News

Tour Report: Valero Texas Open – Welded rails, Rickie’s bag, Augusta awaits

Published

3 months ago

Apr 3, 2026

The second stop in Texas is the final chance for players to test out and dial in equipment before the Masters. While many in the field are still chasing that final spot in the field for the Masters, a few big hitters were making moves ahead of the first major of the year.

Check out the Tour Report from the 2026 Valero Texas Open.

Austin Eckroat’s DIY welded putter rails

Think Baffler, but on a putter. That’s what Austin Eckroat is doing at the Valero. It’s one of the weirder things that we’ve seen on Tour. But, there’s a method behind the madness.

His custom Ping PLD Anser 2 features two custom-welded rails on the sole of the putter, raising about a golf ball’s width of the center point of the face off the ground. It’s all an attempt to help the putter stay stable on the greens, while also helping him establish the same handle placement for each putt.

“I wanted the club to sit on two points, especially our greens get baked out here,” Eckroat said. “If you ever put it on Bermuda greens and you go down to pick up your ball and the putter slides out from underneath you, the same thing happens when I’m over the ball. I set into it with one hand, so I set in with one hand, and I’d look at the hole and come down, and the club face is closed or whatever. So that was the first idea with it, was to get the putter just sit still and the two balance points really helps there.”

Check out the full interview with Eckroat and more details about potential secondary designs that might be coming to his bag.

What’s in Rickie’s bag?

Our Tour photographer, Greg Moore, got a full look inside Rickie Fowler’s bag, and it’s had a big influence on last week’s winner, Gary Woodland.

Two clubs feature in Fowler’s bag that Woodland has taken onboard. Firstly, the incredibly offset Cleveland RTZ Tour Rack lob wedge and then his custom Scotty Cameron center-shafted GoLo putter.

Interestingly, in Fowler’s setup at the Valero, he’s back in his TaylorMade BRNR Copper Mini Driver equipped with a Diamana WB 73 TX, instead of the KING TEC mini that he started the season in, that he played a UST Mamiya LIN-Q PowerCore Blue 7TX proto.

Check out his full bag here.

Tommy Fleetwood’s cosmetics changes

New hat, new shoes, new putter? World No. 4 Tommy Fleetwood arrived at TPC San Antonio donning a new Blackstone sponsor logo on his cap and a fresh pair of Sun Day Red kicks, instead of his personal favorite Nike TW13s. While all that was surprising to see, what may have been missed was the cosmetic update he made to his trusty TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter.

Gone are the custom Sharpie lines, hand-drawn by TaylorMade Putter Rep James Holley last year at the RBC Heritage, when Fleetwood first switched into the model, and they’ve been replaced with two parallel milled lines and a dot.

“I haven’t played how I wanted to and sometimes it’s nothing more into it than you just need something different to look at, like a slightly different visual or something, just to change up your mindset a little bit,” Fleetwood said prior to the start of the Valero Texas Open.

The Englishman was also spotted rolling a few putts on the green with the TaylorMade Tour F, which we had seen in the bag of Pierceson Coody just a few weeks ago.

Check out why Fleetwood was testing the proto putter here, and his fill bag for Valero here.

Are you ready for Augusta?

The gates are nearly open as golf readies for a trip down Magnolia Lane. To get ready for the first major of the year, check out Mitsubishi Golf Shafts custom Diamana Masters edition.

The shaft features a glossy Masters green color scheme with pink, yellow and white Azalea flowers, a prominent feature at Augusta National, as well as hands stamped in a praying position synonymous with Amen Corner. The shaft comes in the Blue Board profile at 63 X.

Quick hits

Billy Horschel returned to his bronzed Ping PLD Anser putter. It’s his third putter of the season after using a Ping Scottsdale Tec Ally Blue H and his Ping Sigma 2 Tyne 4. Robert MacIntyre, Bud Cauley, J.T. Poston and Matt Kuchar were among 15 players that moved into the new Titleist GTS driver, with 34 in total in play. More on Matsuyama. He’s back in his Graphite Design Tour AD DI driver shaft after playing the FI, DI Black and the standard DI all during The Players Championship. Odyssey dropped an Ai-Dual 2-Ball Proto for us to take a look at. All the images here.

Club of the week

You asked, we delivered. Take a look at Keith Mitchell’s Odyssey EXO 2-ball. Made with rose gold PVD, Mitchell’s version features a custom ProX insert for a slightly firmer feel made for Tour only.

More photos here.

For more, check out this week’s episode of Inside the Ropes.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

3 weeks ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

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

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

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

2026 The Memorial – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

4 weeks ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

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

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

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

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

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

Henley’s Suitcase

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

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

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

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

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

Celine’s Suitcase

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

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

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

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

Kaneko’s Suitcase

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

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

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

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

Alvaro’s Suitcase

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

A party on the green!

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

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

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

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

Niemann’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping 440 LST
Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Ping PLD Anser

News

Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

4 weeks ago

May 31, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

GolfWRX

Tour Report: Valero Texas Open – Welded rails, Rickie’s bag, Augusta awaits

News

Tour Report: Valero Texas Open – Welded rails, Rickie’s bag, Augusta awaits

Austin Eckroat’s DIY welded putter rails

What’s in Rickie’s bag?

Tommy Fleetwood’s cosmetics changes