have wanted.”

As for the swing changes he’s currently working on with coach, Hovland was reluctant to go too deep, but revealed:

“I don’t want to get too into it, but I’m just like — basically, I’m just pressuring the ground a little bit differently and, yeah, just doing a couple things different off the ball that is causing a chain reaction. So, it’s just a matter of trying to get the swing started the right way, and I should be able to find my groove from there.”

Despite his relative struggles, Hovland is still amongst the favorites at Bay Hill. Last year he finished in a tie for 10th and in 2022 he finished in a tie for 2nd.

More from the 19th Hole

This week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, we spotted a couple of PXG prototype putters on the practice green with a more traditional milled face on them. The putters look to be very traditional Anser head shape with a more squared-off look and sharper corners. One of the putters was naked, with no site lines or dots milled into the topline or flange for a clean and classic look. I don’t see any tungsten weights integrated into the heel and toe bumpers like the retail putters, but the interchangeable sole weights look to be the same as we’d expect.

A more traditional, shallower face milling looks to have been used on the face with PXG’s Darkness skull logo milled into the heel. The sole also features a large PXG logo with many different-sized Darkness skulls around it. We have no word on if this will ever be available at retail or if it just a tour-only prototype. Very cool either way!

• Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

While speaking to the show, Gretzky revealed that her family has received death threats over Dustin’s move to LIV Golf.

“There were people sending death threats and awful, awful, awful things. People were aggressive, that’s for sure, but that’s when I shut it down for a little bit and I was like ’I don’t need to look at this, everyone has an opinion on it and fine.’

“We have a little bit more time together now since things have changed a little, whereas before it was ‘go go go.’ We have more control now of how we do things.

“The old life we had; it was ‘I had to take a back seat’ but now it feels like we’re in the front of the plane together flying. It was the right move.”

Since his move, DJ has been adamant that the decision was what is in the best interest for him and his family. He has wins in each of his three LIV seasons, amassing 5 victories in total and won $35 million alone in his first season on LIV.

More from the 19th Hole

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 set of 2023 Titleist T-100 iron heads.

From the seller: (@sdaileyiii): “2023 T-100 4-P iron heads. Got these in a trade, but decided to go another route. See condition in pics. $765.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: 2023 Titleist T-100 iron heads

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

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7, draw setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (15 degrees @14)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 80 TX

• Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Noren’s clubs here.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (19 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 95 6.5

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

• Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Noren’s clubs here.

Wedges: Callaway Jaws (46-10S, 50-10S, 56-08C, 60-08C)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (46), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (50-60)

Putter: Odyssey O-Works #1W

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Noren’s clubs here.

Hong Kong Golf Club is a par 70 measuring 6,710 yards. LIV will be using the “Fanling Course” for the event.

While speaking with Asian Tour player Travis Smyth, he gave me a rundown on what it takes to be successful at Hong Kong Golf Club.

“Hong Kong golf club, it’s pretty old school, like super short and tight. And I, I don’t think it falls into like a bomber’s hand. I think you’ll see a lot of guys hitting it to roughly the same spots on the majority of the holes. There’s a few holes where Bryson will be able to unleash a few but not many. When I played here, I hit Hybrid on Par 4’s off the tee maybe like seven times.”

Travis also said that the tight fairways and penal potential misses will keep the bombers at bay.

“It’s just that sort of course you’re hitting it like anywhere from 220 to 240 off the tee. And then from there you have a range of holes where it’s like kind of some sort of wedge or nine. It’s not very long.”

Around the green game will also be tremendously important at Hong Kong Golf Club.

“The greens are small as well and it’s usually quite hard to get up and down if you miss the greens. Someone like Cameron Smith I could see doing really well there. He played well in the international series. but just someone that’s, you know, pretty dolled in with their, their scoring clubs, he’s probably going to do well there.”

Players dialed in with their game from tee to green with control over the golf ball should fare extremely well.

“You can’t really scramble from the trees either. So, you really just have to. I’d, yeah, just whoever’s the best ball striker that week, you can’t really strap it around and fake it around there. You got to hit it straight. The tree lines are dead, there’s some hazards and stuff. It’s a short, tight quirky course, not what any of these guys are probably used to.”

