Adam Hadwin loses his nerve in the first round of the Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)
It could have been a round that motivated Canadian Adam Hadwin to do more. After seven holes, he was already three over par in the first round of the Players Championship, but he fought his way back to even par on the 16th. Two holes remained to bring his score into the red. It turned out differently…
Players Championship 2024: First the ball, then the club
First he sank a ball in the water on the 17th, where the first hole-in-one had already been made on Thursday afternoon, and had to accept a double bogey. But that was not enough. On the last hole at the TPC Sawgrass, his drive was already flirting with the water, but just managed to stay dry. His shot into the green then fell victim to the right-left slope of the fairway in front of the green and rolled into the water. Too much for the one-time PGA Tour winner. His club had to take the hit and flew into the lake immediately afterwards. At least he got away with a bogey on the 18th, but that put him back at three over par, as he had been after seven holes.
Hadwin’s wife Jessica, known for her humorous take on her husband’s golfing misdemeanours, could find nothing wrong with the 36-year-old’s breach of etiquette: “I have seen the moment in question. If I’m going simply on the aesthetic of the toss….10/10” shw wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
I have seen the moment in question. If I’m going simply on the aesthetic of the toss….10/10
Greg Norman, CEO of the LIV Golf League. (Photo: Getty Images)
LIV Golf’s endeavours to obtain world ranking points have come to an end. In a letter to the players, Greg Norman explains the cancellation.
The LIV Golf League is giving up its aim of obtaining world ranking points for its tournaments. Greg Norman, CEO of the tour financed by Saudi Arabia, wrote this in a letter to his players, which was first quoted by Sports Illustrated. According to the letter, it is now hopeless that there will be any points for the LIV players in the near future. LIV Golf had applied to the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for inclusion shortly after it was founded. The application was last rejected in October 2023.
In his letter, Norman accuses those responsible at the OGWR of having no interest in clarifying the current situation: “A resolution which protects the accuracy, credibility and integrity of the OWGR rankings no longer exists”, SI quotes Normans letter. “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.”
No points for LIV Golf – “Even if…”
Even more than the refusal of the seven-member committee of OWGR directors to recognise LIV Golf as eligible to participate, Norman now also sees inclusion in the OWGR system as pointless: “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 belong.”
Peter Dawson, Chairman of the OWGR committee, which also includes the PGA Tour Commissioner, the DP World Tour CEO and representatives of the four majors, explained in October that inclusion would fail in particular due to the Tour’s lack of qualification criteria. Although LIV Golf recently held a kind of Q-School, only three players qualified. In addition, the winner of the Asian Tour ranking is eligible to compete. Others, e.g. Jon Rahm or Anthony Kim, are simply bought in and declared eligible to compete. Dawson has not yet issued a statement on Norman’s statements. A total of 24 tours worldwide with thousands of players are eligible to collect world ranking points. Every single LIV player was aware when they switched to the Invitational Series that they would not receive any points for the World Golf Ranking.
This week, LIV Golf will play its fourth tournament of the current season. The event takes place in Hong Kong. Jon Rahm criticised the basis for calculating the world golf rankings during the tournament: “”I’m going to go back to what I said two years ago. I didn’t think it was a good system back then”, Rahm told AFP ahead of the event, which begins on Friday. “If anything, the more time goes on, the more it proves to be wrong”, added the 29-year-old, who is still number three in the world rankings.
The new golf balls from TaylorMade for the 2024 season (Credit: TaylorMade)
TaylorMade is launching two revised versions of its well-known golf balls: the TP5 and the TP5x. These balls are equipped with the latest technologies aimed at improving game performance, according to TaylorMade.
TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x golf balls – new versions for 2024
TaylorMade TP5: TaylorMade states that the TaylorMade TP5 is characterised by its 5-layer design, which offers a softer feel and improved spin control, especially near the greens. This is said to be made possible by a new technology, the “Speed Wrapped Core”, which offers faster ball speed and a more comfortable feel.
TaylorMade TP5x: The TaylorMade TP5x is said to be harder and optimised for speed and distance, with reduced spin on drives and long irons, which could be beneficial for players looking for distance. It shares the 5-layer design of the TP5, but utilises different materials and constructions to achieve the desired properties.
“Our learnings from countless player and Tour tests show that golfers”, explains Michael Fox, Senior Director of Product Creation Golf Balls at TaylorMade, “unsurprisingly, favour a softer more muted sound with added distance. Historically, the challenge has been the inability to improve one without negatively impacting the other. With this understanding, we’ve evolved our golf ball design process by uniquely decoupling feel and speed through material advancement, a complete departure from the conventional. The material-level advancement positions our TP5/TP5x family as having the best feel in the industry with faster constructions.”
TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x – What for whom?
While the TP5 is designed for a softer feel and more spin control close to the greens, the TP5x is aimed at maximising distance and speed, with less spin on longer shots. This makes the TP5 ideal for players who prefer more control and feel, and the TP5x for those looking for distance, according to TaylorMade. Both models are equipped with “ClearPath Alignment” technology, which should make alignment easier. The line on the golf ball has been extended for this purpose and made more contrasting to make it easier to aim on the green.
TaylorMade TP5/x pix – emojis and symbols
In addition to the standard models, TaylorMade also offers the TP5/TP5x pix™ golf balls. These balls feature modified visual technology designed to enable easier alignment and better feedback on the green. They are available in different colours, which also improves visibility. The TP5/x is also available with various colourful logos, emojis and symbols that give golfers personalisation options. “My Symbol” is the name of the programme that allows golf balls to be created according to your own wishes.
Price and availability of TaylorMade golf balls
The new golf balls from TaylorMade, both the TP5 and the TP5x, will be available from 15 February 2024. Both models are available in white and yellow. A dozen of the TP5 and TP5x golf balls will cost €63 each, while the more specialised TP5/TP5x pix golf balls will cost €65 per dozen. These price points position the balls in the premium segment of the market.
The new Titleist Vokey SM 10 Wedges 2024. (Photo: Titleist)
Titleist is launching the tenth generation of its iconic wedges this season. In an interview with Golf Post, Aaron Luttrell, wedge expert at Titleist, talks about the development process of the new Titleist Vokey SM 10 wedges and Bob Vokey’s influence on the development of the new models.
“Bob Vokey is still our wedge guru” – Titleist with the tenth generation of the iconic wedges
Golf Post: Titleist Vokey released the new SM10 wedges. What’s making them better than previous generations?
