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The 5 best golfers in approach play at the Masters (and the irons they play)

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While many will look to the greens at Augusta National as the defining factor in crowning the winner of the 90th Masters tournament, statistics suggest that approach play has become more important.

Just look at Rory McIlroy’s victory last year. He gained over 10 shots on the field with his approach play and actually lost strokes on the putting greens. In the last five years, three of the winners gained more shots on approach than any other strokes-gained stat.

So, as preparations for Augusta National are being made, let’s take a look at the top five players in approach over the last three months and what they have in the bag.

Collin Morikawa

Already a winner this season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he gained a whopping 9.681 strokes in his approach play, Collin Morikawa tops the table with his impressive iron play.

On average, Morikawa is gaining 1.33 strokes on the field with his laser-like irons. He plays a split set from TaylorMade, featuring a hollow-bodied PDHY driving iron, cavity-back P7CBs, which he says “finds that perfect window” for him, and the forged muscle-back designed P730s. The blade features a smaller, sharper look than the CBs and it’s the iron that McIlroy’s Proto blades are designed off of, which he won with at Augusta last year. Coincidence?

Making his seventh Masters start, Morikawa’s best finish came in 2024, where he finished T3.

Irons: TaylorMade PDHY (4), TaylorMade P7CB (5, 6), TaylorMade P730 (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)

Si Woo Kim

Si Woo Kim might have the coolest setup on Tour, and he’s playing golf to match it. He’s yet to miss a cut this year, going 9-for-9, and has already had a runner-up and four top-10 finishes.

As for his bag, Kim is one of many Callaway staffers to add the tour-only, Japanese-style Apex MBs into his setup. They feature a longer blade and a less rounded toe, which fit Kim’s eye. His irons are also bent two degrees strong to also help Kim with how the clubs look at address.

Kim is making his ninth Masters start but has yet to crack the top 10. His best finish came at the 2021 tournament, where he finished tied 12th. He’s gaining 1.11 strokes a round this year in approach, so there’s potential for Kim to have his best week to date in Augusta.

Irons: Callaway Apex MB ’26 3-PW
Shafts: KBS Tour V 125

Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry should arguably be a PGA Tour winner this season, but fell at the last minute at the Cognizant Classic. He enters the Masters, gaining 1.09 strokes a round on approach.

Lowry plays a split set of Srixon irons, including a ZXi Utility at 20 degrees. He then moves into the ZXi5 irons for 4- and 5-iron, created with Srixon’s i-FORGED process for improved feel, before transitioning into the ZXi7 in 6-iron to pitching wedge. Both the ZXi5 and ZXi7 feature the Tour VT Sole, which blends sole width, bounce, and relief to help the club glide through the turf.

Already a major champion, Lowry is making his 11th Masters start, and could be a dark horse heading to Augusta.

Irons: Srixon ZXi Utility (3/20 degrees), Srixon ZXi5 (4, 5), Srixon ZXi7 (6-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus VeloCore+ Blue HB 9 X (3), KBS Tour 130 X (4-PW)

Adam Scott

Adam Scott knows how to win at Augusta National. He did it in 2013, beating Ángel Cabrera in a dramatic playoff, becoming the first Australian to win the tournament. That year, he played a Titleist 710 MBs.

Now in 2026, Scott is still playing musclebacks but has transitioned to the Callaway Apex MBs, like Kim. This may change, though, as Scott has meddled with both Miura KM-700s and a special set of AS-1 irons over the past year.

Scott is also gaining 1.09 strokes on the field, like Lowry, over the last three months. Along with the Apex MB irons, Scott has a Titleist T250 3-iron equipped with Graphite Design Tour AD VF Hybrid shaft.

Impressively, entering his 25th Masters, Scott has made every cut this season ,with a best finish coming at The Genesis Invitational, where he came fourth.

Irons: Titleist T250 (3) Callaway Apex MB ’26 (4-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD VF Hybrid 105 X (3), Project X LZ 6.5 125 (4-9)

Akshay Bhatia

Rounding out the top five in approach play at the Masters is recent Tour winner, Akshay Bhatia. The smooth-swinging lefty earned the biggest victory of his career at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Bhatia’s setup is comprised of a Callaway X Forged UT iron and Apex TCB Raw irons, both custom-painted with Masters’ green.

The 24-year-old is gaining 1.06 shots a round this year and in his third Masters will look to improve on a tournament-best T35 finish.

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (22 degrees), Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+

 

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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