Fujikura and VENTUS once again played a key role in a memorable Major Championship victory, with this weekend’s winner in Southport, England, trusting the brand's proven performance technology to overcome the unique demands of links golf on one of the toughest courses on the UK Major rota.
The 7,223-yard, par-70 layout played incredibly fast due to the extreme heat and sun-baked fairways, so position from the tee was at a premium as players chased birdies, with penal rough waiting to punish any wayward play.
The New Zealander, a multiple winner on Tour, claimed a career-first Major title with a thrilling one-shot victory - using a VENTUS TR Black 6-X with enhanced VeloCore+ technology in his driver, along with a VENTUS Black 8-X with VeloCore+ in his 3-wood.
He trusted VENTUS in his utility iron, with a VENTUS Blue 10-X - also built with VeloCore+ technology - as he repeatedly showcased optimum levels of control to navigate one of the game's sternest tests.
The 39-year-old made the switch to the new VENTUS TR Black profile in his driver at last week’s Scottish Open, with the positive gains almost immediate - none more so with arguably the drive of the week on the 72nd hole, splitting the fairway on what was undoubtedly one of the course’s toughest holes to set up a closing birdie to secure an emotional victory.
The new VENTUS TR profile builds on the legacy of the original VENTUS TR and maintains its trusted mid-launch, low-spin performance. The integration of VeloCore+ technology delivers a smoother feel along with added stability and more speed through impact.
The new construction pairs Fujikura’s cutting-edge Spread Tow fabric with its latest VeloCore+ material technology to deliver maximum consistency and improved energy transfer. This combination gives players more stability than ever before, especially those who tend to pull or load the shaft aggressively. The result is a profile that maintains the familiar launch and spin characteristics of the original, while delivering enhanced stability, smoother feel and more consistent dispersion.
The winner showed his intent in the tournament’s third round, recording the joint-lowest round in men’s Major Championship history. His 62 included nine birdies and set the tone for the remainder of the tournament with a gutsy 68 following on Sunday in the final round.
The champion was not the only player to equal records, with VENTUS at the top of the bag of the man who, during Friday’s second round, also returned a 62 - bogey-free with eight birdies and six coming on the treacherous back nine. The 29-year-old American, a five-time winner on Tour, used a VENTUS Blue 7-TX in his driver and a VENTUS Blue 10-TX in his utility iron on his way to a third-place finish.
This was the second Major of the year where the winner has been supported by Fujikura and VENTUS, and capped another dominant week for the brand in the equipment counts, with 43.6% of the field choosing Fujikura shafts in their driver – 18% ahead of the nearest competitor – while 40.2% of players trusted Fujikura throughout their fairway wood set-ups.
In total, Fujikura and VENTUS featured in the bags of four players who finished in the championship’s top five, confirming that in the game’s biggest tournaments and when the pressure is at its most intense, the world’s best continue to put their faith in the game’s No.1 performance shaft.
With the conclusion of the year's Major championship schedule, Fujikura has reinforced its position as the most trusted shaft brand in the game, topping the driver and wood shaft counts at all four Majors.
"Golf's original championship presents one of the greatest tests in our sport,” said Fujikura Director of Tour Ops, Pat McCoy. “It requires players to have complete confidence in their ability to control trajectory, shape shots, and perform under pressure.
"This week's winner demonstrated exactly why the world's top players continue to trust Fujikura and VENTUS when everything is on the line. The precision and consistency required to succeed in links conditions is exceptional, and our technologies are designed to provide players with that confidence on every shot.
"From the opening tee shot to the final hole, accuracy and control were critical to success this week - including during a history-making third round - and Fujikura is proud to have supported another victory on golf's biggest stage."
For more information about Fujikura shafts, including the VENTUS model used by all the Major winners in 2025, visit www.fujikuragolf.com/ventus/.
Find your local Fujikura Charter Dealer at the Dealer Locator and get fit for VENTUS today.
From the Tour-proven VENTUS to Fujikura’s AXIOM iron-shaft series, there is a performance shaft for every swing, with a commitment to custom-fitting to ensure golfers of all levels can experience the same technology trusted by the countless global winners the brand has supported over the years.