Aaron Luttrell: A lot of times people ask, what do you do to make a better wedge? So at Vokey, what Bob’s kind of narrowed it down to is if you think about what makes a better wedge player, it’s usually being able to generate spin, being versatile around the greens and having good distance and trajectory control.
That’s really what we design our wedges around. How do we make each of those segments better for all players, not just the better player? What we typically do is we’re looking at improving each one of those areas every time we come out with a wedge. One of the big areas that we worked on for SM 10 was CG placement, which relates to distance and trajectory control.
All of them were kind of interconnected. You can’t really have one without the other. If you’re not striking the club in the right part of the face, you’re probably not going to take advantage of the CG or the grooves. So grind fitting is very important. That’s very related to versatility and shots around the green.
You’re obviously not going to get the spin that you want unless you have like the best grooves in the industry. So really if you look at what we did with trajectory and distance control, it’s a CG movement. So in the higher lofted wedges, in years past, we were able to push CG actually forward in front of the face, which allows the face to square up a bit easier or return to where the players set the club in.
I shouldn’t say square up because some people worry like, Oh, if I open the face, is it going to want to shut? No, it’s just going to want to return to where it started. It’s kind of a dynamic shift. Moving it forward allows that to happen. Moving it high or up keeps that flight down and it allows the player to manage the trajectory.
It also prevents some of those shots that want to roll up the face and take off high and weak. So really what we’re trying to do is push consistency, allow the player to, you know, deliver the club the way they want to deliver it and they get the results that they expect. So that was one thing in the higher lofted wedges and now in the lower lofted wedges, we kind of looked at where CG placement was relative to face center.
Looking at modern iron sets, a lot of those CG placements have started to migrate more toward face center or more toward the toe, not outside face center, but just moving that direction. We realized we were a little more heel-ward than where a lot of our irons are. Again, having the player be able to deliver it in the most consistent way possible.
You want the flow from your irons into your wedges to be very consistent. So we were able to move CG a little more from the heel, more towards the center and saw improvements in accuracy. The players that said that sometimes if they went after it a little bit, the ball, maybe would jump left there on them.
The progressive CG of the new Titleist Vokey SM 10 wedges. (Photo: Titleist)
Once in a while, that kind of has gone away now. So we had a lot of really excited players last few weeks about their gap and pitching wedge, which normally, you know, people get really excited about high lofted wedges because they hit all the tricky shots with it. But it’s nice to hear people saying, I’m really excited about my SM 10 pitching wedge as well.
So those are the things that we’ve kind of worked on as improvements technically. And then as far as profiles go, We worked really hard to make sure that they’re as consistent as possible. Really good look that we’ve gotten feedback on over the many generations, but looking at where the highest peak of the toe is and making it consistent throughout the set, making sure the blade length is very consistent throughout the set.
And then we went through a different process of designing the shapes. Before it was the whole wedge at once. What we did was, we looked at it a different way and designed the profile and then you put the sole on afterward and then manipulate it to get the CG positioning that you want.
So what that allows us to do is when you look down at a wedge and you’re getting fit and you say have four different 56 degrees, the only difference is going to be how the club goes through the turf. You’re not going to see a difference on the ground or in an open or closed position. They’re going to look identical, the only difference in performance is going to be the performance through the turf because of the, the solid ground.
Golf Post: How many different versions of the SM10 are there in total?
Aaron Luttrell: 25 in right hand, 25 in left hand. So, 25 different loft and grind optinons, the lowest lofted being 46, highest lofted being 62.
Golf Post: Obviously they’re called Vokey Wedges and Bob Vokey has been around forever, and he’s still known as the Wedge guru. But there’s probably a huge team behind him and I wonder, how much of Bob Vokey himself is still in these wedges.
Aaron Luttrell: Every step is vetted for, you know, but in truth Bob is in every R and D meeting. What he does is he allows his team or our R and D team to really be free with their ideas. And then he helps us reign everything back in because really he’s the one that really pays attention to what the players want as far as looks and feel and sound and performance through the turf.
So if he feels like anything may jeopardize, you know, the clean, classic look of a Vokey wedge or the feel or the performance, it gets tossed out. So really he’s a part of it, but at the same time he understands he’s not hand shaping the masters anymore. We have CAD design. We have all these things that can continue to push wedge play forward, but it’s in the vein of very classic workman style type. We have 3D printers, and we will 3D print a part and he will hand measure every single one of them and go back to the CAD designer that he worked with and say we need to make slight adjustments to this toe area or the width of the sole here. So he’s still a hundred percent involved. He is at work every day, He is one of the most dedicated people I’ve ever met to the craft.
Golf Post: What about the future of Vokey wedges. Which aspects of wedges will be decisive in the future?
Aaron Luttrell: We’re continually looking at every way that we can improve accuracy and control. There’s a lot in the works. Not much we can talk about yet… We do have a lot of ideas for the next generation, the generation after. The nice part about how we go about a design though, is like we launched on tour a week ago.
That’s when we actually get the most feedback on what we did this last time. So we start for the next one. So literally every time we launch a wedge, we’re learning something to make the next one better.
Golf Post: What was the first feedback from the tour players like?
Aaron Luttrell: It was great. We had 160 wedges in play, which was the most in play for any brand. And Vokey was far and away the most played. So, the number one model was SM 10, the number two model was SM 9. So, we’re our own best competitors and the transition so far has been very seamless. All the things that we worked on for SM 10 was feedback from SM 9.
So, we, all the players were very happy because they just said, well the little tweaks we asked for, you delivered on.
Golf Post: The SM10 come in three different finishes, right?
Aaron Luttrell: We actually added a new finish, yeah. This is the nickel finish. We had a finish called brush steel. It was a bit brighter. Nickel is a little bit more matte. It’s perfect in between finish between jet black and tour chrome. We think the durability is going to be pretty good.
And the look of it at address looks fantastic. So for the player that thinks, you know, Tour Chrome might be a little on the bright side and Jet Black may be a little too dark, Nickel will be that nice in between finish.
The Titleist T-Series irons 2024. (Photo: Titleist)
The Titleist T-Series irons cover a wide range of playing strengths and requirements, from the Players iron to the Game Improvement segment. Tom Fisher, head of the iron and wood product line at Titleist, reveals what exactly is in the various models.
