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Interview with a Tour Rep – Part Two
At every tour stop, before many of the players have even turned up there will be an army of manufacturers’ representatives ready to fulfil players’ equipments desires. On the European Tour, one of these is Paul Constantine, the Tour rep for T.P.Mills putters. Here is the second half of our exclusive Golfwrx interview.
Golfwrx: How do you make yourself different from the other putter manufacturers?
Paul: We like to emphasis the quality of our product and that that every putter has passed through David Mill’s hands. We don’t have some massive production line, this is still a hand made and hand crafted product and this is true for all our putters. What you see the pros play is exactly what you can buy from us. Amongst other achievements we were the first to make the putter head black, the first to mark the sweet spot, the first to use the slant heel. This gives us a level of prestige and authority that sets us apart anyway. Because we don’t pay players to play us, we have to make the best putters to get them in play, it’s that simple. The years of knowledge and the high level components of our putters mean that we can customise a putter – bend some loft on, gooseneck it a little – to make it exactly to the player’s specifications.
Golfwrx: Do you pay much attention to the secondary market?
Paul: While you don’t often see a tour Mills putter on eBay or in BST forums, I do occasionally get emails from David saying ‘have a look here, I remember making that one’ or ‘that one is actually a rare handmade’ so he definitely does keep on top of that. Our putters are unique enough that we can do that and it’s very interesting to see how golfers value our putters, especially the older ones.
Golfwrx: So what’s your biggest satisfaction?
Paul: Knowing what the player is going to feel when they pick up a putter and try it out. That the putter is going to perform for them and then have them take it away, use it and, of course, hopefully watch them win with it. With T.P. Mills there are basically 3 types of players. The first group are the younger players and those who are new to the tour who don’t really know the brand. You see these guys get blown away by how the putters perform and they always ask how come they haven’t heard about them before. The second group are the guys who know the brand from the Spalding TPM and Mizuno days back in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even the early 90’s when the brand was at its most commercial. The third group are the guys that have played and won with our putters: Faldo, Monty, Langer, Olazábal and others. Each of these groups reacts differently to playing our putters, some knowingly but others surprised at how balanced the putters feel. The greatest satisfaction I get is seeing them all putt well with our putter.
Golfwrx: And your biggest frustrations?
Paul: When you are competing for a spot in a players bag against others who are willing to pay to get their clubs in play. Not so much for me but when you are in a situation where you know you have a quality putter, the player knows you have a quality putter but they have signed a 14 club deal and while they love the club they just can’t use it. I had this situation not too long ago with a major winner of the last 10 years. He picked up one of our putters and just started draining everything, and I mean everything, that he hit. Eight foot, 10 foot, 12 foot and out it didn’t matter, he just couldn’t seem to miss. Because he had a 14 club deal all he could do was put the club back, smile and then walk away swearing!
I said earlier that we are pretty unusual in that we don’t pay any players to play our clubs. In fact, until recently players had to buy their clubs! We have a gallery of the cheques from famous players that paid for their putters like Phil Mickelson’s for the putter he used when he beat Tiger at the Buick in 2000. Getting our putters into players hands is easy, getting them into their bags is tough and getting them to keep them in their can be almost impossible. That’s just a fact of the competitive market.
As much as we and I’m sure the players would like, we are also limited on the amount of tour stops we make. Flying around Europe on a weekly basis is not financially viable for a privately owned company.
Golfwrx: What are the perks of your job?
Paul: I know that some people are going to think that we get access to all sorts of free gear but that’s just not true, I just wish it was! I might get the occasional free glove or dozen balls every now and then but that’s about it. There’s no sort of schoolyard swap meet going on where you swap your merchandise for someone else’s which seems to be the biggest fantasy about being a Tour Rep! The biggest perks of the job are being able to watch the greats of the game do their thing and watch it from up close.
Golfwrx: Do you make a decent wage from this job?
Paul: I can’t speak for the big OEM’s, though I would imagine that they are salaried and have expenses taken care of. Being small the Mills Co doesn’t pay a salary or expenses to any of its reps. What I am able to do is have David make me a few putters to cover expenses.
Golfwrx: Do you ever have any bizarre requests from the pros?
Paul: Funnily enough, no. The pros tend to be far less picky than your average golfer. If there’s a scratch on the bottom of the club because another pro has taken it out to test it previous or there is a slight cosmetic imperfection in the milling of the cavity, they don’t care. If they do want something different and we don’t have it to hand then it’s something we can get made up in a couple of weeks and get it to them at the next Tour stop or even have it delivered to their home.
What the pros tend to request are things that directly affect the playing characteristics of the club, say more offset or different loft or a changed grip or hosel and not just the appearance of the club. Wedges and putters are the two most individual clubs in a player’s bag so these things can make a big difference about making it acceptable to the player. Ultimately it’s all about getting it in the bag.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
