Dustin Johson makes big equipment changes at International Series Philippines

Dustin Johnson has made a series of surprise equipment changes at this week’s International Series Philippines on the Asian Tour.

The two-time major champion and former World No.1 is now free to use any brand he likes after ending his 18-year partnership with TaylorMade at the end of last season — and he’s clearly making the most of that freedom.

This week at Sta. Elena Golf Club, the LIV Golf 4Aces GC captain unveiled a new Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 putter — his sixth putter change of 2025 — and he's also made an unexpected switch into Nike golf shoes, having spent 15 years as an adidas ambassador.

At Sta. Elena, Johnson was spotted wielding a Scotty Cameron Phantom 5, a move that underlines his continued search for consistency with the flatstick.

• Best Putters

It marks his sixth putter switch of his 2025 season, as he’s cycled through models from Scotty Cameron, TaylorMade and L.A.B. Golf in pursuit of the right feel. 

Before this week, Johnson had alternated between a L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i and a TaylorMade Spider Tour, but has now switched into a Phantom 5, a close relative of the Scotty Cameron T5.5 he used earlier in the year.

The Phantom 5 delivers the same compact mallet look with upgraded alignment lines and a more stable head design — features Johnson has historically preferred. 

But whether this latest putter survives beyond the week remains to be seen.

DJ's footwear switch equally deserves just as much chatter.

• Best Golf Shoes

Johnson was an adidas Golf poster boy for over 15 years, headlining its Tour360 campaign for much of his career. 

After parting ways with the brand in 2023, he had mixed between FootJoy and adidas shoes — until now.

Johnson teed it up on Thursday and Friday at the International Series Philippines sporting Nike Victory Tour 4s, the same model favoured by Rory McIlroy, before switching to Nike Air Max 1 ’86 OGs on Saturday.

It’s a bold shift that signals a new chapter in Johnson’s equipment setup. 

By Johnson’s lofty standards, 2025 has been an inconsistent year. 

The big-hitting American played in all four majors but missed the cut at The Masters, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open, before finishing T23 at The Open at Royal Troon.

On the LIV Golf League, Johnson’s best performance came late in the year with a solo third in Indianapolis, giving him a much-needed boost of confidence heading into 2026. 

That top-three finish offered glimpses of the form that once made him one of golf’s most dominant forces.

He’ll look to build on that momentum when the 2026 LIV Golf season kicks off under the lights in Riyadh this February.

Johnson sits just outside the top 20 at 8-under-par heading into the final round of the International Series Philippines, nine shots off the pace. 

The ball-striking remains as sharp as ever, but the putter — and perhaps a sense of rhythm — continues to elude him.

He’s one of several LIV Golf players teeing it up in this week’s event, part of the league’s ongoing collaboration with the Asian Tour. 

It was confirmed this week that from 2026, all new LIV signees will be required to compete in at least two International Series tournaments each season.

Johnson now faces a race against time to keep one of golf’s most impressive streaks alive. 

He has won at least one tournament every year since 2015, across both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

With no entry in next week’s Hong Kong Open and just two International Series stops remaining — Singapore and Saudi Arabia — the 41-year-old will need something special to extend that decade-long winning run.

Six putters. Three shoe brands. Countless tweaks.

Even recording 31 professional wins including two major titles, Dustin Johnson remains one of golf’s great tinkerers — constantly fine-tuning, forever chasing that perfect setup.

Whether the Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 and Nike footwear pairing is the combination that helps him rediscover his winning touch remains to be seen. 

But one thing’s for sure — when Johnson changes his gear, the golf world pays attention.