The WMPhoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale provides golf fans and party-goers the perfect environment to celebrate what they love to do most: Watch golf, and party.
As such, the WMPO also provides apparel and equipment companies the perfect inspirations to make cool, fun and custom gear for the people to enjoy.
The creative and custom merch never ceases to please, and this year was no different. Actually, I think everyone turned up the heat on making cool stuff for this year.
Also, as always, we had some celebrity sightings during the Wednesday Pro-Am, and we dove into the celebs bags to see what kind of golf clubs they’re using. Big names such as Michael Phelps, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Saban, and DJ Kygo lead the way.
Below are 10 stand-out equipment stories from the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, and don’t forget to click here for all of our photos from the week.
1) Michael Phelps’ gold 1-of-1 Scotty Cameron putter (and Olympic Gold Medal TaylorMade wedges)
Michael Phelps, a 23-time Gold medal-winning Olympic Swimmer, deserves to play a custom golden putter, and Scotty Cameron delivered.
Based on the “DSS” stamping in the back cavity of the putter, it’s made of Demascus Stainless Steel, with a glistening gold finish.
“Scotty sent me the putter, and I told him I don’t know if I even want to play it [because of how beautiful it is],” Phelps told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at TPC Scottsdale. “Scotty said, ‘You better play it.’”
So, as instructed, Phelps used it in the WMPO Pro-Am on Wednesday.
If the gold 1-of-1 putter wasn’t enough, Phelps also uses custom TaylorMade MG2 wedges, which feature gold-and-silver star stampings that represent each of Phelps’ medal wins, in the precise order that he won them.
If I’m being 100% honest, that’s the coolest wedge stamping I’ve ever seen. Not sure how anything could top it, especially since you’d need at least 23 Gold medals to even compete. Looks like Phelps wins again.
See more Phelps WITB photos here
2) Alex Rodriguez, and his blacked out irons
Legendary baseball player Alex Rodriguez showed off a set all-black PXG 0311P Gen6 irons, which his caddie confirmed with GolfWRX.com that they were new in the bag for the event. He also uses a game-improvement Miura PI-401 long iron to add a touch of forgiveness at the top of the set.
Anecdotally speaking, for anyone curious about A-Rod’s power off the tee, he drove the ball nearly greenside on hole No. 10, which measures 373 yards from the Resort tees. It remains unconfirmed whether the ball took its first bounce off a cart path, but on a wet-and-rainy Wednesday, it was a colossal drive regardless. A-Rod has certified home-run power on the golf course (as much it pains this New York Mets fan to say).
See all the clubs Alex Rodgriquez has in the bag
3) DJ Kygo joins Cobra’s “Palm Tree Crew”
Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll, a.k.a. DJ Kygo, is a world-famous music DJ from Norway, and he wow’d the golf equipment world by having a new Cobra Darkspeed “Palm Tree Crew” custom driver in the bag at the 2024 WMPO.
Some would even say his new driver Stole the Show…
4) Nicolo Galleti’s Silkyy custom Ping PLD putter
With all the talk of celebrities so far, I wanted to remind everyone that a serious PGA Tour event is also being played this week, and Monday qualifier Nicolo Galletti – a former ASU golfer and roommate of Jon Rahm – will be using this raw Ping PLD putter.
5) Waste Management custom gear
As discussed previously, the equipment companies turned up this year at the 2024 WMPO with their custom gear.
Below is a collection of photos from Bettinardi, Ping, SuperStroke, Odyssey and Swag Golf.
6) Higgo switches to a DF3 for south paws
In case you didn’t know, L.A.B. Golf recently launched a new line of DF3 (Directed Force 3) mallet putters, and left-hander Garrick Higgo has one in his bag this week.
7) Coach Nick Saban is still Coach Nick Saban
The legendary Nick Saban recently retired from his longtime head coaching gig at the University of Alabama, and accepted a job as an analyst for College GameDay. Although Saban will now be part of the media, he’s still Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide at heart, as displayed by his “Roll Tide” Ping Glide 4.0 wedge, and “Coach Nick Saban” stitched golf bag.
Check out Coach Nick Saban’s full WITB here
8) The 2021 National League Cy Young winner, Corbin Burnes, brings the heat
Three-time MLB All-Star Corbin Burnes, formerly a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, and currently a pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, had a TaylorMade SIM “Rocket” 14-degree 3-wood in the bag, and this custom TaylorMade Spider GT putter on Tuesday at TPC Scottsdale.
9) Spotted: New Scotty Cameron T-9 and T-9.5 putters
Scotty Cameron unveiled a slew of new T-9 and T-9.5 model putters this week, including compact mallet shapes with a slew of new alignment lines on the crown, and several different hosel styles. The one-piece milled crown allows Scotty Cameron a clean canvas for extended sightlines, while still providing angular shapes within the design to frame the ball at address.
Check out all of the new Scotty Cameron putters here
10) A 16th Hole miracle
The rain-shortened Wednesday Pro-Am, which also featured a brief hail storm, turned into a closest-to-the-pin contest for all of the celebrities on the 16th Hole. Within minutes following the contest, a double rainbow sprouted out of the grandstands.
Somehow, the photo above isn’t an A.I.-generated advertisement for Whoop, but a real photo that I took of a double-rainbow hovering over the 16th green.
Truly awesome.
And, with that, we say goodbye to the biggest party on grass, and we’ll see you next week at Tiger’s event: The 2024 Genesis Open in L.A.
