The third men’s major championship of the season is popping with storylines as the sports world turns its attention to Massachusetts. This will be the first U.S. Open held at The Country Club at Brookline since 1988, and the first USGA championship overall held at the venue since the 2013 U.S. Amateur.
Team Titleist will once again feature a powerhouse roster teeing it up seeking major championship glory. Let’s look at some of the prominent numbers and statistics for the Titleist headliners at this week’s U.S. Open.
At last month’s PGA Championship, Will Zalatoris continued to build upon his growing reputation as one of the game’s best performers in the majors. Since the beginning of 2020, Zalatoris leads all players in strokes gained total in the major championships, averaging 2.54 per round. His runner-up finish to Justin Thomas at Southern Hills made him the first player in 28 years to finish in the top-ten in five of his first eight career major starts.
Zalatoris will enter the week as the Tour’s season leader in strokes gained approach per round. He also ranks 6th on Tour in greens in regulation (70.1%) and 2nd in strokes gained tee-to-green per round. No player has earned his first career PGA Tour title at the U.S. Open since 2010 – Zalatoris will try to change that this week in Massachusetts.
What’s in Will Zalatoris’ Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Pro V1
Driver: TSi3 9.0° with a Fujikura Speeder 757 TR X shaft
Fairway Metal: TSi3 16.5° with a Fujikura Atmos 8 Red shaft
Utility iron: T200 3-iron
Irons: T100 4-PW with Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue shafts
Wedges: New Vokey Design SM9 50.08F, 54.10S at 55, 60T with Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue shafts
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 11 Tour Prototype
All Justin Thomas did at the last major championship contested was come from seven back in the final round, the largest Sunday deficit overcome to win any major since 1999. This week at the U.S. Open, Thomas will try to become the first player to win back-to-back majors in the men’s game since Jordan Spieth in 2015. Thomas is one of a handful of players in this week’s championship field who also competed here at the 2013 U.S. Amateur – a list that includes Zalatoris, Max Homa and Cameron Young, to name a few.
Thomas has a pair of top-ten finishes in his U.S. Open career, but his greatest moment to date came in the third round at Erin Hills in 2017. There have been nearly 47,000 official U.S. Open rounds played since 1895. With his 63 in the third round that week in Wisconsin, Thomas recorded the only score to par of 9-under.
Last week at the Canadian Open, JT closed with 63-64 on the weekend. For the week, he led the field in strokes gained off-the-tee (+5.10), ranked fourth in strokes gained approach (+6.53) and second in tee-to-green (+13.13).
WHAT'S IN JUSTIN THOMAS' TITLEIST GOLF BAG?
Golf Ball: Pro V1x
Driver: TSi3 10.0° | Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana ZF 60 TX-Flex
Fairway Metals: TS3 15.0° and 915 Fd 18.0°
Irons: NEW T100 4 and 621JT 5-9
Wedges: New Vokey Design SM9 46.10F (@ 47.5°), 52.12F (@ 52.5°), 56.14F (@ 57.0°) and WedgeWorks 60T (@ 60.5°)
Putter: Scotty Cameron X5.5 prototype
Cameron Smith heads to Brookline checking many statistical boxes that predict a successful week. He’s ranked third on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approach per round, a 50-spot leap up from last year. Smith’s wedge game has been exemplary in 2022: he currently ranks 4th on the PGA Tour in approach shot proximity from 50-125 yards and second from 125-150.
The world is well-versed in how great of a putter Smith is, and the advanced numbers back it up, as he ranks 11th on Tour this season in strokes gained putting. Consider this, though: Smith leads the PGA Tour this season in birdie conversion percentage, making 39.7% of his attempts this season. That’s been a key statistic for players leading into the U.S. Open in recent years: 6 of the previous 7 champions ranked in the top-15 in that metric entering the week of their victory.
What’s in Cameron Smith’s Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: TSi3 10.0° | Fujikura Ventus Blue 60 X
Fairway Metals: TSi2 15.0° | Fujikura Ventus Blue 80 X and TS2 21.0° | UST Mamiya Elements Red 8F5 X
Irons: NEW T100 5-9 | KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X
Wedges: NEW Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 52.08F, 56.08M, 60.10S | KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X
Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M tour prototype
One name that’s sure to be popular among the galleries this week is Max Homa, a player who’s game on the course has matched his social media entertainment value recently. This season, Homa has improved in every strokes gained discipline – off-the-tee, approach, around the green and putting. It’s led to a ranking of 12th in strokes gained total per round, a 61-spot improvement over 2020-21.
Homa will look to build on his best major championship performance to date, a tie for 13th at last month’s PGA Championship. That week, Homa ranked 5th in the field in strokes gained approach, and fourth in average proximity from 50-125 yards. Homa will need to have his wedges dialed in again to contend at Brookline.
