When Justin Rose signed with Honma in January 2019, the obvious question for equipment fans was: “What model clubs will he use?â€� Rose quickly put speculation to rest with a Twitter post showing off never-before-seen T//World 747 Rose Proto MB irons. Rose wasted no time notching a PGA TOUR win using the prototype irons; he won the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January. Equipment fans then began to wonder whether the “Rose Protoâ€� irons would eventually hit retail. Honma has officially announced that the clubs are now available for purchase. According to Honma, the irons – which are forged from S20C mild carbon — were designed with “extensive input and directionâ€� from Rose, who has been using the irons throughout 2019. “The idea of having a hand in the collaborative design process for my set of clubs was extremely exciting,â€� Rose said in a press release. “Working with Honma master craftsmen to create an iron that felt and looked great for me was one of the biggest thrills of my career.â€� Honma’s Chief Marketing Officer John Kawaja says he was prepared for Rose’s exacting eye and willingness to be a part of the design process. “Going into this, we knew how particular and discerning Justin is and we had a feeling he’d be interested in contributing to the design of his clubs,â€� Kawaja said in a press release. Honma’s T//World 747 Rose Proto MB irons (4-10 iron) will sell for $175 per club, and a 3-iron will also be available for individual purchase.

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HILTON HEAD, S.C. – A new putter and a new driver seemed to breathe new life into Shane Lowry’s game on Thursday at the RBC Heritage. The Irishman admittedly had started the year off on a strong note with a win in Abu Dhabi in the season-opener on the European Tour. But he simply hadn’t been able to build on that momentum – on either side of the Atlantic — in the weeks following his third career win. In fact, Lowry hadn’t broken 70 in four stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR since he missed the cut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am back in February. He was a combined 24 over par in those tournaments and had only made the weekend once. On a blustery morning at Harbour Town Golf Links, though, Lowry was back in control — firing a bogey-free 65 that earned him a one-stroke advantage. “Pretty much my whole game felt good,â€� Lowry said. “… I haven’t had that feeling in a while. So, it’s kind of nice.â€� He only needed to use that putter he put in his bag this week 27 times in the first round. Lowry took advantage of all three par-5s, too, getting up and down at each with birdie putts in the 3-foot range. His other birdie putts ranged from 8 to 19 feet. “It was something I’ve been struggling with — my par-5 scoring hasn’t been very good,â€� Lowry said. “I just played them nicely today. I struggled off the tee quite a bit this year, and I managed to find a new driver that I like. I hit that pretty good. And when you do that on par-5s it always gives yourself a chance.â€� Related: Featured Groups, tee times | Insider: Big week for small ball | Kisner keeps perspective as lifelong friend battles tumor Finding the right driver has been a work in progress for Lowry, who even in that early victory struggled off the tee – hitting just four fairways as he shot a course-record 62 in the first round in Abu Dhabi. Lowry estimated he tried 30 different drivers this year before settling on the Srixon one he first used at the Masters and liked so much that it earned another spot in his bag this week. “We’ve done a lot of work and I managed to find one I like and feel like I can trust it there,â€� Lowry said. “So, hopefully it keeps going. Today was the first day that I hit the ball well off the tee. So even it felt okay last week in Augusta, but today was the first real day.â€� Lowry hit 13 of 14 fairways in the first round and 14 of 18 greens in regulation, scrambling successfully for par on the ones he missed. Not surprisingly, then, he ranked in the top three in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee, Tee-to-Green and Around-the-Green. “I’m happy with my golf,â€� Lowry said. “My scores haven’t been great as of late. But I felt like I’ve been playing okay. So maybe this is a reward for the perseverance.â€� Lowry has only played the RBC Heritage once previously, finishing tied for 44th in 2017. But he had some success that week – opening with a 66 before giving all that back with a 75 in the second round and eventually finishing 2 under for the week. “It’s just difficult,â€� Lowry said of the Pete Dye creation. “And if you’re 7- or 8-under going into Sunday, you’re going to have a chance to win the tournament, I think. And that’s kind of the way this course plays. You just need to be as patient as you can. “A couple of years ago I got off to a good start and I maybe tried to force it a little bit. So just try to stay patient the next few days. I enjoyed today. It’s nice to shoot a good score. And it’s my first good score in a few weeks. So just enjoy that and just get out there tomorrow and get after it.â€� Friday figures to be a challenge for everyone but particularly those with afternoon tee times when winds of 20-30 mph, gusting to 40, are expected and severe thunderstorms are possible. “You know the forecast is not going to be great,â€� Lowry said. “Yeah, I’ve seen it and knew this was my chance to go out and shoot a good number.â€� Mission accomplished.

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HILTON HEAD, S.C. – It was only one putt. And it was just the first round of the RBC Heritage. But that 8-footer Jordan Spieth made for birdie on No. 9 at Harbour Town Golf Links onThursday, his final hole of the day, felt important. It got him back to even par for the tournament and headed into an uncertain second round with a modicum of momentum. “It’s one stroke, but to shoot over par versus even is actually kind of a big deal,â€� said Spieth, who is six shots behind the leader, Shane Lowry. “It doesn’t feel like the golf course beat you today. It’s a three-round tournament, just kind of one round, tied the course.â€� Spieth felt like he stayed patient and kept himself in the hunt on a day when he could have shot 2 or 3 over. The man who ranks 212th in driving accuracy only hit eight fairways on this tight, tree-lined Pete Dye creation but his iron play was spot on as he managed to find 15 greens in regulation. “One of my irons went in the water, but it’s the best 8-iron I’ve hit in a year-and-a-half,â€� Spieth reported. “I caught an into gust when it was supposed to be down. Another one of my missed greens, two of them were kind of just on the fringes. “All in all very pleased with what I did to get myself on or around the greens in a couple of strokes. And I really have to bust it out here.â€� The putter was another story, though. Spieth felt like he had the lines but had trouble adjusting to the speed after playing on those lightning-fast greens at the Masters where he tied for 21st last week. Related: Lowry cards bogey-free 65 to lead | Donald returns to RBC Heritage after back injury | Featured Groups, tee times | Insider: Big week for small ball | Kisner keeps perspective as lifelong friend battles tumor  And with winds expected to blow 20-30 mph – and gust to 40 – on Friday, Spieth knows the contrast between the speeds at Augusta National and Harbour Town will only be more pronounced. “I really got Augusta’d out here,â€� he said. “What I mean is I was still putting to the speed of Augusta. I haven’t fully made the transition away from that. “And as we are expecting high winds, I’m sure the greens will slow down even more to make it fair. I’m really going to need to dial in my speed on the greens. Just tough out there coming off last week to this week, to get yourself to pop it harder than you really want to.â€� Spieth, who is playing the RBC Heritage for the first time since 2015, is looking for his first top-10 in 12 starts this season. In three previous appearances at Harbour Town, the affable Texan has finished 11th or better, and to hear him talk, one wonders why he took the four-year break. “I feel like I’m doing myself a disservice, just because it’s after the Masters, not coming to this event,â€� said Spieth, whose career-low in Hilton Head is 62. “I’m trying to play golf courses where the greens and the grass type and the conditions suit my game. “And I haven’t done a great job in my scheduling this year thus far with this new schedule. But I think adding this event was really good for me.â€�

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