Austin Smotherman WITB: Bank of Utah winner carries 7-year-old hybrid
Austin Smotherman finally broke through Sunday, winning his first PGA Tour title at the Bank of Utah Championship.
Aside from deals with L.A.B. Golf for his putter and Titleist for the Pro V1x, Smotherman is a gear free agent, free to play whatever golf clubs he wants.
One of those clubs is a nearly seven-year-old TaylorMade SIM Max 3-hybrid, making him just the fourth player this season to win on the PGA Tour with a hybrid. The SIM Max rescue is one of the more famous TaylorMade hybrids of the past decade, mainly because it’s one of the last to get serious play on the PGA Tour.
The SIM Max earned its reputation as being the first hybrid Rory McIlroy ever put in play on the PGA Tour. McIlroy liked it so much that he used it at times in both 2020 and 2021.
“I’ve never been a hybrid of a rescue guy,” McIlroy told the Irish Golfer in 2020. “I’m a bit of a traditionalist… but I picked this thing up and it was unbelievable.”
Dustin Johnson also played the SIM Max during the 2020 season.
Hybrids went from being a trendy add in the early 2010s to a rarity in 2026. But Smotherman not only still carries one, but hangs onto one of the more legendary ones still out there.
Smotherman became just the second pro to sign an endorsement contract with L.A.B. Golf earlier this year after his T2 finish at the Cognizant Classic. At the time, Smotherman gamed the company’s OZ.1 mallet, but has since moved on to the new VZN.1i that was released earlier this summer.
For more on Austin Smotherman’s detailed setup, keep reading below.
Austin Smotherman’s winning WITB at the 2026 Bank of Utah Championship
Driver
Titleist GT3 10.0˚ Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black TX 60g
Titleist GT3 Custom Driver
GT3 – Speed-Tuned Distance & Control GT3 offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization. With a speed-tuned design that allows you to precisely match performance to your most frequent contact location, you can make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping. For players with a relatively consistent impact location, GT3 offers a precisely adjustable CG Track to max out distance and directional control. Seamless Thermoform Crown A reimagined ultra-lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The tunable acoustic properties of this unique composite allow Titleist engineers to realize new material gains while maintaining our signature sound and feel. All wrapped in a clean look that inspires total confidence. Split Mass Construction A breakthrough in internal weighting unlocks longer drives and enhanced directional control in GT3. The Adjustable CG Track now sits closer to the face for more dynamic CG control, while additional discretionary mass is pushed to the back of the club to maintain optimal stability through impact. Advanced Aerodynamics GT3 features a new raised tail contour that represents a dramatic shift in driver aerodynamics. Previously impossible to execute due to design constraints, this advanced shaping results in a driver that swings faster while still providing optimal CG control.
Just when you thought HZRDUS Black couldn’t get any better, it did. One of the most successful low launch/spin shaft models of the past decade continues to innovate with the addition of our new 4D Optimized Carbon weave. Strategically utilized in the midsection, the part of the golf shaft that undergoes the most stress, and angled for improved torsional resistance, HZRDUS Gen 5 Black powered by 4D Optimized Carbon is designed to enhance performance and maximize energy transfer like never before.
TaylorMade Qi10 15.0˚ Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7 X
TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Fairway Wood
PROVEN RECIPE TaylorMade Fairways have dominated on Tour for over a decade because of their unique performance recipe, which enables maximum distance and versatility. The Qi4D fairway is designed for golfers who want the most advanced technology while still prioritizing versatility and control with amazing distance. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System weight (8g x1) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight. 4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight and is available in all lofts. REFINED ATTRIBUTES, BIG CHANGES Engineers conducted an objective analysis of all the performance attributes and discovered new methods to enhance performance and confidence. Sit points, lie angles, address views, and center of gravity locations were all updated based on Tour feedback and the expertise of leading fitters worldwide, ensuring the optimal fairway across skill levels. TOUR-PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade fairway performance. Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits. Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to maximize performance by increasing discretionary weight.
TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue 19.0˚ Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid
TaylorMade Qi4D Custom Hybrid
RESCUE™ YOUR ROUND Advanced multi-material construction combines 450 stainless steel and a carbon fiber crown creating the ultimate iron replacement option. The Qi4D Rescue™ is designed to hit desired carry yardages while maintaining a steep landing angle, providing golfers the ultimate tool to hold greens with added utility from any lie. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System (TAS) weight (8g) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight. 3° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight. CG OPTIMIZATION Engineers achieved a balanced CG placement for optimal flight and workability by utilizing an ultralight carbon crown and strategically positioned TAS weight for more iron-like performance. TOUR PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES Cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade rescue performance. Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits.
