History was made on the European Tour last week as Francesco Molinari became the first home player to win the Italian Open on two occasions. The Italian fired a closing 65 to beat Ryder Cup star Danny Willett by one in a tense final-day battle.

Molinari – a former Ryder Cup player himself – couldn’t have asked for a better start; an eagle-3 on the first followed by a birdie at the second opened up a quick two-shot advantage over the Englishman. Standing on the 13th tee, Molinari was four ahead and looked destined for victory. We all know how quickly things can change in the game of golf, and it only took two holes for Willett to close the gap to one with four holes to play. Despite some nervy moments from both players over the closing stretch, they both parred the remaining four holes to see Molinari pick up his fourth European Tour victory.

It was a good week for some of Europe’s other Ryder Cup jewels too, as Cabrera-Bello finished T12, Fitzpatrick ended the week in T15, whilst Kaymer, Sullivan and Wood all finished in T20. Finding form at just the right time? Let’s hope so!

What equipment did Molinari use?

• Driver – Nike Vapor Fly (10.5 degrees)
• Fairway wood – Nike Vapor Fly (13 degrees)
• Hybrid – Nike Vapor Fly (17 degrees)
• Irons – Nike Vapor Pro Combo (4 iron); Nike Vapor Pro (5-PW)
• Wedges – Nike Engage (52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – Nike Method

Few golfers have had a better 2016 than Dustin Johnson. The big-hitting American is finally realising his potential as he sits second in the world ranking and now - thanks to his victory in the BMW Championship last week - leads the way in the FedExCup standings.

The reigning US Open champion carded six birdies and a brilliant eagle in his final round to secure his third trophy of 2016 at Crooked Stick. The overnight leader didn’t have it all his own way though, as Englishman Paul Casey drew level after three holes thanks to back-to-back birdies. However this seemed to kick the America into gear with four more birdies before the turn – putting him in a position where he was never going to look back.

In the end it was a comfortable three-shot win, leaving ‘DJ’ at the top of the FedExCup rankings with just one event left to play. We know one thing for sure – We wouldn’t want to face him come the Ryder Cup at the end of the month.

What equipment did DJ use?

• Driver – TaylorMade M1 (11 degrees)
• Fairway wood – TaylorMade M1 (17 degrees); TaylorMade M1 (19 degrees)
• Irons – TaylorMade Tour Preferred (3-PW)
• Wedges – TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF (52 & 60)
• Putter – TaylorMade Spider

In what was the first event on the European Tour since Darren Clarke finalised his Ryder Cup Team last week, spectators and media alike were wondering how Europe’s elite would fare at the Omega European Masters.

Top 12 finishes for Westwood, Fitzpatrick and Willett provided fans with some extra hope heading into next month’s biannual battle with the Americans – we’ll forget the slight blips (missed cuts) for Sullivan and captain Clarke on this occasion.

However it was Sweden’s Alex Noren and Australia’s Scott Hend who snatched the limelight come Sunday afternoon; an extra play-off hole needed to separate the two. Hend went into the final round with a one-shot lead but found himself two behind the Swede with four holes left to play. A birdie at 15 followed by a three-putt bogey for Noren on 17 forced a play-off at Crans-sue-Sierre.

A well-timed birdie for Noren at the first play-off hole secured his second impressive victory of the summer, following his triumph at the Scottish Open in July.

What equipment did Noren use?

• Driver – Callaway XR 16 (8.5 degrees)
• Fairway wood – Callaway XR (15 degrees)
• Hybrid – Callaway Apex hybrid (18 degrees)
• Irons – Callaway Apex Pro (4-9)
• Wedges – Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47, 52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – Odyssey Works

PING need no introduction when it comes to golf equipment; they are at the top of the game. Having built up a strong reputation thanks to the performance of their clubs through the years, expectation is rife whenever they release a new product.
In this blog post, Foremost Golf looks at the different options within PING’s current iron range, from the GMax to the exciting new iBlade.