Titleist T-Series Irons 2024: Golf Post interview with Titleist product experts
Golf Post: Let’s talk about the T Series starting with the T 100, all the way up to the T 350.
Tom Fisher: Obviously our products are absolutely superb. We have four new models coming out. So T-100: First of all, it’s our tour model. It’s still the number one model played on the PGA Tour. And there’s a reason why. When you look to try and change this iron, you really can’t change it too much for these guys.
But what you can do is, improve the things that really mattered to them and the things that matter to a tour player. And this type of golfer is feel right. So the team have done a magical job improving the feel of this, whether it’s through improving our back bar, which runs through the middle of the golf club.
So we’ve reinforced that back bar. We put the tungsten in in a different process. So people don’t realize that all of our T-Series irons have the average of 80 grams of tungsten in all of our irons. And what tungsten does, it allows us to strategically place weight where we want it to help with feel, to help with trajectory, and to help with forgiveness, MOI, right?
So in the T100, we strategically placed it to help with that feel aspect. The other thing is how a club feels is through the turf. This is something that we’re very fortunate to have, you know, Mr. Bob Vokey just across the corridor where we work together. We’ve actually taken learnings from his Wedge sole design.
We’ve given a lot more relief on our trailing edge than prior gen. We want a fast iron in and a fast iron out. By having more relief on the trailing edge is allowing that club to just slide and get through the turf a lot easier.
And then we’ve also added our CNC process to our face. So all these faces are milled, which obviously helps with the feel, but more importantly helps with consistency. That’s what tour players want. They want to know consistent distances. They don’t want balls spinning with a wide range of deviation. They want consistent spin, consistent ball speed, consistent launch, because these irons are tuning weapons.
They need to know exactly how far it goes every time. So the summer changes we’ve made to the T 100 from prior gen have been very well received. Our teams did a wonderful job on the new T 100.
Golf Post: Whats special about the T150?
Tom Fisher: As we move into the T 150, this is a brand new naming convention. The prior generation was the T100S. That was basically the T100 two degrees stronger. We just needed it two degrees stronger to help that golfer get a bit more speed, a little bit more distance, but we decided to change it a bit more. Hence why a new name. So the T150 is a little bit bigger, so slightly larger than the T100 in terms of the sole width. But you know, all of the same ideas.
T100 is in the 150, you know: the CNC face, the relief on the sole. The one addition, the changing to the 100 is, like I said, slightly larger. It is two degrees stronger and it also has a through the muscle channel. Through the back here and you can kind of see it there.
The new Titleist T150 model. (Photo: Titleist)
That just helps to preserve ball speed and forgiveness across the face. If you look down at the golf club, this looks like the T100. But it just gives that goal for just a little bit extra right out of the gate. This has been our most popular iron out of the lineup, right out the gate.
A fantastic iron and we’re thrilled with it. Some of the tour players have actually put longer irons of the 150-series in their bag, because they see the extra ball speed. It can give them a little bit more forgiveness. Again, all about feel and performance.
Golf Post: Let’s get to the game improvement irons, the T200 and T350.
The next two irons, there’s been some significant changes. What I mean by that is not only obviously in the performance, but the feel as well. Nothing feels better than a Titleist iron when you hit it straight, when you hit it just so pure. Certainly when you hit the 100s and the 150s.
But then as you start getting into like what we call player game improvement irons and game improvement irons, you kind of have to wrestle a little bit with all the performance you put into an iron. It is kind of going against sound and feel but that’s one thing the team have done. To try and crack that code of how do we make all of our irons sound and feel like a forged product. And the team have done it with the T100 that we’ve talked about here. So again like i said before CNC face on here as well, sole design on here as well.
But the subtle changes to help with the sound and feel is again, we strategically placed tungsten in the right spot. But what we’ve got underneath this hood is an improved max impact. What we’ve got in there is a technology that helps to really dampen vibration and also at the same time, give you preserved ball speed of the off center hits.
The new Titleist T200 model. (Photo: Titleist)
And then last but not least, the biggest change is the badge at the back. This has been inserted a lot differently than the last version. It limits vibrations. Sound is vibration, right? And it has a frequency. So we’d run thousands of simulations to make sure we get the frequency exactly where we want it and how we actually, you know, adhere this badge to the back and the design language.
If you turn this badge the other way around, it’s a different shape behind it. There’s some different patterns on it. And that is by design. So it actually helps us give us a sound that we’re looking for. So this is our player’s distance iron with tons of forgiveness, tons of speed. And with a low CG (center of gravity), really easy to get the ball up in the air.
And then lastly, but not least, T350. It’s our game improvement iron. It’s got everything that I just talked about in the T200. The improved maxed impact, CG low, even lower though than the T200 because we want this to launch higher. Um, it’s got obviously the new sole design, the CNC milled face and then the badges on there, but it’s a different shape.
It’s a slightly larger than the T200. So guess what? The design language on the back of that badge is different, because this iron did a different frequency that we needed to tune. Super, super easy to hit! And again, this has been received really, really well, as being, you know, a fantastic, beautiful sounding playable performance in the game improvement sector. It’s really unique in terms of that design.
And then we’re really obsessed about fitting. These irons were all designed, as you can tell, in different shapes, they have different loft packages. They have different CGs that give you different ball flights. But believe it or not, they all have the same offsets.
So when you transition from one iron into the other, it’s an easy transition. And 90 percent of our tour players play a blended set. And why do they play a blended set? Well, there’s a point where what we call the 3Ds break. What are the 3Ds? The 3Ds are distance, dispersion, and angular descent. And what we want to make sure is that you have a consistent distance every time your standard deviation is really tight.
Your dispersion is tight and your angle of descent is at least 45 degrees or greater of the ball coming down onto the green. So there’s a point where as you transition from a seven iron to a six iron, maybe to a five, you’re going to lose those numbers. You’re going to break at some point. Your ball speed is going to drop or not be consistent because we want five miles an hour ball speed between every iron.
Let’s say your seven iron is 120 miles an hour ball speed. Your five iron needs to be 130 miles an hour, right? So we’ll test you. We have long iron kits out in the marketplace, and we’ll then know what seven iron you want, and then we’ll get you to hit our five iron. And if your ball speed isn’t 130 miles an hour, and your angle descent is not at 45 degrees, we know it’s broken.
