The 151st Open Championship – Photo gallery

Mizuno’s Emerging Talent takes the baton

Mizuno are represented at the 151st Open Championship by 3 players from its pool of emerging young talent.  Kensei Hirata from Japan (22), won the Mizuno Open to qualify in his first full year as a professional. Ben Griffin / US (27), another debutant has excelled in his rookie season on the PGA Tour to make his way to Hoylake. Mizuno’s only player with Open Championship experience, Marco Penge / UK (25), is Mizuno’s most experienced player, having come through final qualifying for the second year running.

Kensei Hirata is Mizuno’s youngest player at The Open – at 22 years old.

The conditions are very different from Japan.  I played on Monday and the wind was so difficult.  Although the Mizuno Open was played on a links type course, this is much tougher.  I played much better in practice on Tuesday and feel more confident.  I will have to play a lot of low shots – it’s very different, but i’m enjoying the challenge.

KENSEI HIRATA

PGA Tour rookie Ben Griffin is playing his first Open Championship

The targets are small – so i’m going to play the way i’m most comfortable, hitting the shots that i normally hit.  The course is playing softer than you would expect, so it’s possible that i won’t have to adapt my game too much.

BEN GRIFFIN

Griffin has recently switched to Mizuno Pro 223 irons

The big hitting Marco Penge battled his way to the Open via final qualifying for a second year. Penge plays the ST-X driver.

I feel a lot more settled this year – it was hard not to get excited playing at St Andrews in 2022.  I probably overplayed on the practice days and there wasn’t much left in the tank by Thursday.  I don’t regret a thing, but I’ll aim to  play 9 holes on the practice days this year and leave a little more in the tank.

MARCO PENGE

Penge was the first to take the low spinning ST-G fairway onto the course.

Penge plays Mizuno Pro 221 irons and Fli-Hi.

Fist Look:  Mizuno ST-G Ti fairway wood, 440cc driver and T24 wedges

Mizuno’s T24 wedges and ST-G metalwoods made an early appearance at Royal Liverpool.  Marco Penge was first to take the new ST-G Titanium fairway wood onto the course – looking for a more penetrating, low spinning flight.  The ST-G fairway, 440cc driver and T24 wedges are all expected for public release in October.

The ultra low spinning ST-G fairway wood is a compact all Titanium construction.

The ST-G driver is a squat 440cc design.

The new weight tracks converge to offer a more stable option.

The driver also features a new Forged LFS Ti face.

Mizuno T24 wedges are a craftsman modified teardrop – with an additional V Type sole grind

In three finishes – Denim Copper, White Satin Chrome and Tour Raw,

The Special Edition Black Mizuno Pro 225s were also on show on the iconic Mizuno workshop.

More to follow.