Brian Harman outmaneuvered one of the PGA TOUR’s toughest setups this season, trusting his Pro V1 golf ball through gusty winds of up to 30 mph Sunday at a firm-and-fast TPC San Antonio to capture the three-shot victory and his fourth PGA TOUR title.
Taking control with his blended set of Titleist irons (U•500 4-5, T100 6-iron, 620 CB 7-P) and Vokey Design wedges, including a new Vokey SM10 WedgeWorks 60L lob wedge that he put in play for the first time this week, the 2023 Open Champion gained nearly eight strokes combined on approach (+6.143/2nd) shots and around the green (+1.751/24th).
“It’s been pretty good, controlling my distances nicely,” Harman said Friday after his second-consecutive 66 to open the tournament. “It’s one of the demands this place makes on you, you have to really have control of your ball. Ball lands on the green, they're a lot firmer than they seem, and if you're playing from out of position it's really tough.”
The trusted tee-to-green equipment choices of champion Brian Harman were also the favourites of the Valero Texas Open field:
Titleist was the overwhelming #1 ball at TPC San Antonio with 78 percent (113 players) of the field playing a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball – including eight players who finished T5 or better. Titleist golf ball players have now won eight times this season on the PGA TOUR, compared to two for the nearest competitor.
Titleist was also the most played driver (62/42%), iron (51/35%) and wedge (251/59%), with Harman using his Titleist setup to gain a total of +7.620 strokes tee to green (5th).
U•500 4-5 utility irons | Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 90HY 6.0 (3-4); True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 (5)
Prior to the start of 2017, Brian Harman had been playing a competitive golf ball and equipment (the only Titleist club in his bag at the end of 2016 was a Vokey pitching wedge). During that offseason, he made a call to Titleist Tour Rep Jim Curran, asking for a set of Titleist irons, similar to the ones he had played as a junior golfer and in college at the University of Georgia.
Said Curran: “Brian called me during the offseason holidays (December of 2016) and said he played Titleist irons before he turned professional and has not had that feel in his iron ball striking since then. He ordered a set of 716 CB’s and we agreed to meet on the range in Palm Springs the Monday of CareerBuilder. It was then that we dialled in his loft, lies and yardages. From there, Brian was low maintenance all season. I would check his grips, lofts and lies roughly once a month and he did the rest.”
Harman put his new set of CB’s in play for the first time that Thursday at PGA West’s Nicklaus Course. (He now plays the 620 CB models.)
Said Harman in 2018: “Very first time when I played (the CB’s) was in Palm Springs. I worked with Mr. Jim Curran and we got them figured out. Finished third that week and I was having a pretty nice year.”
Three months later, the 2012 Sony Open Champion asked Harman, who was still playing a competitive golf ball, if he wanted to team up at the Zurich Classic (the first year that the Zurich went to the team format).
“He was kind of curious as to what ball we wanted to play,” Harman said. “I said, ‘I played Titleist balls in college and everything. We’ll just play your ball (a Titleist Pro V1, in alternate shot), no problem.
“We had a nice tournament... It got really windy. I was hitting some shots with (his) ball, shots that I just couldn’t hit with the ball I was playing. After that round, I decided to switch to the Pro V1…”
“I hit one shot on the second hole the last day in New Orleans (with the competitive ball) that spun up into the wind. I hit it flush but it came up 10 yards short and plugged in the bunker. And I just remember thinking, ‘That’s the last time I’m going to hit that ball. I’m switching balls.’ So, I switched, man, and I’m back. When I switched (to Pro V1), I want to say I was right around 90th in the world, and now I’m 30th, I think.” (Prior to Wells Fargo, Harman was 93rd in the OWGR. He ended 2017 at 25th.)
The following week, Harman teed up Pro V1 at the Wells Fargo Championship. On Sunday, he birdied 17 and 18 at Eagle Point GC to win by one shot.
Harman reiterated the significance of his switch prior to the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, where he finished T6: “The reason I switched back to Titleist was because of windy days and with Open Championships and major championships in mind. To flight the ball and not have to worry about it getting up and getting out of hand was a big deal.”
“I switched to this ball in 2017 from a different company and the effects were immediate. You know, the last four years on tour have been my best four put together,” Harman said prior to the 2022 U.S. Open. “I just was never able to flight my old ball. I had trouble controlling and especially in the wind and we ended up playing so much wind out here. The effects for me were immediate switching to this Pro V and I mean, it’s been a complete 180. The way that I flight iron shots, the way that I control it around the green, it saves me, I don't know how many shots it’s saved me.”