Despite it being short, don’t be surprised if it gives players some real trouble.

“It should be fun viewing because there’ll be a lot of opportunities. They’ll feel like they can go low around there because it’s short but, you know, you make a few bogeys, and you get quite frustrated, and you start pushing off the tee and find some trouble and stuff. It can eat you up as well.”

Smyth finished 2nd at Hong Kong Golf Club to qualify for the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Past Winners at Hong Kong Golf Club

• 2023: Ben Campbell (-19)
• 2022: Wade Ormsby (-17)
• 2018: Aaron Rai (-17)
• 2017: Wade Ormsby (-11)
• 2016: Sam Brazel (-13)
• 2015: Justin Rose (-19)
• 2014: Scott Hend (-13)
• 2013: Miguel Angel Jiminez (-12)

The top of the board once again will be a major threat this week. Jon Rahm is still in search of his first win on LIV and has been knocking at the door in each of his first three starts. Brooks Koepka hasn’t yet contended but is playing steady golf and has yet to shoot a round outside of the 60’s this season. Joaquin Niemann is the hottest player on the planet and has shown no signs of slowing down.

However, on a golf course that can neutralize the big hitters, this is an event that seems a bit more up for grabs than we’ve seen in the first three LIV events.

LIV Golf Stats YTD

2024 LIV Hong Kong Picks

Cameron Smith +2000 (Bet365, BetRivers)

It’s been a slow start for Cam Smith this season. In his three starts on LIV, he’s finished T8, T15, T41 and has yet to look like the Cam that is one of the best players in the world. Hong Kong Golf Club should be the perfect course fit to get the former Open Champion out of his slump.

Hong Kong Golf Club is tight off the tee, and many players won’t be able to hit driver. That will neutralize some of the best drivers of the golf ball in the field and propel players like Cam, who are almost unbeatable from fairway to green. Cam’s driver has been a weakness throughout his career, and it’s been especially pronounced this season. He’s tied for 51st in fairways hit thus far on the season. Taking driver out of his hand this week could be exactly what he needs to get on track.

Despite the poor tee balls, Smith still ranks 1st in putting and 5th in birdies made. He’s also a great scrambler, and with small greens at the course, having to get up and down is inevitable. If he can play from the fairway this week, he should have a major advantage in the other facets of the game.

Louis Oosthuizen +2000 (DraftKings)

Louis Oosthuizen should be an absolutely perfect fit for Hong Kong Golf Club. The South African has been remarkably consistent over the past few months dating back to the fall, where he won two consecutive DP World Tour events and also finished 2nd at the International Series Oman. In his three LIV starts this year, Louis has finished T8 at LIV Mayakoba, 50th at LIV Las Vegas and T2 at LIV Jeddah.

Louis is relatively short off the tee and that won’t hurt him this week. He is one of the best putters and scrambler on LIV, and his silky-smooth swing looks as dialed in as ever at the moment. He’s yet to win a LIV event, but a victory for Louis seems imminent.

Patrick Reed +5000 (FanDuel)

Patrick Reed is another play who’s yet to win a LIV event but has been a winner throughout his entire career. The former Masters champion should love Hong Kong Golf Club as it will play to his strengths on and around the greens.

Reed played on the Asian Tour this fall and finished T15 at the Hong Kong Open and T7 at the Indonesian Masters. The experience in Asia this season should be a benefit for Reed acclimating to the travel and conditions this week.

The 34-year-old should benefit from taking driver out of his hand and similar to Smith, can beat anyone in the world if the tournament become a short game competition.

*Featured Image and Stats Image courtesy of LIV Golf*

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

• Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-06K, 60.5-T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

• Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.

As a result of his strong play, the 25-year-old was invited by Augusta National to play in the 2024 Masters. He revealed to GolfWRX yesterday that he’s also received an invitation to play in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Niemann told us that with how he’s playing, he’s right up there with the best golfers in the world.

“I feel like I’m playing great golf, to be winning against the best players, I feel like I might be up there.”

When we asked if he believes he could win the Masters, Niemann was optimistic.

“Yeah, it’s a place that I love. I’ve been playing good golf. Especially last year, I wasn’t playing my best golf, and I had a good week there and made triple on 11 that kind of killed me a little bit.