GMax - PING has pushed the boat out in terms of the technologies featured in its GMAX irons. They're longer, more forgiving and they offer greater control than any clubs PING has previously produced. They also look great and sit beautifully behind the ball. That's quite a package.

G – COR-Eye technology provides four times the amount of face flexing for consistently faster ball speeds across a hotter face. A gain in ball speed and shot height generates more carry distance and a steeper landing angle.

i – Better players will love the performance of PING’s i iron. Using 431 stainless steel for the first time, PING’s engineers were able to create a head design that deliver workability and trajectory control with the right amount of forgiveness.

iBlade - If you’re a confident ball striker, you should seriously consider the iBlade irons. They boast more distance, forgiveness and feel over the S55 irons they replace.

There really is a model for every level of golfer in PING’s iron range, no matter what you’re after.

Whether you were for or against golf’s inclusion in the Olympics, it was fitting that two of the highest-ranked players battled it out come Sunday’s finale.

Much was made as to whether golf deserved a place at this year’s Games, not made any easier by the numerous dropouts from some of the world’s best and most iconic golfers. Two guys who didn’t let anything prevent them from their quest for Olympic Gold were Great Britain’s Justin Rose and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

The talented duo went to head-to-head on, yet another, final-day titanic battle. Stenson has been playing some sublime golf of late - none more so than his Open Championship heroics last month - but found himself one shot back heading into the closing 18. Arguably playing the better golf down the stretch, Stenson clawed his way back to level with Rose when standing on the 72nd tee. With a fascinating play-off looking likely, Rose went on to birdie the last for a two-shot victory following the Swede’s three-putt bogey.

Rose’s post-round interview said it all as he asserted that this was the best tournament he has ever won – and he’s a Major champion. Let’s hope this passion is infectious to others across tours and more of the world’s elite choose to take part in four years’ time.

What equipment did Rose use for Gold?

• Driver – TaylorMade M2 (8.5 loft)
• Fairway wood – TaylorMade M2 (15 loft)
• Irons – TaylorMade Psi Tour (3-iron); TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB (4-PW)
• Wedges – TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF (52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – TaylorMade Ghost
• Ball – TaylorMade Tour Preferred X

Englishman and Under Armour Golf UK ambassador Matthew Fitzpatrick eased to his second European Tour victory in last week’s Nordea Masters. Since turning pro off a handicap of plus four in 2014, the impressive 21-year-old has endured a very promising start to his professional career and now finds himself sitting amongst the elite inside the world’s top 35. Fitzpatrick reeled off 17
birdies in his first three rounds, giving him a comfortable five-shot lead heading into Sunday’ showdown. He never looked back as he waltzed to a three-shot victory to secure his place in this year’s Open Championship. On a course which boasts five par-5s, a good performance tee-to-green was always going to go a long way in determining how high up the leaderboard you finished.

Fitzpatrick certainly got it right this week.

Matthew played the longer holes in 10-under-par without a single dropped shot. The only way this would be possible is by hitting fairways and greens, something which the winner did time-after-time. He actually finished third in ‘Driving Accuracy’ at over 73% of fairways found for the week, and first in ‘Greens in Regulation’ with 85% of greens being hit – that’s 7 out of every 8 greens! Impressive golf.

Here’s what Fitzpatrick had in his golf bag…

• Driver – Callaway Big Bertha Alpha (10.5 degrees)
• Fairway woods – PING G 3-wood & 5-wood (14.5 degrees & 20.5 degrees)
• Irons – PING i25 (3-5 irons); PING S55 (6-9 irons)
• Wedges – PING Tour Gorge (47 degrees); Vokey SM5 (54 & 58 degrees)
• Putter – Yes

The term ‘journeyman’ gets batted around a lot, but that’s exactly what last week’s PGA Tour winner, William McGirt, is. By his own confession he’s been around the block, but the 36-year-old’s career will never be the same again after his sudden-death playoff win at the Memorial Tournament. It was a very steady scorecard for McGirt on Sunday, mixing one birdie with 17 pars to record a one-under-par 71 and tie Jon Curran at the top of the leaderboard. And it was a similar story in the playoff as both Americans went to head-to-head. Pars for both on first playoff hole meant a second was needed. Both Curran and McGirt missed the green at the second time of asking, and once Curran failed to get up-and-down, McGirt was left with a seven-footer for the win. This was McGirt’s maiden Tour victory in his 165th start, upstaging a star-studded field in the process.

