The PGA Tour kicked off its 2026 season at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii.
With many big names taking the opening week off, the Sony Open provides a great opportunity for other players to start off the year with a victory. Chris Gotterup was this year's debut champ, after running away from the field on Sunday afternoon. Gotterup proved to the world he can compete with the best last season after taking down Rory McIlroy overseas at the Scottish Open. Building on a hot end to 2025, Gotterup earned his third career PGA Tour victory in impressive fashion.
Chris Gotterup's Winning WITB
The clubs Gotterup used to pull away from the field on Sunday are a unique mixture of hot new models, as well as some “vintage” and very unique irons.
Here's a look at which clubs Gotterup used during his win at the Sony Open.
All WITB information is courtesy of GolfWRX.
Driver: PING G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 70 TX
Gotterup’s PING G440 LST is built for one thing: managing elite‑speed power with low spin and tight dispersion. The LST model positions mass forward to reduce spin without sacrificing stability — ideal for a player who has as much speed as Gotterup
Fitting Insight:
The HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 70 TX is a perfect match for Gotterup’s aggressive, athletic transition. Its ultra‑stiff mid and tip sections keep the face stable, preventing over‑rotation at high speed. This setup is best for players who generate plenty of launch naturally and need control under pressure.
Mini Driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80 TX
The BRNR Mini gives Gotterup a controllable tee option on doglegs and tight sightlines without sacrificing the penetrating launch profile he prefers. For a lot of high speed guys, a mini driver makes more sense than 3 wood as they dont need the power of a 3 wood to reach par 5’s in two. If it is a secondary club to the driver then you will benefit from a mini driver from pure head size.
Fitting Insight:
This club acts as a “precision driver” — perfect for players who struggle to throttle back their full driver but still want 2‑wood‑style distance. The 80 TX keeps him feeling where the head is in his aggressive style swing.
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 83 TX
The Qi35 provides high launch and consistent spin stability, making it an ideal long‑approach club into par fives. Gotterup leans on this club to hit towering shots that land soft without ballooning.
Fitting Insight:
The Diamana WB 83 TX is extremely stable in the handle section, promoting tight dispersion and preventing tip deflection on high‑speed strikes. As he does not show a lot of dynamic loft through the ball he benefits from having a 5 wood that helps him to optimize his land angles through spin and launch increases.
Irons: Bridgestone Tour B 220 MB (4-9)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper 130 X
The 220 MB irons are pure, compact muscle backs built for feedback and trajectory control. Bridgestone doesn’t release many iron lines, and Gotterup is one of the select staffers using them — a testament to his precision ball‑striking.
Fitting Insight:
The C‑Taper 130 X is extremely stout with a low‑launch, low‑spin profile suited for players with steep delivery and high ball speed. This pairing allows Gotterup to flight the ball down in wind-heavy venues like Waialae while retaining spin consistency.
The MG5 wedge lineup offers CNC‑milled grooves and refined sole geometry that promote excellent turf interaction. Gotterup went into the Sony Open with a full MG5 setup, after previously mixing brands.
Fitting Insight:
Moving into X100 Onyx for the higher‑lofted wedges delivers more tip stability and predictable spin on partial shots. This mix of shafts gives him the same stability he finds in his irons whilst optimizing his scoring clubs.
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Tour
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 2.0
Gotterup stuck with the same putter that carried him to his Scottish Open title. The Spider X Tour offers exceptional MOI and face‑angle stabilizing properties — perfect for high‑speed strokes on grainy Bermudagrass greens.