That’s when we’ll introduce you a different model. So for example, I’m a T150 player, but I break at the five iron. So guess what got me back? The T200. So I play a T200 five iron. Guess what? It broke it before I played a T 350 iron. We have this really cool process and a really easy fitting philosophy.
And these irons allow us to do that. So it’s been incredibly successful. We’re looking forward to a great 2024 with these new T series, and we recommend everyone go get fit for them.
Golf Post: Let me add one question because, obviously, Titleist is famous for those players irons. But those game improvement irons, the T200 and T350, have taken off so well. Will we see more in this segment in the future?
Tom Fisher: These are sneaky. These are really, really good. Llike I said, 150 came out of the blocks fast. But do not underestimate the 350: performance, feel, looks – it doesn’t look like a game improvement iron, but it has all the performance of a game improvement.
This has been received very well when we’ve done independent player testing. it’s tested off the charts. It’s phenomenal. Will Zalatoris is playing this on tour. He’s got it in his bag right now as his four iron. Why? Because it hits the 3Ds that we just talked about. Don’t underestimate this or any other iron. Go get fit and you’ll find which one’s for you.
Are we going to see more game improvement in the future? I would say watch this space. I think there’s obviously a certain amount of golfers there that, like anyone, seek forgiveness. There are opportunities out there for the slow swinging golfers, certainly for juniors.
And also, as golfers are losing speed, as they get older, losing club head speed, we could do more potentially to help to get their speed back, help them play better golf, help them be more functional with their trajectory. So yeah, watch this space. We got some things in the hopper. We’re not done yet.
Titleist in an interview with Golf Post about the new golf balls for the 2024 season (Photo: Titleist)
This season, Titleist is launching three new versions of its AVX, TruFeel and Tour Soft golf balls. The brand’s 2-piece and 3-piece golf balls are designed to appeal to a wide range of golfers. In this interview, Jeremy Stone from Titleist explains the differences between the models and provides exciting insights into the brand’s development process.
Titleist golf ball expert Jeremy Stone in an interview with Golf Post
Golf Post: Three new golf balls coming this year from Titleist. Can you briefly talk us through them first of all?
Jeremy Stone: Yes. So, three new golf balls from Titleist for 2024. New AVX, new Tour Soft, new TruFeel. AVX is an alternative to Pro V1 and Pro V1X. It flies lower and spins less than than pro V1. So if you’re looking for a golf ball that has that lower flight, lower spin or softer feel, AVX might be your ball. What we’ve learned from AVX players is that they love the distance of AVX. They love the soft feel of AVX. If there’s one thing golfers wish they had was maybe a little more greenside spin.
So new for this year, we have a reformulated Core. That reformulated core lowers the long game spin. We also have a new softer cover that gives us softer feel, but increased green side spin. That’s the magic of AVX. So a golf ball where folks love the distance and love the feel, it gets longer and softer, but it also gets a little more green side spin for players that are looking for just a little bit more.
The new Titleist AVX golfball 2024. (Photo: Titleist)
The new Tour Soft is a golf ball designed for people with very specific preferences about their game. If a golfer just wants to play their best, they should be looking at ProV1 or ProV1x or ProV1x Left Dash. Those are the golf balls that through a fitting process we can fit you into the best ball for your game.
But we do know there are golfers who have preferences for the colour golf ball they use. Maybe they want to use a yellow or a green golf ball. We also know there are golfers who have a price point preference. Tour Soft is at a lower price point. It’s a two piece construction golf ball. It has our largest core. The core is a bit of the engine.
This core is faster, giving us longer distance, but it also gives us a little bit more spin into the green with irons. So it’s a more playable all around golf ball designed to be soft, designed to be at a lower price point than a ProV1 as well.
And then finally TruFeel, I mentioned preferences. TruFeel is going to be our lowest price Titleist golf ball. It’s a very welcoming golf ball. There’s a lot of people coming to the game. But they want to trust the golf ball they play and they trust Titleist. TruFeel is the perfect golf ball for them because it connects them to our brand in a really unique, special way, but comes at a really agreeable price point.
It still goes through all of the rigorous Titleist quality testing because we know that every swing that you make, if you make a good one, you want to be rewarded for a great swing. TruFeel delivers on that promise. TruFeel comes in a white, yellow, and a matte red finish. So again, leaning into those preferences.
Golf Post: I assume that, in terms of customers you’re aiming for, in terms of ability, you went from top, I don’t want to say bottom because, that doesn’t sound very nice.
Jeremy Stone: No, but you know, what’s interesting is I wouldn’t use the word ability. I’d use the word mindset. Right? The way we look at it at Titleist is every player can benefit from the benefits of a well fit golf ball. Our well fit golf balls are going to start at the top. Pro V1, Pro V1X, Left Dash, AVX. And so If you want to play your best and that could be different for a lot of golfers, for some golfers that might mean they have a goal this year to break a hundred for the very first time.
Other golfers, they might have a goal to win their first PGA Tour tournament. Whatever your goal is, a well fit, high performing golf ball can suit you. And that stands out regardless of skill level. And so certainly if a golfer raised their hand and said, I want to play my best this year. We’re going to gravitate towards Pro V1 and we’re going to fit you for that golf ball.
The Titleist Pro V1 golfball. (Photo: Titleist)
But if you have a preference, if you are price point sensitive, we get that. We understand that. We want to have offerings because you shouldn’t have to compromise on the quality of your ball just simply because of the price point.
Golf Post: The ProV1 and ProV1x are still your flagship products. Are there any plans to replace it at some point?
Jeremy Stone: The answer is yes, always. It’s just a matter of when our research and development team is constantly looking for ways to improve performance. And when there comes such a technology that absolutely outperforms Pro V1, that would be the time where we would look to replace our own product with something better.
And that’s happened multiple times throughout our company’s history. Most recently, when we introduced Pro V1 in 2000, it was replacing the current number one ball, which was the Titleist Professional. The Titleist Professional was absolutely the number one ball played on planet Earth.
It was the number one ball across the worldwide professional tours. And it just simply didn’t have the same performance opportunity that this new Pro V1 had due to the innovation of research and development. So, we don’t know when that will happen, but we know it will because this research and development team is constantly tackling the challenge of taking the best golf ball on earth and making it even better. And when that day comes, that will be when we replace Pro V1.
Golf Post: Generally in research and development, what is currently the main focus? Is it more about enhancing the performance of the current products? Is it about widening the range of products, to suit more different types of golfers? Is it both of it?
