What's in Wilson's Bag

Sony Open winner reveals all

Mon, 17 Jan 2011
What's in Wilson's Bag

PING pro Mark Wilson won his third PGA Tour title on Sunday in a fashion that would make his beloved Green Bay Packers proud.

The Wisconsin native gutted out a 36-hole Sunday as the only player to be bogey-free in the final two rounds.

In a post-round interview, Wilson thanked his personal trainer for the off-season workouts they did to make the 36-year-old fit enough to hold up over 36 holes -necessitated by a first-round rain out.

Pivotal to his win was the par-3 17th in the final round, where he showcased the strengths of his game this week: bunker play and putting. Leading by one, Wilson found a greenside bunker with his tee shot, then blasted out to 12 feet. He made the putt to maintain his one-shot cushion heading to the par-5 18th.

“When the left side of the hole caught it I was ecstatic,” he said.

For the week, he made 21 putts over six feet, most in the field, and was 100% in sand saves, also first. Wilson birdied 18 for the fourth time in a row to seal the win. And on Waialae’s narrow fairways, the ninth-year Tour player was also second in driving accuracy for the week with his i15 driver.

Key to maintaining his composure, he said, was staying calm. “You waste energy when you worry.”

Wilson’s victory earned him $990,000 (£623,685) along with a two-year Tour exemption, an invitation to his first Masters (“I’m excited I can put The Masters on my schedule”), and a spot in his second US Open.

What’s in Mark Wilson’s bag

Driver: PING i15 8.0 (9.0 finished loft)

Fairway Wood: Cleveland Hi-Bore XLS 3-wood (13-degrees)

Hybrids: PING i15 (17- and 20-degrees)

Irons: PING i10 (4–PW)

Wedges: PING Tour (52- and 60-degrees)

Putter: PING Karsten Series Anser 

Ball: Titleist ProV1x