Unmatched precision meets unrivaled feel with T100 Irons. Fully forged with more aggressive grooves in the mid/short irons, T100 offers pure player’s feel with improved consistency in variable conditions. Now with higher long-iron launch for optimal trajectory control in every club. Forged Player’s Design Masterfully forged into a pure player’s design that offers precision control and buttery feel. Superior Flight and Stability Split High-Density Tungsten produces optimal CG with remarkable stability for precise shotmaking. Consistent Speed & Spin New VFT technology and progressive groove design for consistent spin and speed across the face in variable conditions. Elevated Long-Iron Launch Lower CG and a new muscle channel help improve peak height and carry.
Titleist Vokey SM10 Lofts/Grinds: 46-10F, 50-08F @50.5, 54-12D @54.5, WedgeWorks 60L @59.5 Shafts: KBS Tour 125 S+ (46), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (50-60)
Titleist Vokey SM10 Raw Custom Wedge
For every shot, every lie, every course, there’s a grind fit for your swing. Finding the right grind to match your swing and playing conditions will give you the best turf interaction, contact and shot performance. Master Craftsman Bob Vokey has spent decades crafting, developing and improving his tour proven grinds to fit players of all levels.Anyone can manufacture a wedge, but it takes a master to turn a piece of high-performance technology into an instrument of creative control. Bob’s six tour-proven grinds are designed to offer maximum creativity, versatility and consistency, all meticulously developed through years of working with the best players in the world. PROGRESSIVE CENTER OF GRAVITY SM9 features a progressive center of gravity (CG) throughout the lofts, which optimizes ball flight, accuracy and forgiveness. Using tapered top lines and varied hosel lengths, the Vokey R&D team has raised the height of the CG in the higher lofts, which promotes a lower, more controlled flight.The CG is also forward of the face, resulting in increased MOI, exceptional feel and a club face that simply wants to square up at impact. SPIN MILLED GROOVES SM9’s patented Spin Milled grooves are meticulously engineered through a new cutting process to maximize spin and durability. The process starts by cutting the face perfectly flat with a high-speed saw. Then every groove is individually cut based on loft and finish; low lofts (46°-54°) are designed with narrower, deeper grooves, while higher lofts (56°-62°) have wider, shallower grooves.Micro-grooves are individually cut in between grooves, which maximize spin on partial shots. A proprietary heat treatment is applied to the impact area which doubles the durability of the groove without impacting feel, making it the most durable groove in golf. The process is only complete when every Vokey wedge is 100% inspected for utmost quality and performance.
L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i Alignment Aid: Short line Insert: Flymill steel Shaft: L.A.B. Golf x TPT Grip: SuperStroke
Grips
Golf Pride MCC Align
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MCC Align Swing Grip, White, Standard – Golf Pride
MCC Align Swing Grip The innovative MCC ALIGN hybrid grip that combines rubber and cord for all-weather performance is now available with ALIGN Technology for consistent hand placement every time. LARGER LOWER HAND The larger outside diameter simulates the feel of building up the grip with four extra wraps. This reduced taper encourages lighter grip pressure, promoting less tension in the hands and creating more fluidity and power throughout the swing. ALL-WEATHER CONTROL Our exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord fuses moisture-wicking cotton fibers into a new soft rubber material for added stability in any condition. MAXIMUM SURFACE TEXTURE Engineered for softer feel and strategically placed for high traction. A soft micro-texture increases traction and comfort, while texture placement is ideal for maximum hand coverage. Specifications: Grip Size: Standard, Midsize Core Size: 60 ALIGN
THE GREATEST COMBINATION OF SPEED, SPIN AND FEEL For players who prioritize total performance, with higher flight and higher spin. New faster high gradient core Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Spherically-tiled 348 tetrahedral dimple design Soft cast urethane elastomer cover Product Features New faster high gradient dual core delivers more speed and iron and wedge spin for more control Low long game spin from a speed amplifying high-flex casing layer Penetrating and consistent flight from a spherically-tiled 348 tetrahedral dimple design Excellent greenside spin from a soft cast urethane elastomer cover Player Benefits Extraordinary Distance Increased Drop-and-Stop™ control Low long game spin High trajectory More consistent flight Soft feel What’s New – (what performance attributes have improved) 2025 Pro V1 and Pro V1x produce more speed off the tee, more control with irons, more spin with wedges and more opportunity to shoot lower scores. Player Profile For players who prioritize total performance, with higher flight and higher spin. Available Colors and Play Numbers White golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4, 5-8, and all the same play number 00 or 1- 99. High optic yellow golf balls are available with play numbers 1-4. Not available for purchase or shipment to Australia.
