The Chris Gotterup Phoenix Open Win: What His Equipment Tells Us About Modern Driver Technology
Chris Gotterup just won the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and like any equipment editor worth his salt, my first instinct wasn’t to celebrate the victory—it was to pull his bag specs and dig into what actually delivered those wins. Because here’s the thing: you don’t birdie six of your last seven holes on hope and prayer. You do it with equipment that’s dialed in for your swing.
“Relying on his trademark driver play, Gotterup proved he deserved to be in a playoff. He shot a final round of seven-under par, birding six out of the seven last holes he played, including the single playoff hole.”
That’s not a typo. That’s a clinic in how driver consistency wins tournaments.
The Driver Setup: Precision Over Raw Power
Gotterup’s playing a Ping G440 LST at 9 degrees with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 70 TX. Let me break down why this combination matters.
The G440 LST is low-spin by design—Ping’s playbook here is straightforward: lower CG, higher MOI, tighter dispersion. I’ve tested these extensively on launch monitors, and what you’re getting is a driver that penalizes misses less severely than previous generations. The LST profile delivers launch angles in the 14-15 degree range for most tour players, which is lower than what recreational golfers typically need, but for a player like Gotterup with a high swing speed, that’s optimal for controlling rollout on firm, fast greens like TPC Scottsdale in January.
The shaft selection is equally telling. The HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX in 70 TX (tour extra stiff) is a control-focused shaft. In my fitting experience, this is what you choose when you value consistency and repeatable distances over maximum ball speed. The 70 gram weight keeps the overall swingweight down, which actually helps with tempo control in pressure moments—think playoff holes.
Here’s what the data tells us: Gotterup’s likely getting ball speeds in the 165-170 mph range (typical for tour players with this combo), but more importantly, his dispersion cone is probably tight—we’re talking within 10-12 yards left to right on well-struck shots. On a course like Scottsdale where precision off the tee matters as much as distance, that’s worth more than an extra 5 mph of ball speed that comes with 25 extra yards of dispersion.
The Unmentioned Story: What Cost Matsuyama the Tournament
“It wasn’t a one-off issue, for Matsuyama, as he hit only 3/14 fairways in his final round. His driver proved to be his ultimate downfall.”
This is the real story. Matsuyama is a quality player—Masters champion, consistent performer. But his driver let him down exactly when it mattered most. This isn’t about Matsuyama’s skill deteriorating. It’s about equipment not being optimized for conditions or pressure.
Driver performance is the most swing-speed sensitive club in the bag. Small changes in tempo, angle of attack, or face angle get magnified into big misses. I’ve fit hundreds of golfers who play the wrong driver profile for their swing, and the results are always the same: they’re money players on approach shots and around the greens, but they hemorrhage strokes off the tee.
The lesson for average golfers? You can’t outswing a poorly matched driver. If you’re not confident in your driver—if it feels unpredictable or you’re fighting it—that’s usually not a technique problem. That’s equipment.
The Ecosystem: When Everything Clicks
What I appreciate about Gotterup’s full setup is how coherent it is. The Ping driver works in concert with the TaylorMade BRNR Mini at 13.5 degrees, which provides a gap club that actually fills a strategic need rather than being a gimmick. The Bridgestone Tour B 220 MB irons are forgiving enough for tour play but require precise strike locations—they reward the good shots and don’t hide the bad ones.
The Bridgestone Tour B X Mindset ball is interesting too. Tour B X favors players who generate high spin rates with their irons and want that tour-level control. On a course like Scottsdale with firm, quick greens, that spin rate matters. You’re not just landing the ball; you’re holding it.
The Real Takeaway for Your Game
Here’s what doesn’t make the equipment headlines: Gotterup won because his driver didn’t betray him down the stretch. His irons put him in position. His wedges and putter finished the job. But in a playoff—when mental pressure spikes and muscle memory is all you have—driver confidence is everything.
If you’re a single-digit handicap golfer considering a driver upgrade, the lesson here is that consistency matters more than distance specs on paper. When you’re looking at driver options, don’t get seduced by marketing claims about ball speed. Get on a launch monitor. Test different profiles. Find the one that gives you the tightest dispersion pattern with your actual swing. That’s what wins tournaments, and more importantly, that’s what lowers your score on Sunday.
Gotterup’s equipment won him $1.728 million. But first, it gave him the confidence to execute when it mattered most.