Jeremy Stone: Yes, it’s both. So we’re always looking at what golfers are striving for, and we’re always looking at how dedicated golfers play the game. That’s going to define the attributes we pursue in new golf ball development. And so when we look at new golf ball development, and we’re investigating the appropriate constructions and the needs of the golfer.
That’s what’s going to drive our decision making. We’re always looking at, to oversimplify it, the flight, the spin, and the feel. If we can fine tune the flight, spin, and feel for you, you’re going to play your best. And so, in the midst of that, we’re going to look at aerodynamics, we’re going to look at chemistries, we’re going to look at construction ratios between different layers of golf balls, and everything that would go into a core, a dual core, a casing layer, a cover, and the dimple pattern in the aerodynamics.
Through that process, we’re also going to look at ways the world around us and golfers are demanding more custom options, more alignment options, different elements to personalize their golf ball. And we love the opportunity to do that as well. So lots of different areas for us to innovate. Um, and that’s why the research and development team has over 80 scientists of a variety of disciplines to help us do that.
TaylorMade releases the Qi10 series including new drivers, woods and irons. (Credit: TaylorMade)
TaylorMade presents its new golf clubs for the 2024 season. Qi10 is the name of the series, which includes everything from short irons to drivers in various designs for different types of players. Behind the cryptic name lies an achievement that TaylorMade is particularly proud of. With the “Quest for Inertia” (Qi), the industry giant claims to have entered a new dimension. A moment of inertia in the driver of 10,000 g/cm² is said to offer more forgiveness than any other club before. The other new products (fairway woods and irons) are also designed with playability in mind. For the better players, there are variants that promise low spin despite high forgiveness.
TaylorMade Qi10: New golf clubs for the 2024 season
TaylorMade Qi10 Max Driver: The Qi10 Max is the flagship of TaylorMade’s new driver series and aims to offer exceptional forgiveness. The Moment of Inertia (MOI) is specified at 10,000 g/cm², which according to the manufacturer is significantly higher than all previous in-house productions as well as those of the competition. A higher MOI potentially offers more forgiveness for shots that are not optimally hit. TaylorMade highlights that the driver enhances overall performance through the integration of four key technologies – including advanced construction methods, an optimised head shape, carbon face technology and a specially developed shaft. Stated benefits include a low and low centre of gravity for optimal launch and spin conditions, as well as improved ball speed and energy transfer at contact. The retail price of the TaylorMade Qi10 Max is €649.
TaylorMade Qi10 LS Driver: According to the manufacturer, the TaylorMade Qi10 LS Driver is designed for advanced golfers with higher swing speeds and is intended to offer a lower spin rate (LS = Low Spin) and a lower launch angle. The design includes a deeper clubface and a more compact overall head shape. TaylorMade promises that this model offers improved aerodynamics and an advanced adjustable weight system, resulting in a lower centre of gravity and optimised inertia for a forgiving but low-spin experience. The TaylorMade Qi10 LS is available at a price of €669.
TaylorMade Qi10 Driver: The standard Qi10 driver is described as an all-rounder that offers distance and forgiveness in a balanced form. The club head has a visually larger shape at address which, together with the Infinity Carbon Crown and a high contrast top rim, is designed to promote confidence at alignment. The Carbon Twist Face technology used aims to maximise and maintain ball speed across the entire clubface. Priced at €649, the TaylorMade Qi10 positions itself as a versatile option in the range.
The new TaylorMade Qi10 fairway woods and hybrids for the 2024 golf season
TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway and Rescue family: The TaylorMade Qi10 series of fairway woods and hybrids includes the Qi10, Qi10 Max and Qi10 Tour models, each designed for different types of players. All models emphasise an optimised clubface design that aims to maximise ball speed across the entire clubface. The Qi10 and Qi10 Max models are said to offer improved forgiveness and an increased launch angle thanks to the Infinity Carbon Crown and precisely positioned mass pads. The Qi10 Tour version, on the other hand, offers a more compact, titanium-based design with an adjustable weight system for customised flight curve options. Prices vary by model, with a starting price of €379 for the Qi10 and Qi10 Max Fairways and €329 for the corresponding Rescue models.
The new TaylorMade Qi10 irons for the 2024 golf season
TaylorMade Qi10 irons: The TaylorMade Qi irons are designed to deliver straight-line distance and precision in the game-improvement iron category. TaylorMade highlights the integrated system design, which is intended to provide optimised performance for each individual iron. Features such as cap-back design technology and customised HYBRAR echo dampeners are said to offer improved sound and feel. With prices starting at £183 per iron for the steel version, the Qi irons are aimed at a wide range of players looking to improve their accuracy and distance.
The HL irons are designed for golfers looking for a higher launch speed and faster club head speed. The lighter and loftier irons (HL = High Launch) are designed to provide increased trajectory and improved overall performance. With a similar price point to the standard Qi irons, these are designed for players who are specifically interested in optimising their long shots.
Both the TaylorMade Qi10 irons and the HL version are also available in a ladies version. The lofts are the same as in the men’s clubs. Only the shafts are designed for slightly slower swing speeds. Many female golfers will be particularly pleased that the clubs do not differ visually from the other models. No pink, no pastel – TaylorMade is now focussing on a sporty look here too.
TaylorMade expands its range with the Qi10 series
With the Qi10 series, TaylorMade is continuing its strategy of broadening its range of golf clubs. Golfers of all levels are catered for, without having to sacrifice individuality and personal requirements. While beginners will find a variant designed for support in the Max variants (woods) and the HL iron series, better players can make their own adjustments with the Qi10 Tour (fairway woods) and the Qi10 LS driver using a movable weight and thus adjust the new TaylorMade golf clubs according to their own wishes.
Graeme Russell, Chief Brand Officer of Genesis, talks to Matthias Gräf, CEO of Golf Post. (Credit: Golf Post)
Genesis has been involved in golf in Asia and America for some time. In Europe, the carmaker has just sponsored the Scottish Open for the second time. Graeme Russell, Chief Brand Officer of Genesis, talks to Golf Post about different markets, long-term commitments and Korean hospitality.
Interview with Graeme Russell, Chief Brand Officer of Genesis
Golf Post: Hi Graeme, so we’re here sitting after the closure of the second Genesis Scottish Open. We want to talk more about Genesis the brand in general and not kind of golf as the tournament so much. So it’s kind of the second year in Europe and also in the same timeframe since you introduced your brand here in the market. What can you tell me about the connection between Genesis and golf? Why is it so important for you?