Here’s what McGirt used en-route to victory…

• Driver – TaylorMade M2 (8.5 degrees)
• Fairway woods – TaylorMade M2 (13 degrees); TaylorMade M1 (17 degrees)
• Irons – Srixon Z-U45 (2 & 3 irons); Srixon Z-745 (5-PW)
• Wedges – Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 (54 & 60 degrees)
• Ball – Srixon Z-Star

Picturesque Valderrama is regarded by most as one of the best golf clubs this side of the Atlantic; a true test of golfing ability. The 1997 Ryder Cup venue played host to the Open de España last week and did not disappoint. Lightning fast greens and tricky conditions meant that scoring was always going to be tough, with a one-over-par total enough for Englishman Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston to claim his maiden European Tour title – the first regular Tour event to be won with an over-par score in 20 years. 27-year-old Johnston went into the final round one shot back from overnight leader Mike Lorenzo-Vera, but a stellar one-under-par 70 was good enough to see him lift the trophy by one, despite a final-day charge from locals’ favourite, Sergio Garcia. Titleist brand ambassador Johnston’s final round exploits saw him rank first in both driving accuracy (78.6%) and greens in regulation (70.8%) on the day – truly impressive golf when the pressure was at its greatest.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – Titleist 915D3 (10.5 loft)
• 3-wood – Titleist 915F (15 loft)
• Irons – Titleist 716 MB irons; 3-9
• Wedges – Vokey SM6 wedges (46, 50, 54 & 58)
• Putter – Scotty Cameron Tour Only Newport 2
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1x

Over in the States, the PGA Tour arrived at Harbour Town Links, South Carolina, for the RBC Heritage. Many of the world’s best golfers take a break following a Major, but there were still a few stand-out names amongst the field. World number one Jason Day pegged it up at the start of the week, as did Bryson DeChambeau who, after finishing top amateur in the 2016 Masters, was playing in his first event as a professional. But come Sunday it was Callaway Staff player Branden Grace who grabbed the spotlight, a five-under-par 66 propelling him above overnight pacesetter, Luke Donald, to claim his second title of 2016.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – Callaway XR 16 (8.5 loft)
• 3-wood – Callaway Big Bertha Alpha (16 loft)
• Utility Iron – Callaway Apex UT
• Irons – Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
• Wedges – Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – Odyssey Versa V Line
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1x

To see the options we have available on our golf shop, head tohttps://www.foremostgolf.com/. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to give us a call on +44 (0) 800 500 3194.

There’s no truer test of shot-making ability and imagination than links golf; one of the reasons so many top players choose to compete in the Scottish Open the week prior to The Open. From gale-force winds to devil-like pot bunkers, you’ll certainly know when you’re out on the links.

Sweden’s Alex Noren coped best with the conditions at Castle Stuart, a 14-under-par winning total giving him his fifth European Tour title. All four of Noren’s previous victories had come when he held the lead heading into the final round, a record which he maintained thanks to a closing two-under-par. An early birdie at the par-5 second calmed any Sunday jitters, before the 33-year-old fought off strong challenges from a congested leaderboard at the Inverness Links.

As alluded to previously, there’s no type of golf that examines so many parts of a player’s game more than links. For once, hitting the ball a country mile doesn’t necessarily give you an edge; it’s all about plotting your way through the valleys and mounds on the fairways, hitting the correct part of the severely undulating greens before holding your nerve on the slick carpets.

Noren did exactly that last week. The Callaway Golf staffer was third on Driving Accuracy, hitting 84% of the fairways over the four days, whilst being just 47th on Driving Distance at a measly 275 yards. It’s a method that all the players will be adhering to at Troon this week for the 145th Open Championship.