I feel like I’m getting more ready and more prepared every time. My game is getting better too. I know that I’m playing good enough to be in that situation that I can have a chance to win the Masters and it’s all about how I react to that situation.

So yeah, I’m going to prepare myself to be ready for that situation if it happens and I can fight for the title on the Sunday which would be awesome.”

Experience at Augusta National is always essential, and Niemann has gotten progressively better at each of his Masters starts, culminating with his best finish last year when he tied for 16th place.

Joaco has also won at Riviera, which in the past has been an indicator of players who would perform well at Augusta National. Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson are all relatively recent examples of that.

Current form has also been a strong indicator for Masters champions, and Niemann is scorching hot as the best week in golf rapidly approaches.

*Featured Image courtesy of LIV Golf*

More from the 19th Hole

In a letter obtained by Sports Illustrated, Norman wrote to LIV pros in Hong Kong, saying:

“A resolution which protects the accuracy, credibility and integrity of the OWGR rankings no longer exists,”

“We have made significant efforts to fight for you and ensure your accomplishments are recognized within the existing ranking system. Unfortunately, OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us.”

Norman believes a ranking system independent of the OWGR is now needed, and per SI is quoted as saying that LIV “seek meaningful communication and relationships with each of the Majors to ensure that LIV Golfers are fairly represented and golf fans around the world have opportunities to see the best competition possible.”

Norman added:

“The rankings are structured to penalise anyone who has not played regularly on an “Eligible Tour” with the field ratings disproportionately rewarding play on the PGA Tour,

“This is illustrated by the fact only four players inside the top 50 are not PGA Tour players (Jon Rahm (3), Tyrrell Hatton (17), Brooks Koepka (30) and Cam Smith (45)) and by the precipitous decline of LIV players generally, notwithstanding extraordinary performances on the LIV Tour.

“Even if LIV Golf events were immediately awarded points, the OWGR system is designed such that it would be functionally impossible for you to regain positions close to the summit of the ranking, where so many of you were prior to joining LIV, and deserve to remain based on your performance.”

LIV Golf applied for OWGR accreditation back in 2022, but last October had their request formally rejected.

More from the 19th Hole

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 Scotty Cameron Studio Select (circa 2008) Newport 2.

From the seller: (@Need4spd): “Hello one and all. I’ve said it before, but this is the one I never thought I’d sell. Haven’t gamed it in ages and I don’t see myself doing so anytime soon. Alas…As always, price includes CONUS shipping. She’s mint, folks. Not 10 out of 10, but it’s very, very close. You won’t find another in this condition that hasn’t been refinished. Plays 34”. Original headcover is included. Grip is a PING PP58 blacked-out. Apologies, having trouble getting the photo of the grip to upload. Thanks for looking – Play well! Asking price is $425.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Studio Select (circa 2008) Newport 2

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

Enough with the hyperbole. Time to move on to the nitty-gritty details of the resolution of each event. It’s a day late (thank you, south Florida weather) but it’s fine like wine. Enjoy this week’s Tour Rundown with us.

PGA Tour @ Cognizant Classic: Eckroat rode momentum to the W

The Championship course at PGA National is a difficult foe. Water and/or sand inhabits the grounds with such frequency, that one might conclude that the course was not so much built, as found. It is pure Florida golf, and when the winds are up, it is as difficult a challenge as found on the PGA Tour. This week, the winds spared the golfers, and unheard-of scores in the low 60s were familiar, if not commonplace. Austin Eckroat, Shane Lowry, and David Skinns carried a three-shot advantage into the final round, but there were plenty of challengers with designs on the top prize.

As Lowry and Skinns slipped away with even-par 71s on day four/five (Monday finish, doncha know?) Erik Van Rooyen mounted a charge. The two-time Tour winner posted eight-under 63 to reach 14-under par and set a significant bar. This meant that the tri-leaders would have to shoot in the 60s to win. Also surging were Min Woo Lee (67 for T2 with Van Rooyen), Cameron Young and K.H. Lee (matching 66s for T4 with three others.)