Graeme Russell: Yes, absolutely. Well, thank you. It’s a pleasure to have you here. It’s a sunny day in Scotland and the wind is blowing and we’ve just witnessed a great winner in Rory McIlroy at the Genesis Scottish Open. This is the culmination of many years of Genesis, involvement, investment and support for golf. The Genesis brand was launched in November 2015. Shortly after that, in 2016, we became a partner of the Korean PGA and their point system and really starting to support Korean golf. And then we went beyond that and started to become a significant partner and supporter of global golf. And that was with the Genesis Open at the time, and latterly, has become the Genesis Invitational. And then of course, with the Genesis Championship in Korea. So that was really our start in golf. And then two years ago, we became the title sponsor of the Genesis Scottish Open, now co-sanctioned, and that really completes a portfolio of three iconic, prestigious tournaments. For us. The rationale for Genesis in golf, I think we believe that as a premium luxury brand is introducing ourselves onto the global stage. Golf was a great platform for us. It aligns with our values to be audacious to be progressive, and that distinctly Korean element very much is, of course, Korea, Women’s golfing in Korea particularly and then naturally men’s golf. There’s a huge passion for the sport. So I think Golf was very much a natural fit for Genesis. And we’ve gone on since to enhance our portfolios, I’m sure we’ll talk about in a minute. We talked about R&D for audacious commitment, because I think there’s very few sponsors, there’s probably a handful, they’d be FedEx, maybe Rolex, to have this kind of prestigious portfolio and significant investment and commitment to the school. So we’re very proud. And today, especially when we’re talking about an hour and a bit after the conclusion of the Genesis Scottish Open with a fantastic winner, one of the best golfers of this generation, winning our tournaments.
Golf Post: So we are in Scotland, in Europe, and still Genesis as a brand in Europe is still quite new into the market, two years into the market by now. How would you describe the genesis brand for an European audience? What is the USP that you bring into the market?
Graeme Russell: I think very simply, we have a very strong design component, we have a world class design team, Luc Donckerwolke, SangYup Lee, arguably two of the best designers in the global automotive industry, the technology that we’re able to incorporate into our vehicles into our Genesis models, and into our Genesis customer experience is right up there. It has been world class. And then I think the differentiator is our hospitality. This Korean philosophy of “Son-Nim”, how we look after people, whether it’s for the golf tournament, looking after the players and the caddies, holding them close, of course, or whether it’s looking after our customers, particularly warranty programs, who come to you to test drive programs, etc.That’s that feeling of “Son-Nim”. And treating customers as our guests is very important.
Design, of course, has led the Genesis brands since its launch. Technology is a very important part. And hospitality, the way we look after all people who are friends of the Genesis brand, is that combination that makes us, I believe, unique from the other brands, of course, in the premium luxury space.
Golf Post: What I noticed here is that there weren’t many big signs and claims of Genesis out there on the golf course. Is there any sort of claim that Genesis is going to put out there?
Graeme Russell: I think, we talk about our audacious commitment to golf, but I think we’re in that distinctly Korean philosophy, which I’ve had the pleasure of really learning since I moved to Korea 18 months ago. I’m a Scott. I’ve spent my family life in Edinburgh. This is my home tournament, but I live in Korea and work there with the team. And I’ve really learned that there’s a very thoughtful and mindful humbleness about Korea and Korean brands. And so for example, we didn’t want to put cars all over a beautiful golf course. We are very happy to let the golf course show its true design and natural beauty. We want the plenty of players and the spectators and the fans and everyone, really just to appreciate the golf course. And then we of course, can communicate with them in those sort of off course facilities. So I think you know, each brand takes its own approach, how they feel it’s right, we have a distinct thing for me and a philosophy and mindset that we apply to all of our tournaments. It starts with looking after the players from when they arrive in Scotland to the transportation experience, the accommodation experience, the partners that the Renaissance Club, we look after them with great gym facilities, the player and caddies cafe on the land, which is a kind of unique feature and global goal. The fact that we look after the caddies if the player scores a hole in one, both the player and the caddy on 17. So I think it’s a unique mindset. It’s a unique philosophy, and it’s one that we’re very proud of. We have a lot of support within Genesis for this approach. It is a long term vision, this long term commitment. So, we’re very proud of how we approach the game of golf globally.
Golf Post: So from a brand perspective, how difficult is it to set up the brand properly at a golf tournament or the golf venue? So what goes through your mind when you think about setting it up?
Graeme Russell: I think we follow a very considered approach. We work with the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. This is the only co-sanctioned event. So it’s very much an elevated event, there was a small number of global partners involved in the game, you know, FedEx, and Rolex, and then Genesis being the title sponsor. So we’re very considered about how we present our brand. For example, we want the look and feel the tonality to be right. Sometimes we will make our logos smaller, for example. So the aesthetic of the logos, we’re not overly present, it’s about fitting in with the environment. I mentioned that we haven’t put car placements all over the golf course, we kept them closer towards the clubhouse, because we wanted the natural beauty of the Renaissance, this modern links golf course, in a spectacular Golf Country, in East Lothian. Behind all of this we have two sets of objectives. Our first objective is to look after the players and the caddies, their families and the team around them. And we believe if the player and the caddy are well looked after that will enhance their performance, their ability to play well in the tournament. If they’re playing well, if they’re enjoying themselves, if they’re comfortable, they’re going to play better golf, and the fans will have a better experience, they’re going to see the world’s best golfers playing their best golf. And we saw that throughout the whole week. And then after that, definitely the fans are enjoying it here, the fans in person, but the spectators who are participating through TV and through media coverage.
And then of course, we have our hospitality facility where we’re sitting today. And we’re able to host a wonderful dining and hospitality. So it really is that sort of ecosystem or that complete experience that we’re looking to do. And so it’s the overall Genesis experience, not just the conventional marketing. Of course, our secondary objectives are those marketing KPIs, of course, it’s a significant investment to be a title sponsor on either the DP World Tour, or the PGA Tour or in the Co-sanctioned event. We have the Genesis Invitational on the PGA Tour, now designated event and one of the top events, we’ve got one of the leading events within the Rolex series on the DP World Tour. And of course, we’ve got the Genesis Championship in Korea, so it’s a significant investment. So there must be a very careful attention and due diligence on how these events perform for the brand. They raise awareness, whether it’s a new market like Europe, or whether it’s about reinforcing the appreciation for the brand and markets.
