TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, is one of the most visually intimidating golf courses in the world, with water and sand everywhere you look. The final stretch, holes 16, 17 and 18, demand that a player hold his nerves when faced with daunting tee shots and approach shots that require precision.
The Pete Dye masterpiece ranks No. 1 in Florida on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list, No. 11 for all resort courses in the United States and No. 22 in the U.S. for all Modern Courses built in or after 1960.
The players on the list below were able to handle the pressure and win the PGA Tour’s crown-jewel event, the Players Championship. Check out the equipment they used to get the job done.
The Players: TPC Sawgrass yardage book
2019: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy at the 2019 Players. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
DRIVER: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade M5 (19 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80X shaft
IRONS: TaylorMade P790 UDI (2), with Project X HZRDUS Black 105 shaft; TaylorMade P750 (3, 4), P730 (5-9), with Project X 7.0 shafts
WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48 degrees), Hi-Toe (54, 60 degrees), with Project X 6.5 shafts
PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider X Copper
BALL: TaylorMade TP5
GRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2018: Webb Simpson
Webb Simpson’s Titleist irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
DRIVER: Titleist 917D2 (9.5 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-5X shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade M2 (15 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue CK Pro 70TX shaft; Titleist 913Fd (18 degrees), with UST Mamiya Proforce VTS 8TX shaft
HYBRIDS: Titleist 913Hd (20 degrees), with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105X Hybrid shaft; Titleist 915Hd (23.5 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft
IRONS: Titleist 718 MB (5-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts
WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM7 (54, 60 degrees), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts
PUTTER: Odyssey Tank Cruiser V-Line
BALL: Titleist Pro V1
GRIPS: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
2017: Si Woo Kim
Si Woo Kim’s TaylorMade equipment.
DRIVER: TaylorMade M1 2017 (8.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana Tensei CK Blue TX shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M1 2017 (15 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Dual-Core TiNi 80 TX shaft; (19 degrees), with Matrix Speed Rulz Type C 80TX shaft
IRONS: TaylorMade P770 (3, 4), P750 Tour Proto (5-9), with KBS $ Taper 125 shafts
WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (48, 54, 60 degrees), with KBS Tour-V 120 shafts
PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist 009M prototype
BALL: TaylorMade TP5x
2016: Jason Day
Jason Day’s TaylorMade putter. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
DRIVER: TaylorMade M1 (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 70X shaft
FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade M2 (16.5 degrees adjusted to 14.5), with a Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 80X shaft
IRONS: TaylorMade RSi 2 (2), RSi TP (4-PW), with True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shafts
WEDGES: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF Tour Grind (47 degrees bent to 48), ATV Grind (52 degrees bent to 54, 60 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts
PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider Limited Red
BALL: TaylorMade Tour Preferred X
2015: Rickie Fowler
Rickie Fowler’s Cobra Fly-Z Pro irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
DRIVER: Cobra Fly-Z+ (10.5 degrees), with a Matrix VLCT LT prototype shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Cobra Cobra Fly-Z+ (14 degrees), Bio Cell+ (18 degrees), with Aldila Tour Blue 75 TX shafts
IRONS: Cobra Fly-Z Pro (4-9), with KBS C-Taper S+ 125 X shafts
WEDGES: Cobra Tour Trusty (47, 52, 57, 62 degrees), with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
PUTTER: Scotty Cameron for Titleist Newport prototype
BALL: Titleist Pro V1x
2014: Martin Kaymer
Martin Kaymer’s bag during his win at the PGA Tour’s 2014 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
DRIVER: TaylorMade SLDR 460 (9.5 degrees with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-6 X shaft)
FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade SLDR (14 degrees with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-7 X shaft)
HYBRID: TaylorMade SLDR (17 degrees with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 85 X shaft)
IRONS: TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC (3-PW with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue shafts)
WEDGES: TaylorMade TP with xFT (54, 58 degrees with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue shafts)
PUTTER: Ping Karsten Anser 2
BALL: TaylorMade Lethal
2013: Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods’ Nike Method 001 putter. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
DRIVER: Nike VR Tour (8.5 degree) with a Graphite Design DI 6X shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike VR Pro Limited Edition (15 degree); Nike VR_S Covert (19 degree) with Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 103X shafts
IRONS: Nike VR Pro Blades (3-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
WEDGES: Nike VR Pro (56, 60 degree) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
PUTTER: Nike Method 001
BALL: Nike One Tour D
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