Austin Eckroat was the overnight leader who steadied the rudder and stayed the course. He navigated the fairways and greens with but a single bogey over the final 18 holes. Five birdies brought him to 67 for the round, and a three-shot win over his pursuers. The victory was his first on the PGA Tour, and was portended by a T10 finish at the 2023 US Open. The tour now moves to Orlando and Puerto Rico, for a split week of bonus golf.

LPGA @ HSBC World: calm Green takes title on final green

Hannah Green and playing companion Andrea Lee were neck and neck in the final group, as they reached the 16th tee. Green proceeded to make birdie at each of the closing holes, while Lee play them in plus-one figures. A four-shot swing, you say? That should have made the walk along 18 a breeze for Green. It might have been, if not for the star of 2023, Celine Boutier. The Frenchwoman began the day one behind Green, in a tie with Lee. Boutier played marvelous golf, making five birdies through the 15th, reaching 12-under par.

It was a tale of two uneven parts. Boutier played brilliantly for 15 holes, then lost the magic and closed with three pars. In contrast, Green was two under par over the same stretch, and appeared relegated to a top-three finish, until she found her wind. The brilliance of the closing stretch was enough to elevante Green past Boutier by a single stroke.

A short and emphatic putt for birdie at 16, was followed by a longer and equally-courageous effort at 17. Reaching the 18th, Green had a 20-feet putt for the win. The putt never looked like it would bend back enough, until it made a final, right-turn at the end. The most unlikely of scenarios brought Hannah Green her fourth LPGA title and first since April of 2023.

DP World Tour @ SDC: Gumberg avoids defeat in playoff

The St. Francis links of South Africa played host to the SDC Championship for a second time in 2024. Despite its location of Eastern Cape, the links lie halfway along the coastal route from Cape Town to Durban, squarely in the central part of the southern perimeter. Defending champion Matthew Baldwin was unable to recapture the mojo that brought the 2023 trophy to his hands. He made the cut, but went backward over the final 36 holes, finishing in a tie for 47th position.

Near the top of the leaders’ board, third-round leaders Connor Syme and Daniel Brown headed away from victory station. They concluded with matching 75s, each dropping three positions to a fourth-place tie. Moving from sixth to third was France’s David Ravetto, on the strength of a closing 70. Two shots better were the home country’s Robin Williams and the USA’s Jordan Gumberg. Williams had the tournament in his sites, until a double-bogey at the par-three 17th dropped him down from 14-deep.

He and Gumberg headed to the 18th tee for extra holes. They would play the closing trace two times, and it was Gumberg who concluded the day with birdie for the win. His tee ball was perilously close to a water penalty, but he remained dry. His approach reached within twenty feet of the hole, and his putt was authoritative and true. The title was Gumberg’s first on the DP World Tour. The caravan moves north this week, near Johannesburg for the Workwear Open.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Argentina Open: Andersen’s triple birdie wins in overtime

Van Holmgren’s slim, third-round lead didn’t last long. The American with the seventies-Hollywood name stumbled early with bogey at two and three, and finished with +1 for a fifth-place tie. It was one of those “I’d have taken it at the beginning of the week” that ends with “man, I had a chance and that hurts.” With Van’s exodus, the battle was joined, and by none more feverishly than Mason Andersen. The former Arizona State golfer posted eight birdies over a nine-hole stretch, and concluded with another at the last. His seven-under 63 parasailed him ten shots up the board, to 17-under par.

His countrymen, Dalton Ward and Brian Campbell, did their level best to chase him down, but each could only reach 16-deep on the week. Norway’s Kris Ventura had a bit more steam in his engine, and parlayed three birdies into a final-round 68. Ventura had a chance to win in regulation, but could not make birdie at the par-five closer. Andersen and Ventura returned twice to the 18th tee. Andersen birdied the hole twice more, while Venture could only make four the first time around.

The title brought Andersen an exemption into the 2024 Open Championship, which is a pretty nice bonus on top of the win. Why not hear the final putt in the language of Argentina?

The tapered grip allows for stability in the top hand, and a faster release of the bottom hand.

Is this the best grip style for putting, though? What if it was reversed, where the top-end of the grip is smaller, and the bottom-end of the grip is larger? Would that allow for more stability throughout the stroke, by restricting movement in the bottom hand?

