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

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.

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

first driver

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.