What’s in Max Homa’s Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: TSi3 10.0° | Fujikura Ventus 6 Black X
Fairway Metals: TSi2 15.0° | Alidla Rogue Black 130 MSI 80 TX and TSi2 21.0° | Graphite Design Tour AD XC 9 TX
Irons: NEW T100•S 4-iron | KBS TOUR $-Taper 130 X, NEW T100 5-iron | KBS TOUR $-Taper 130 X, and 620 MB 6-9| KBS TOUR $-Taper 130 X
Wedges: NEW Vokey Design SM9 46.10F | KBS TOUR $-Taper 130 X and NEW Vokey Design SM9 50.12F, 56.14F, 60.04L | KBS Hi Rev 2.0 125 S
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 tour prototype
Can Jordan Spieth deliver major championship magic yet again? Almost nobody has been as consistent a presence as Spieth has been in the majors in recent years: since 2015, Spieth has 44 rounds inside the top-10 in major championships, the third-most of any player in that span. Spieth finished tied for 19th at Torrey Pines last year, his best U.S. Open finish since winning at Chambers Bay in 2015. Spieth has four top-20 finishes in his last five starts entering this week, a run that included a win and runner-up finish in the two events leading up to the PGA Championship. Spieth is up to a lofty 10th on the PGA Tour this season in strokes gained tee-to-green, the third consecutive year he has improved his ranking in that statistic.
What’s in Jordan Spieth’s Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: TSi3 10.0° | Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Fairway Metal: TS2 15.0°| Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Hybrid: 818 H2 21.0° | Graphite Design Tour AD DI-95 X
Irons: NEW T100 4-9 | True Temper Project X 6.5
Wedges: NEW Vokey Design SM9 46.08F PW | True Temper Project X 6.5 and NEW Vokey Design SM9 52.08F & 56.10S, SM7 WedgeWorks 60T wedges | True Temper Project X 6.0
Putter: Scotty Cameron 009 tour prototype putter
Potential rookie of the year Cameron Young introduced himself to casual sports fans with an excellent performance at Southern Hills, tying for third place. Though the strongest part of Young’s game is off the tee, Young has indisputable skills through the bag: Young is gaining strokes against the field in every strokes gained discipline this season. It’s led to him ranking in the top-ten in birdie average, scoring average and par 4 scoring on the PGA Tour this season.
What’s in Cameron Young’s Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
Driver: TSi3 10.0° | Tensei 1K Pro White 70 TX | SureFit Hosel – D1 (-0.75° loft, 1.5° open face) | SureFit CG – H1
Fairway Metal: TSi3 16.5° | Tensei 1K Pro White 80 TX and TSi2 21.0 | Tensei 1K Pro White 80 TX
Utility Iron: NEW T200 4-iron | Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130 X
Irons: 620 MB (5-9)| Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130 X
Wedges: NEW Vokey Design SM9 56.08M, 52.12F, WedgeWorks 62.08M | Nippon NS Pro Modus3 Tour 130 X
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5 Knuckle Neck tour prototype
Patrick Cantlay’s professional resume has voluminous accomplishments. The inevitable next step? Contend in – and win – one of the game’s four biggest championships. Cantlay fits the analytical profile of a U.S. Open winner – he makes plenty of birdies (4.44 per round, 6th-most on Tour), is gaining strokes against the field in every discipline, and has the best par 5 scoring average of anyone this season (4.42).
Team Titleist will look to make it back-to-back major championship wins this week at The Country Club.
What's in Patrick Cantlay's Titleist Golf Bag?
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: TS3 9.5° | Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX
Fairway: 915F 15.0° | Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 70 TX
Hybrid: TS2 21.0° | Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 80 TX
Irons: 718 AP2 (4-9) irons | True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 (46.10F, 52.08F, 56.08M) & SM8 (61° Proto) | True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5 tour prototype
2nd in strokes gained total on the PGA Tour this season at 2.03, ProV1x loyalist Matthew Fitzpatrick is no stranger to Brookline, winning the 2013 United States Amateur Championship at The Country Club. Also ranking 5th in SG Tee to Green, and 4th in scoring average, Fitzpatrick is sure to be a factor in Boston.
Golf Ball: Pro V1x
Coming off a dominant performance at the Memorial, resulting in a four shot victory using his Pro V1, Horschel comes into Brookline looking for the first major of what’s already been an illustrious career. Horschel now sits in the Official World Golf Rankings as the 11th ranked player in the world.
Golf Ball: Pro V1
World No. 1 and the reigning Masters Champion, Pro V1 loyalist Scottie Scheffler ranks inside the top 10 in SG: Total, and is 2nd on the PGA Tour this season in Greens in Regulation, hitting just under 72% on the year.
Golf Ball: Pro V1
Fifth in birdie average and 7th in SG: Approach the green on the year, World No. 8 Viktor Hovland is chasing his first major victory of his career this week, and trusting his Pro V1 to help get him there.
Golf Ball: Pro V1
Fresh off a 2nd place finish at the RBC Canadian Open, World No. 15 Tony Finau and his Pro V1 are top 20 in SG: Off The Tee, Tee To Green, and Approach The Green on the year.
Golf Ball: Pro V1
Pro V1 loyalist and World No. 25 Daniel Berger comes into the U.S. Open with three top 10 finishes on the season, ranks within the top 15 in Driving Accuracy, and top 10 in sand save percentage, along with a top 20 ranking in SG: Total.
Golf Ball: Pro V1
A top five finish at the players and a runner up finish at the Dell Technologies Match Play, Pro V1x loyalist Kevin Kisner comes to Brookline as the 32nd ranked player in the world, and hinting for his first major championship.
Golf Ball: Pro V1x