Well, Golf Pride may have that answer. On Monday, Golf Pride officially announced that its new Reverse Taper line of grips will soon be available in three common styles: Round, Pistol and Flat.

“Within the putter grip category, we observed a trend in which manufacturers were actively trying to design products that removed the hands from the putting process, whereas our research indicates that by optimizing the connection between the hands and grip that players can improve their performance,” said James Ledford, President of Golf Pride, in a press release. “Through hundreds of concept iterations, our innovation team created Reverse Taper, which has tested quite positively with players of all skill levels.”

By flipping the script, Golf Pride says that it can help prevent “micro-levers” in the stroke for greater stability:

“Drawing on 75 years of inspiration, coupled with extensive consumer testing, Golf Pride designed Reverse Taper with a slimmer upper half and wider lower section to help anchor the top hand for stability and reduce tension in the lower hand for smooth acceleration through the stroke,” Golf Pride said in a press release. “Additionally, Reverse Taper prevents micro-levers in the stroke, helping golfers to not flip their wrists at impact.”

With three different grip styles, Golf Pride provided a brief breakdown of what style may be right for your game:

• Round – Universally popular for all hand gripping techniques; features a traditionally round upper section that tapers into a wider lower section
• Pistol – Classic pistol shape to help golfers lock in their upper hand; designed for all and often popular with players who use a left-hand-low technique (right-handed golfer)
• Flat – Slightly more oval shaped upper section; designed for all and often preferred by golfers with a palm-to-palm putting stroke style

Each of the Reverse Taper putter grips are constructed using polyurethane to help ensure the desired softness, texture and weight. The black-red-and-white colorway of the grip comes with design features that help golfers place their hands properly and consistently on the grips.

Golf Pride’s new Reverse Taper putter grips will be available at retail starting on April 15, selling for $29.99 apiece.

See more photos and discussion about the new Reverse Taper grips here

Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a par-72 measuring 7,454 yards featuring Bermudagrass greens. Bay Hill can play extremely difficult if the wind picks up, but the course certainly has teeth whether there is wind or not.

The event being “signature” just about guarantees that all of the top players on TOUR will be in attendance this week. Of the 55 players eligible entering last week, only Tony Finau will not be in the field. 

Past Winners at Bay Hill

• 2023: Kurt Kitayama (-9)
• 2022: Scottie Scheffler (-5)
• 2021: Bryson DeChambeau (-11)
• 2020: Tyrrell Hatton (-4)
• 2019: Francesco Molinari (-12)
• 2018: Rory McIlroy (-18)
• 2017: Marc Leishman (-11)
• 2016: Jason Day (-17)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

5 Key Stats For Bay Hill

Let’s take a look at five metrics key for Bay Hill to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Approach is often the most important statistic, and this week will be no different. This is a difficult golf course, and players will be penalized for missing greens in regulation.

Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds (per round)

1. Matthieu Pavon (+1.61)
2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.31)
3. Tom Hoge (+1.18)
4. Adam Scott (+0.93)
5. Tom Kim (+0.78)

2. Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

To compete at Bay Hill, golfers will need an excellent performance off the tee. Distance is important due to the length of the course and its layout, but accuracy is just as important.

We have seen recent events in which golfers can get away with bad tee shots, but Bay Hill isn’t one of those courses. The rough is extremely thick and penal, so saving par after a poor tee shot isn’t likely.

SG: OTT Over Past 24 Rounds

1. Rory McIlroy (+1.12) 
2. Scottie Scheffler (+0.69)
3. Sam Burns (+0.69)
4. Xander Schauffele (+0.67)
5. Min Woo Lee (+0.66)

3. Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermuda and Fast)

A major reason Bay Hill plays as one of the most difficult courses on TOUR is the incredibly fast greens. The Bermuda putting surfaces will be some of the fastest players see all season long.

SG: Putting (Bermuda and Fast) over past 24 rounds:

1. Mackenzie Hughes (+1.08)
2. Xander Schauffele (+0.93) 
3. Harris English (+0.82) 
4. Eric Cole (+0.77)
5. Adam Svensson (+0.69)

4. Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

While ball-striking is in part off the tee and approach, I want the total tee-to-green package built into the model this week as it will take a well-rounded effort from tee to green to get it done at Bay Hill.

