WITB – Collin Morikawa claims second major with key gear change

Collin Morikawa claimed his second major trophy on his Open Championship debut, and did so making a key equipment alteration.

A TaylorMade staffer, it’s interesting to note that the 24-year-old hasn’t transitioned to the new TaylorMade SIM2 driver and continues to opt with the original SIM. Proving that distance isn’t everything, Morikawa only averaged 286 yards off the tee at The Open Championship. He also features the SIM Titanium 3-wood, and finally a SIM2 five-wood in his bag.

Morikawa switches between a TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue and a TaylorMade SIM UDI iron depending on how he feels on tournament week.

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Moving to the irons, he starts with a TaylorMade P770 4-iron, and then from 5-iron down to 9-iron he has TaylorMade P7MC‘s. He also carries a TaylorMade P730 pitching wedge.

Known as one of the best iron players in the world, Collin Morikawa leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, and relies on TaylorMade’s P770 4-iron. From his 5-iron to 9-iron, is where Morikawa made the key change ahead of the week at Royal St George’s.

“I changed my irons, my 9- through 7-iron that I normally have blades in,” explained Morikawa. “I changed to the MCs strictly because I couldn’t find the centre of the face. Those are three crucial clubs that are some of my favourite clubs. My 8-iron is my favourite club in the bag, and when I wasn’t able to hit it last week well, I knew I had to try something different.”

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For his wedges, Morikawa carries a TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 50 degree, a Titleist Vokey SM8 wedge ()56 degrees, and a TaylorMade MG2 Hi-Toe (60 degrees).

On the greens, where he ranked No.1 in strokes gained for the week, he utilises a TP Juno design.

Collin Morikawa – What’s in the bag

Driver: TaylorMade SIM (8˚, Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX)
Fairway woods: TaylorMade SIM Titanium (14˚, Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX), TaylorMade SIM2 (19˚, Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX)
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-9), TaylorMade P730 (PW), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 (50 degrees), Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (56-14F), TaylorMade MG2 Hi-Toe (60 degrees), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Juno
Ball: TaylorMade TP5