Golf Post: You already mentioned the Genesis Invitational. It’s also already known that you have an affiliation with Tiger Woods as the host. Are there any plans to have more players affiliated to the brand and have some of the best golf players as brand ambassadors?
Graeme Russell: Firstly, we’re very proud. The friendship, the partnership with Tiger Woods and the TGR foundation is very, very important to Genesis and we look forward to continuing that partnership. The Invitational has grown from the Genesis Open to the Genesis Invitational and I think we’ll continue to have an elevated status. In terms of beyond that, I think it’s a really interesting question, because we have a very long list of the most prestigious portfolios in global golf. As we mentioned, the Invitation on the PGA Tour, a co-sanctioned event here with PGA Tour and DP World Tour, a tournament in Korea, the Genesis championship and also the Korea Championship presented by Genesis, and then also a partnership with the APGA, partnership with the Presidents Cup of which we are the official automotive partner, and a series of other sort of secondary sponsorship. So our portfolio is pretty significant. We do always consider whether partnerships with individual golfers and athletes would be something we’re considering, but there’s nothing significant that I could share with you now, because I think we’re very much tournament focused. And when you’re tournament focused, you get to host the best players in the world. And again, the leaderboard that we saw today was one of the best. We had eight of the world’s top 10 golfers here with us this year. Last year, I think it was 14 or 15. At the Invitational last year it was 10 out of 10 of the world’s top golfers, and again, similar to that this year. So our events are attracting the best golfers. And then of course, you would have a really challenging decision, which golfer would you work with and everything else. So yeah, watch this space.
Golf Post: You mentioned your big investment into different globally important golf tournaments. There’s obviously a couple of tournaments left, the really big ones like the majors and the Ryder Cup. Is it something you might look into in the future? There are other competitors involved in those tournaments. Is there a master plan to also be involved in the very top level of golf?
Graeme Russell: I probably can’t give you an answer on that just now. I think I’ll go back to this very prestigious portfolio. And it would be very difficult to go beyond this. With the majors, I believe you are able to have title sponsorship, like official automotive partner. I think in the future, we may well consider it always. I think as one of the leading partners and supporters and sponsors of global golf, I’m sure if opportunities do come up, people will come to us with and present these opportunities to us. And as always, we would do our due diligence and understand if it’s the right fit for the brand. But at present, it would be difficult to top the portfolio that we’ve got. And as we just mentioned, you know, with the caliber of the winners, the caliber of the fields we’re attracting, I think we’re in a pretty good place right now.
Golf Post: So in the end, it’s about selling cars. You have some of the cars here promoted at the tournament. When you plan your marketing strategy, the branding strategy do you also think about the events where you will promote the cars and do you include the golf tournaments as an important element in your schedule for promoting new cars and product launches?
Graeme Russell: Yeah, absolutely. As I mentioned, we have the two sets of objective, the players and the caddies, the bands, the customers etc. And then obviously the marketing objectives. When ultimately our job is depending on which market we’re in whether Genesis has had a more established presence like in the United States, it’s a combination of using the golf event, the Genesis Invitational, as a platform for looking after our existing customers, some of our longest standing customers, also our dealer partners or investors, so it’s very much the hospitality element plays a part there. Then, of course, on the course we want to raise awareness so we have wonderful facilities at the 14th hole at Riviera (golf course which hosts the Genesis Invitational). We have a Genesis interactive experience. We have product displays, we have simulated golf, we have hospitality, Korean snacks. And of course, then the branding element is for that wider reach. So the significant prestigious golf tournament allows you to activate in many ways. And whereas here for example, in Europe, this is an interesting one to talk about, particularly because it’s co-sanctioned for the DP World Tour and formerly known as the European Tour that allows us to raise awareness of the Genesis brand into Europe and markets.
We’re in the UK of course which is hosting the tournament here in Scotland. In Germany, of course, there’s a growing golf market where we have other partnerships and activities. But then the other benefit, of course, is that broadcasting is all going back to the United States. So you really must feel that here in Europe, this is about introducing the brand presenting the Genesis brand, whereas for America, it is about awareness. But it’s also about perhaps a deeper relationship with our existing customers. So our organization’s commitment and our significant investment. Also, we were able to realize that value and the return on that in many different ways. So there are nuances, there’s different structures and opportunities. And that’s why Golf is a really, really valuable platform.
Matthias Gräf (left) and Graeme Russell. (Credit: Golf Post)
Golf Post: If you look down the line and let’s say in five years, what would you think a golf tournament needs to be set up and what kind of activities would need to be there? For example, different virtual hybrid strategies for an event. What would be your dream event in five years?
Graeme Russell: Very good question. I think, the game of golf is definitely evolving. If you look at the stats around the world, on the course, golf participation, those who playe nine holes or 18 holes, is growing. It’s becoming a more diverse sport with younger participants, more female participation, and more diversity. But also the off course golf is growing. So driving ranges, simulator golf, Top Golf, for example. We’re very optimistic about the future of golf. And I think also the way golf is played is changing. Golf is back to the whole new generation. And the way that golf is covered by the media has also changed. And I think there was a clear opportunity for technology, which I mentioned is one of our key pillars alongside design and hospitality, to really start to play a greater role in the experience that we create. For those who are, you know, participating in playing, or those who are watching and spectating golf, I really believe technology can enhance that, whether it’s on the TV screen, or whether we start to get into a place where you can be watching golf in person. But having that experience enhanced by your mobile device, or something else, I think goes a long way for technology to enhance the overall experience, and for Genesis that is really what we ultimately look to do we ultimately believe we want to use design technology and hospitality to create original experiences for our guests, for our customers and our future customers. So technology, and the way golf is covered, the way golf is broadcasted, these are all clear opportunities for the way we believe we can take our tournament portfolio and make it even better. We’ve had two years here today. It feels like how could we make this better, but we’ve got plenty of ideas. And I think working closely with yourselves and other media partners, I think we should take on that commitment to how we can enhance golf as a sport, whether you’re playing it, watching it, following, etc.
Golf Post: You set some pretty high standards this year. So you have big benchmarks to hit next year.