When Harman arrived at the winners-only Sentry Tournament of Champions to open 2018, there were several new additions to his bag, including a new Titleist driver, fairways and full set of Vokey Design wedges.
Brian Harman brought three Vokey Design wedges to the winner’s circle on Sunday: a Vokey Design SM9 50.08F gap wedge, a 54.10S sand wedge and a new SM10 WedgeWorks 60L lob wedge that he added to the bag this week. Harman won the 151st Open Championship with a similar wedge matrix, including a 60-degree L Grind lob wedge. This week, however, Harman moved from his SM9 lob wedge gamer to the SM10 version after working with Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill. Harman was looking for fresh grooves to prepare for The Masters, and after testing the SM10 L Grind around the practice area on Tuesday this week, it went straight in the bag.
The L Grind is a common choice for players who want a low bounce option with heel, toe, and trailing edge relief. Its leading edge sits close to the ground and works well on tight or firm lies, in a square or open position. Compared to other low bounce options in the Vokey lineup, the L Grind offers slightly more protection from excessive digging.
“The L Grind is for the player looking for the versatility of a low bounce wedge,” said Aaron Dill, Vokey Tour Representative. “It's really the perfect balance of ‘I want versatility, but I also want a little forgiveness to go with it.’ The forward bounce on the L helps reduce dig, but players are still able to open it up and slide under the ball easily. It's a great option for players looking for a little bit less bounce.”
The 2023 Champion Golfer of the Year used his Vokey wedge setup to gain 1.757 shots around the greens this week (24th).
Titleist Brand Ambassador Ryan Gerard’s momentum continued this week at the Valero Texas Open, closing with a 3-under 69 to leap into second place and claim his best-ever PGA TOUR finish. It also marked his first back-to-back top-10's on TOUR, following last week’s ninth-place finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Gerard’s recent run also earned him the top spot in the Aon Swing 5 standings, qualifying him for the next Signature Event, the RBC Heritage.
So far in 2025, Gerard ranks 17th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach, picking up an average 0.607 strokes on the field per round. This week in San Antonio, Gerard’s Vokey SM10 wedges and Scotty Cameron putter were on fire, as he ranked second in both SG: Around the Green (+5.948) and SG: Putting (+7.628). He also ranked T2 in Putts per GIR (1.60), and he got his NEW Pro V1 golf ball up-and-down 25 of 35 attempts (71%, T7).
Vokey Design SM10 46.10F, 50.08F, 54.10S, 60.08M wedges | KBS C-Taper 125 S+ (46), True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 (50-60)
Ladies European Tour rookie Mimi Rhodes (Pro V1) followed up her breakthrough win at the NSW Open with another victory, claiming back-to-back LET titles. The 23-year-old carded a steady 2-under 71 in the final round, which saw her reach 14 under for the week and win by one. The Englishwoman now leads the Order of Merit early in the 2025 LET campaign.
On the game’s biggest stages, at every level of competitive golf, more competitors put their trust in the performance of the #1 ball in golf than any other brand. This past week at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, an overwhelming majority of the field (49 competitors, 69%) teed up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.
Titleist was also the most played driver (37%), fairway (33%), hybrid (38%), utility iron (81%), iron (35%) and wedge (42%) at the ANWA, while Scotty Cameron putters were tied for the most played putter brand in the field (31%, T-1).
This week's winner on PGA Tour Champions gamed his NEW 2025 Pro V1 Yellow golf ball en route to a two-shot victory. The champion shot rounds of 68-66-71, posting 11 under for the week in Boca Raton. The win was his first on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
Over 54 holes, the champion made 13 birdies (T7) and two eagles (T1). He hit 44 of 54 greens in regulation (81%, T2) and 31 of 42 fairways in regulation (74%, T7).
About Titleist Media Center
Titleist, Golf’s Symbol of Excellence, is the game's leading performance equipment brand, having earned the overwhelming trust of tour professionals, club professionals, competitive amateurs and dedicated golfers worldwide. The Titleist golf ball embodies superior performance, innovative design and technology, precision manufacturing and unmatched quality. It is the unequivocal #1 ball in golf, and has been for 70 years and still counting. Titleist also sets the standard for golf clubs through an unwavering commitment to performance, meticulous attention to detail, and as the game’s preeminent golf club fitter. Titleist golf gear, comprising golf bags, headwear, travel gear, accessories and golf gloves, also delivers the performance and quality excellence promised in every product that bears the Titleist Script.
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- James Savage
- PR and Communications Manager at Acushnet Europe Ltd
- james_savage@acushnetgolf.com