What equipment did Noren use?

• Driver – Callaway XR 16 driver (8.5 degrees)
• Fairway wood – Callaway XR 3-wood (15 degrees)
• Hybrid – Callaway Apex (18 degrees)
• Irons – Callaway Apex Pro (4-9)
• Wedges – Callaway Mack Daddy (47, 52, 56 and 60 degrees)
• Putter – Odyssey Works

Travelers Championship

Russell Knox boosted his credentials for a place in the European Ryder Cup team after securing his second win of the season at the Travelers Championship in America. Having started the day three back from the overnight leader, the Scot carded his fourth sub-70 round of the week - including a clutch par-save from the greenside bunker at 18 – to win by one from American Jerry Kelly.

It’s not often that the main talking point from a Sunday has nothing to do with the winner, but Jim Furyk’s final-round exploits rather overshadowed Knox’s success. Starting the final round at one-over-par, Furyk went on to make 10 birdies and an eagle for a sensational 12-under-par 58. The 46-year-old American is the first player to achieve such a feat on the PGA Tour.

With the Ryder Cup taking place on American soil next month, both Furyk and Knox are looking like they’ll be dependent upon a captain’s pick to make their respective teams. As far as the European team goes, Knox could prove pivotal to the team’s chances having been based on the PGA Tour in recent years and winning twice this season. Watch this space.

What equipment did Knox use?

• Driver – TaylorMade M2 (10.5 loft)
• Fairway wood – Callaway Big Bertha (16 loft); Cleveland Launcher (19 degrees)
• Hybrid – Cleveland Launcher (20.5); Cleveland Mashie (23)
• Irons – Srixon Z-545 (5-iron); Srixon Z-745 (6-9)
• Wedges – Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 (54 & 60)
• Putter – SeeMore

Aberdeen Asset Management Paul Lawrie Matchplay

To win one European Tour event is a dream to many, and the reality is that most golfers won’t even achieve that. But back in 2000 when Anthony Wall won his first event at the tender age of 24, many assumed he’d go on to win several more. Well, roll on 16 years and the Englishman has just clinched his second title at the 2016 Aberdeen Asset Management Paul Lawrie Matchplay event.

After driving into the trees at the first during the final, Wall subsequently found himself two down through the first two holes. But the 41-year-old battled hard to overcome the favourite, Noren, on the final green of this taxing tournament. On what must be a welcome break for many players, matchplay golf always throws up a few surprises and not many would have predicted Wall to get to the latter stages, let alone go on to win the event.

But the Wilson Staff ambassador mixed 29 birdies with two eagles over an enthralling week to capture his second European Tour victory.

Any avid golf fan knows that things really start to hot up stateside come September as the FedExCup nears its conclusion. It’s when the PGA Tour’s best and most consistent golfers from the past 12 months battle it out across a series of playoff events to win golf’s biggest (monetary) prize.

Let’s get right to business – McIlroy stormed through the field on Monday’s final day to win his first PGA Tour title in 16 months; something which seemed so unlikely four days ago. Rory had a nightmare start to the tournament as he found himself four-over-par through three holes, only to play the following 6 holes in an incredible 19-under-par.

The Northern Irishman started the final round six shots behind tournament leader Paul Casey, but a closing 65 saw him close out the Deutsche Bank Championship two shots clear of the Englishman. This victory comes just a week after reverting back to a Scotty Cameron putter – see below – instead of Nike’s short stick which seemed to be the cause of so many of McIlroy’s recent woes.

With Europe’s best now finding his form once again, bring on the Ryder Cup!

What equipment did McIlroy use?

Driver – Nike Vapor Fly Pro (10.5 degrees)

Fairway wood – Nike Vapor Speed (15 & 19 degrees)

Irons – Nike VR Pro Blade (4-9)

Wedges – Nike Engage (47, 52, 56 & 59)

Putter – Scotty Cameron Concept M1 Prototype