Graeme Russell: We do and we do. But the good news is, this is year two of this tournament. It’s year seven of the Invitational, year seven of the Genesis championship. And, you know, we still see we have great partners in all these events. We’re always looking at how we can find those improvements. Whether it’s 1% kind of marginal gains or fine tuning or whether the game fundamentally evolves into really interesting direction, then I think we’ll be there as a committed partner, and very much positive aspirations for how Genesis can continue to support the game and sport of golf, whether it’s in the United States, in Europe or elsewhere around the world.
Golf Post: Fantastic. Thanks a lot for sharing all this information.
About Graeme Russell, Chief Brand Officer of Genesis
Graeme Russell is the Chief Brand Officer of Genesis. Russell is responsible for leading Genesis’s global brand, product and retail communications and ensuring an engaging brand experience across all customer touchpoints. With a wealth of experience in the luxury marketing and communications fields, including Global Head of Brand Communications for Bentley Motors and Brand Ambassador for The Macallan, Russell leads a division consisting of customer experience office and retail experience office, with a focus on differentiated brand communications with customers.
Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa defeat Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg on Saturday afternoon at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns defeated the so far so strong duo Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, who had celebrated a historic victory with 9&7 in the morning. Now they lost in the afternoon session on Saturday at the Ryder Cup 2023 in Rome. The Americans defeated the Europeans with 4&3 on the 15th hole. The two PGA Tour stars were in the lead from the first hole and did not relinquish it at any point during the match. In the interview, Burns and Morikawa talk about the importance of the point for their team, which is chasing a deficit ahead of the final singles on Sunday.
Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns interviewed at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Question: Congratulations, your first Ryder Cup point has come on an afternoon when your team really needed. Just how good does it feel to get that?
Sam Burns: Yeah, it feels great. I mean, just an awesome team effort today. I just said earlier, I mean, it’s so fun and playing with a guy like Collin. He’s just — I said every time I play with him, I’m more and more impressed.
Today that just continued. He’s so fun to play with. He’s never out of the hole. Every time I look up his ball is headed right at the flagstick. And that just gives our team more confidence.
So we did a good job out there. We knew it was going to be tough. We knew the crowds were going to be against us. We just kept fighting, and glad to put a point on the board for our team.
Question: Collin, did the fact that you knew you really had to win this session to give yourself at least a chance tomorrow affect how you went about the match sort of tactically, mentally?
Collin Morikawa: No, I mean, our energy was up. We know where we stand, and we know what we’ve done so far and in the past, you know, kind of first sessions, but we were leading. At the start seeing red on that first hole was very important for us. I’m glad we got that started. We kind of kept that momentum going and finally got that point on the board.
Question: No team has ever come from seven points back after three series of matches. What gives you the belief that this team can?
Sam Burns: This team. I mean, these guys are ready. We’re all positive. We know what we’re capable of. We know it’s going to be tough. We know it’s going to be a challenge. But we’re excited for it.
Rory McIlroy (left) and Tommy Fleetwood are undefeated after three sessions at the 20223 Ryder Cup. (Credit: Getty)
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood remain undefeated in their third match together at the 2023 Ryder Cup. Together they have now collected three points for Team Europe. Naturally, they were happy after the narrow victory against the American dream pairing of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, as they report in the interview.
In the afternoon session on Saturday at the Ryder up in Rome, however, they will have to manage without each other. Fleetwood will start in the bestballs with Rasmus Hojgaard, McIlroy will play with Matt Fitzpatrick.
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood remain undefeated in their third match together at the Ryder Cup. Together they have now collected three points for Team Europe. Naturally, they were happy after the narrow victory against the American dream pairing of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, as they report in the interview.
In the afternoon session on Saturday at the Ryder up in Rome, however, they will have to manage without each other. Fleetwood will start in the bestballs with Rasmus Hojgaard, McIlroy will play with Matt Fitzpatrick.
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Rory McIlroy: I think they get more special as you go on because you realize you don’t have that many left. Hopefully I have a few Ryder Cups left in me. It’s been an absolute pleasure to share the golf course with this man beside me over the last couple of days.
Yeah, last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday but coming out and showing no mercy today. Obviously the way Ludvig and Viktor started off and the way we started off, you know, that set the tone for the day again.
Yeah, just another incredible match. We played great there. We held some good putts when we needed to and delighted to get another point on the board for Europe.
Question: They are already talking about this pairing possibly being one for years to come, two eagles back-to-back, 5-under par wedge in foursomes. You’ve be playing with him for a while?
Tommy Fleetwood: If he’ll have me. Like I said yesterday, there’s so many people on this planet that dream of playing with Rory and I’m the one who has had the opportunity to do it for the last two mornings. Just happy to be along for the ride and play some good golf. Yeah, we did very, very well. We were pretty — there was a couple of hiccups here and there but we held the putts when we needed to and thankfully Rory bailed me out on the last one.
Question: Mollywood 4-0, Fleetwood Mac 3-0 —
Rory McIlroy: There is a common denominator there.
Question: How good a partner is he to play with?
Rory McIlroy: He’s great because he makes you feel so at ease and you know that you can play loose. You can’t play tight. You don’t feel like you need to be perfect because you know you’ve got a partner beside you that’s going to bail you out if you need to and is going to hit the right shots at the right times.
I think in foursomes, someone that strikes the ball like this man, you feel really comfortable playing alongside none like that. As I said it’s been a great couple of days.
Question: A second straight day, 2&1 foursomes victory. A wonderful start for both of you. How much momentum does this team have right now?
Rory McIlroy: Yesterday was an amazing day and we wanted to enjoy it because it’s not very often you go out on a full day in a Ryder Cup and don’t lose a full point. We enjoyed last night but at the same time we knew the Americans were going to be hurting a bit and they obviously want to get off to a fast start this morning, and our objective is to just not let them do that.
We went out first and we got blue on the board early, the boys behind got blue on the board early and that set the tone for the day. Another great start, what we have been talking about all week and we just need to keep it going.
Question: Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are historically a very strong team for the Americans. Do you sense they are a little bit out of sorts this week?
Tommy Fleetwood: Well, me and Rory are a good team as well. Very happy to play whoever it was we were put alongside. We were just very focused on what we were doing. We played very well yesterday. Wanted to come out of the blocks fast, and we did. Just continue to focus on what we were doing, and yeah, I actually thought it was a great match, especially on the back nine. I thought things really got going on the back nine with some eagles and birdies. (Transcript by asapsports)
