World No. 1 Trusts His Pro V1 to Secure His First Victory of 2026 at The American Express

By Zack R., Team Titleist Staff On Yesterday Balls Tour Clubs

PGA TOUR | The American Express

The world’s top-ranked player (Pro V1) started his 2026 season off with a four-shot win in the desert, cruising to his 20th career PGA TOUR title.

  • The champion, who has used his Pro V1 golf ball and a full set of Vokey Design wedges for every one of his PGA TOUR wins, is the second youngest player to reach the 20-win mark. He also did so in the second fewest number of starts (151).
  • This week at PGA West, he was in full control of his Pro V1, gaining +4.812 strokes tee-to green (6th) while hitting 82% GIR (T6).
  • On Sunday, he gained +1.880 strokes around the green (4th) on his way to closing 6-under 66.
  • His stellar ball-striking and short game put him in prime position to convert 32 birdies over the four rounds, the most of anyone in the field. 

RYAN GERARD’S RUN CONTINUES AT AMEX

  • Nobody went lower than Titleist Brand Ambassador Ryan Gerard this weekend (64-65), as he vaulted up the leaderboard to finish T2 at 23 under.
  • Gerard’s runner-up finish comes on the heels of two solo-second results in his prior two worldwide starts: last week’s Sony Open and the DP World Tour’s Mauritius Open in December. 
  • His performance in Mauritius earned him a spot in the Masters, as he climbed inside the top 50 in the OWGR by year’s end.
  • After this week, he is projected to rise to a career-best No. 23.

What’s in the Bag?  | Ryan Gerard

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: GT3 11.0° | Fujikura Ventus Black TR 6 X
Utility Iron: T200 4 | Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: T100 5-9 | KBS C-Taper 125 S+
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 50.08F, NEW SM11 54.10S, SM9 60.08M | KBS C-Taper 125 S+ (46), Dynamic Gold S300 (50-60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 3 tour prototype

VOKEY SM11 IS MOST PLAYED WEDGE IN FIRST WEEK ON TOUR

  • Earning immediate validation at the game’s highest level, Titleist’s new Vokey Design SM11 wedges debuted this week on the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour — immediately becoming the most played wedge model at both events.
  • In their first opportunity to game Vokey SM11’s in competition on the PGA TOUR, 52 players in the field at The American Express put at least one new SM11 right in the bag.
  • Many of them moved to full sets, including Russell Henley (48.10F, 50.08F, 54.10S, 60.04T), Ludvig Åberg (50.08F, 54.10S, WedgeWorks 60L), Johnny Keefer (46.10F, 50.12F, 54.10S, 60.04T), David Ford (46.10F, 50.12F, 54.10S, 60.04T), Michael Brennan (46.10F, 50.12F, 54.10S, 60.04T), Davis Riley (46.10F, 50.08F, 56.08M, WedgeWorks 60L), S.H. Kim (52.08F, 56.10S, WedgeWorks 60K*) and the 2025 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters champion (44.10F, 50.08F, 54.12D, 60.04T).
  • In total, there were 149 new SM11 wedges in play in La Quinta. That includes 121 gap, sand and lob wedges — more than double the nearest competitor’s total number (60).
  • Twenty-eight players also used Vokey SM11 pitching wedges, with two players gaming the new 44.10F model.
  • Of all the gap, sand and lob wedges in play this week in the desert, 56% (260 wedges) of them are Vokey Design, more than four times the nearest competitor (53). 
  • Vokey wedges have been the most played wedge on the PGA TOUR since 2004.
  • On the DP World Tour, SM11 has made the same first impression. Thirty-four players added at least one new SM11 wedge to their setup – including runner-up Andy Sullivan (WedgeWorks 60K*) and third-place finisher Julien Guerrier (46.10F, 52.12F, WedgeWorks 58V) – with a total of 98 SM11 models going immediately into play in Dubai.

DP WORLD TOUR | Hero Dubai Desert Classic

The winner of the Dubai Desert Classic (Pro V1x) cruised to a four-shot victory, posting rounds of 69-66-67-72 to capture his fourth DPWT title and first Rolex Series victory. 

  • The 2018 Masters Tournament winner was in full control of his Pro V1x golf ball, ranking first in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (+12.08).
  • Gaming his GT3 9.0° driver, he gained nearly three strokes (+2.96) off the tee. “It's so good...” he told Golf Monthly in October 2024. “I feel like when I mishit this one, it still has a little bit more speed in it and also stays a little bit straighter. So for me it sits really nicely and it gives me that confidence.”
  • He finished second in SG: Around the Green, gaining over five shots (+5.72) with his Pro V1x and Vokey SM10 sand (56.08M) and lob (60.04T) wedges.
  • This week in Dubai, the champion also returned to his Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 tour prototype – which he used to win his last two PGA TOUR victories (2020 WGC-Mexico Championship, 2021 Farmers Insurance Open) – rolling in 18 birdies (T2) to lead the field in Scoring Average (68.5).

DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC CHAMP LEADS 1-2-3 SWEEP FOR PLAYERS GAMING TITLEIST GOLF BALLS, GT DRIVERS, VOKEY WEDGES

  • The Dubai Desert Classic champion led a 1-2-3 finish for players gaming Titleist golf balls, GT drivers and Vokey Design wedges, as Titleist Brand Ambassadors Andy Sullivan and Julien Guerrier finished second and third, respectively.
  • Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball in Dubai with 90 players  (71%) teeing up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball, more than six times the nearest competitor (14).
  • Titleist was also the most played driver (39/31%), iron (32/25%) and wedge (201/41%) in the 126-player field.

What’s in the Bag? | Andy Sullivan (2nd Place)

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: GT3 10.0 | Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 6 X
Fairway Metals: GT1 14.5° | Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X and GT2 18.0° | Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 8 X
Irons: T200 4 | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100, NEW T100  5-6 | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100, and 620 CB 7-PW | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Vokey Design SM10 50.12F, 54.10S, NEW SM11 WedgeWorks 60K* | Dynamic Gold S400

What’s in the Bag? | Julien Guerrier (3rd Place)

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: GT2 9.0 | Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 65 TX
Fairway Metal: GT2 15.0° | Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Hybrid: TSi3 18.0° | Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 100HY TX
Irons: NEW T250 3  | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 and NEW T100  4-9 | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: NEW Vokey Design SM11 46.10F, 52.12F, WedgeWorks 58V | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (46), KBS Tour 130 X (52), KBS Tour Hi-Rev 2.0 Wedge 125 S (58)

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS | Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai

Reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion Stewart Cink (Pro V1) picked up right where he left off, turning in three sub-67 rounds (66-63-64) to cruise to a three-shot victory in the Champions Tour’s season-opening event.

  • The win marked his fifth Champions Tour title.
  • Cink was dialed in from tee to green, ranking T1 in driving distance while hitting 80% GIR (T11) and scrambling at a 91% clip (T2).
  • The 52-year-old converted 24 birdies for the week, the most of any player in the field.

PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA | Webex Players Series Victoria

Jordan Doull (Pro V1x) prevailed on the fourth extra hole, making one final birdie to clinch his second career PGA Tour of Australasia title.

  • Doull turned in rounds of 67-67-62-72, matching the four-round total (268) of last week’s champion, Titleist Brand Ambassador Cameron John (Pro V1).

SUNSHINE TOUR | Cell C Challenge

Benjamin Follet-Smith (Pro V1) closed in 4-under 66, earning his third career Sunshine Tour title with a one-shot margin of victory.

  • Follet-Smith was one of 113 players to tee up a Titleist golf ball this week (81%) in Johannesburg.

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