SG: BS Over Past 24 Rounds

1. Matthieu Pavon (+2.01)
2. Scottie Scheffler (+2.00)
3. Xander Schauffele (+1.38)
4. Adam Scott (+1.28)
5. Corey Conners (+1.21)

5. Strokes Gained: Florida

With certain players favoring different regions of the country, I’m once again going to incorporate Strokes Gained: Total in the state of Florida.

SG: Florida Over Past 36 Rounds

1. Scottie Scheffler (+2.10)
2. Viktor Hovland (+1.87)
3. Rory McIlroy (+1.82) 
4. Justin Thomas (+1.68)
5. Matt Fitzpatrick (+1.62)

Arnold Palmer Invitational Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories discussed above — SG: Approach (25%), SG: Off the Tee (25%), SG: Putting Bermudagrass/Lightning (18%), SG: Ball Striking (20%) and SG: Florida (12%).

1. Xander Schauffele 
2. Scottie Scheffler
3. Adam Svensson 
4. Sam Burns 
5. Kurt Kitayama
6. Corey Conners
7. Justin Thomas
8. Cameron Young
9. Wyndham Clark
10. Tom Kim

2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational Picks

Rory McIlroy +900 (DraftKings)

Rory McIlroy is coming off a T22 finish at the Cognizant Classic where he led the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (+6.44) and also gained 1.6 strokes on approach. Rory has played sparingly so far this season, so the solid finish last week in Florida was a good way for the Northern Irishman to gain some momentum heading into the signature event at Bay Hill.

Rory has been absolutely spectacular at Bay Hill throughout his career. In his last seven trips to the course, the four-time major champion is yet to finish worse than 13th. He won the event in 2018 and has finished 4th in 2017, 5th in 2020, and runner-up last season.

In his past 24 rounds, Rory ranks 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (by a significant margin), 3rd in Strokes Gained: Total in Florida and 6th in Strokes Gained: Putting on firm and fast Bermudgrass greens.

Thus far in 2024, the big names haven’t been winning on the PGA Tour. I believe that changes with a Rory McIlroy victory at one of the world’s most iconic courses.

Tommy Fleetwood +2800 (FanDuel)

Tommy Fleetwood has played great golf in the state of Florida throughout his career. The Englishman has eight career top-10 finishes in the Sunshine State, including three of them at Bay Hill (2017, 2019 and 2021). 

Although Tommy hasn’t been known as a “winner” in the United States throughout his career, it seems as if the 33-year-old turned a last season. He had ten top-ten’s worldwide including some encouraging results in big events such as T5’s at the Wells Fargo Championship and the U.S. Open. He’s also started 2024 similarly to how he played in 2023, winning the Dubai Invitational back in January. In his most recent start, Fleetwood finished 10th at the Genesis Invitational. 

Tommy may have never won on American soil, but he’s taken his game to another level. He’s now one of the best players on the PGA Tour and a tough scoring, windy event in Florida would be a perfect scenario for Fleetwood to finally get that first victory in the United States. 

It was Rory’s first win at the King’s track, and he did so thanks to an incredible display on the greens, with the Irishman gaining a whopping 10 strokes over the field with his flatstick.

Here’s a look at the clubs McIlroy used that week.

Driver: TaylorMade M3 460 (8.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei Orange 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade M3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax P95 X

Irons: TaylorMade P750 (4), TaylorMade “Rors Proto” P730 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 7.0

Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48, 52, 58 degrees), TaylorMade Hi-Toe (60 degrees)
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: TaylorMade TP Collection Black Copper Soto (with slant neck)

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

Let’s take a look at the two models from Bettinardi.

Bettinardi CB24 irons

As the name on the USGA conforming list states, this is a cavity back iron with the famous hexagon B logo in the cavity. The CB iron has a heavy matte finish to it that should eliminate glare. The cavity has a little bit of chrome surrounding it with the iconic Bettinardi Honeycomb pattern surrounding the hexagon “B” logo. A lot of trailing edge relief is visible and should create some fast and smooth turf interaction. The hosel says it is forged, but we can’t be sure if it is from carbon or stainless steel.

