Two major winners make surprise equipment changes ahead of the U.S. Open

When it comes to gear some players are quick to change while others like to take their time. In the case of U.S. Open contestants and previous major winners, Matt Fitzpatrick and Sergio Garcia, they generally aren’t the ones to make quick decisions, which is why their new club choices on the eve of the first round at Pinehurst No. 2 are so interesting.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Well known for being meticulous about every element of his game, thanks to his appearances on Netflix’s Full Swing series, Matt is not one to make equipment changes lightly. But, after recently talking about his need to add spin and control to his iron game, this week at Pinehurst he has moved into a fresh set of Titleist T100 irons from his previous Ping Blueprint S irons.

Titleist T100 Custom Irons

$199.99

The preferred iron for more touring pros now rewards players with an even more solid feel, along with subtle refinements that continue to make T100 the standard for modern Tour iron performance. Feel is essential for the best players in the game. The refined, fully forged dual-cavity construction of Titleist T100 produces a more solid feel at impact, while the precision CNC face milling process leads to more consistent contact for greater control. ENHANCED FEEL The latest evolution of the T100 dual-cavity forged construction features an enhanced back bar to produce a more solid feel at impact. Informed by modal testing and Tour input, T100 irons are tuned to provide the exact stability and sensation the world’s best players desire from a well-struck shot. REFINED FOR GREATER CONTROL In addition to the improvements made to the body construction, T100 benefits from a new precision CNC face milling process. Combined with a subtle shift in CG the result is more control and consistent ball flight, especially when moving from fairway to first cut. EFFORTLESS TURF INTERACTION Working with Tour Pros and the grind experts at Vokey Design, our engineers were able to further improve our Variable Bounce Sole by smoothing and softening the trailing edge to allow the club to flow faster through the turf, even after contact. A simple but surprisingly meaningful improvement. BETTER TUNGSTEN FOR BETTER FLIGHT By utilizing dense D18 tungsten and a 2000º aerospace brazing process, Titleist engineers can eliminate weld points and be more precise with CG placement to give you the benefit of modern engineered performance with a solid forged feel.

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Irons

He is still using Ping i230s for his longer irons but his mid and short irons have been swapped out just this week since he was seen last week at the Memorial — where he finished in a tie for fifth place, with the Blueprints still in the bag.

When comparing the two models, the T100s have a degree more loft through the set than the Pings, which should help produce the extra spin Matt has been looking for.

It could also be that the thin soles of the T100s are helping Matt get through the firm sandy turf on Pinehurst No. 2 better and a combination of the extra spin and ground interaction are what led to the change.

Sergio Garcia

On the other hand, former Masters champion Sergio Garcia has made a career out of changing putters, and this week he was seen using a Never Compromise Reserve Model 4.

Even with putter changes occurring fairly frequently, this marks one of the first times a new Never Compromise Reserve putter has arrived at a major championship. The brand was relaunched in the spring after years on the shelf. Garcia has his putter fitted with a BGT Stability graphite putter shaft.

Dunlop Sports Never Compromise #4 Putter

$449.99

Never Compromise Reserve isn’t simply another series of high-performance Putters, it offers you a new path toward more repeatable and fundamentally sound putting strokes. Each Putter head is 100% milled from premium 303 Stainless Steel and individually weighted to meet its ideal balance based on your fit Putter length. Never Compromise Reserve also features five head models to choose from, each available in both a classic Tour Satin and our throwback, high contrast, anti-fingerprint finish.  

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For consumers, the Never Compromise Reserve putters come in both a tour satin finish and contrast look which offers extra alignment and nostalgia for golfers who remember the original putters from the 90s and early 2000s that had a contrasting grey and black finish.

The big question for both of these players is how these changes will help their game once the first round starts tomorrow, meaning we don’t have to wait long to see if they pay off.

Check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast for more on the latest gear news and information. Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s senior editor for equipment. He has an extensive club-fitting and -building background with more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Before joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, in Toronto, Canada.

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