USGA Conforming List photo

• See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

Bettinardi MB24 irons

A classic muscleback blade is always welcome on the PGA Tour, and Bettinardi’s new version is a beautiful rendition. Forged like its CB sibling, the MB looks to be a little more compact. The topline is thinner and it has fairly minimal offset. A heavy matte finish is applied to this head, again reducing any glare from the sun. This iron doesn’t have a cavity in the back, but that didn’t stop Bettinardi from milling in the famous Honeycomb pattern to the top of the iron head. It’s interesting to note that the Honeycomb milling looks to be raised to maybe help dial in the CG in addition to looking fantastic.

• See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

USGA Conforming List photo

• Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Our Andrew Tursky spoke to Bettinardi’s Nico Garafoolo at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, who had this to say.

“So we’re doing a CB, 4-PW, and the MB’s are 4-PW, as well. The lofts are 23-45 degrees in both sets, so they transition well. They’re evenly transitioned.

“One piece co-forged 1025 Carbon steel tri-material construction – high-density tungsten and military grade CMC (ceramic matrix composite). [They feature a] progressive center of gravity – more launch in the high irons controlled backspin in scoring irons plus. tighter dispersion

“For the shafts, we’re doing KBS Tours, KBS C-Taper Lights, Project XLZ’s, Project X, and then Nippon Modus shafts, as well, will be offered come retail time.”

Tursky: Any tour player action? Like, what do you guys expect from the tour launch?

“So we had a couple weeks ago after one of the Champions Tour events. Sam, Bob, and the team, they met Fred Couples down there because he’s a batting already staffer. They had some putters to drop off, but they also had an iron for him to hopefully test, I think was the goal, but he didn’t play so well.

“So they were a little apprehensive to have him test it. And, he ended up hitting the seven iron that we had there for over an hour and he was really, really, impressed by it. So we actually sent him two sets. So, hopefully, we see those down the road, but, his feedback was really nice. As far as the scope outside of that, I think it’s just introducing them and seeing where the where they take off and let the dominoes kinda fall where they fall.

“But, yeah, Fred’s our most optimistic look as far as a player’s feedback goes. He hasn’t changed irons in almost 10 years, I think. So it’d be pretty cool.”

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 75 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSi3 (15 degrees @14.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana BF 80 TX

• Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Ryder’s WITB here.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li White 90 TX

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3), Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4, 5), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (6-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 6 Tour Rack (54-12 Full, 60-12 Full)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

• Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Ryder’s WITB here.

Putter: Odyssey White Hot Versa Seven, Scotty Cameron T6M

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Ryder’s WITB here.

We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.

We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.

General Albums

• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
• 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)

WITB Albums

• Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Pullout Albums

• New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

• Related: Joaquin Niemann reveals the second major championship to give him an invite for 2024

Vincenzi: “In a hypothetical where the whole golf world was together, what would your ideal schedule be? How many events would you play and what would they be”.

Niemann: “There’s a lot of talk about people on the PGA Tour that they don’t want any players from LIV to go over and play on the PGA Tour. For me, I’m really happy where I am right now. I mean, there’s a lot of tournaments that I miss on the PGA Tour for sure, but yeah, right now playing 14 events on LIV for my team and the four majors, right?

But, in my perfect world, it would be playing those 14 events on LIV, four majors, and probably three of four tournaments that were my favorites. Riviera, The PLAYERS and Honda (now the Cognizant Classic) was one of my favorites too).

There’s a lot of tournaments that I miss for sure but that’s in a perfect world.”

That seems like a long shot for now, but if the world of golf unifies down the road, it would be fantastic to see Niemann playing on some of the PGA Tour’s classic golf courses again.

*Featured Image courtesy of LIV Golf*

More from the 19th Hole

3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees @14.75) Buy here.
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X (tipped 1.5 inch)

• Check out more photos of Austin Eckroat’s WITB in the forums.

Irons: Ping Blueprint S (3) Buy here, Ping Blueprint T (4-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro (50-10S, 54-10S, 60-06T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

• Check out more photos of Austin Eckroat’s WITB in the forums.

Putter: Ping Redwood D66 Buy here.

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.

• Check out more photos of Austin Eckroat’s WITB in the forums.

The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.