After making the cut in all six of his starts and posting top-10 finishes at the Sony Open and Players Championship, Robert MacIntyre is now in strong contention to win the Valero Texas Open. But the secret to his surge isn’t just his swing—it’s a few quiet but critical changes to the equipment in his bag.
MacIntyre’s bag still reflects long-term trust in some clubs, with a few additions of selective modern-day equipment. This balance between loyalty and progression offers a clearer explanation for his surge.
Robert MacIntyre WITB 2026
The 29-year-old golfer is a mixed-brand Titleist staffer. While most of his bag comprises Titleist pieces, a few trusted TaylorMade pieces have made their way in. Here’s what his bag contains at the Valero Texas Open 2026:
- Driver: The 2x PGA Tour winner has switched to a new driver for the Valero Texas Open 2026. He has been using the 2022 Titleist TSR2 until now. But for his last PGA Tour event before the Masters 2026, he made a bold move. He is now using GTS2 at TPC San Antonio. The driver made its way into the professional circuit last week. This is already showing results, as the driver has added around 9 to 10 yards to his driving distance. In the 2026 season, his average driving distance is 303.1 yards. However, at the Valero Texas Open, he has achieved an average distance of 312.50 yards.
- Fairway Woods: Robert MacIntyre is using a TaylorMade AeroBurner (15°). Compared to the GTS2 driver, this is a rather old model he has stuck with since his first DP World Tour win at the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown. Besides this, he also uses a TaylorMade Stealth 2 Rescue 19° hybrid/fairway. This gives him versatility in tight holes.
- Irons: The Scotsman relies on Titleist 620 CB for irons. He uses the True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100. It is a forged blade that underpins his workability and shot‑shaping game. Robert MacIntyre also sometimes carries a driving iron or long iron P‑7MC or 620 MB, depending on the course, but 4–9 is a stable core he’s used since 2024.
- Wedges: For the wedges, the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open winner has relied on a mix of Titleist Vokey wedges. This includes Titleist Vokey Design SM10 wedge (46°-10°F), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50°-8°F, 56°-10°S), and a Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60°-8°K). These choices help with maximum spin, tight lie versatility, and soft‑landing control.
- Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X with high‑MOI mallet is his putter choice at the last PGA Tour event ahead of the Masters 2026.
- Ball: Robert MacIntyre uses Titleist Pro V1. It is the standard for most Titleist staff players.
Robert MacIntyre’s WITB impact on his Valero Texas Open 2026 performance
MacIntyre stormed to the top of the leaderboard through two rounds, building a four-stroke lead over Ludvig Aberg at 14-under par. Even after weather delays suspended play for a second consecutive day, MacIntyre held onto a two-stroke advantage by the end of play on Saturday.
The Scotsman himself acknowledged the difference the equipment change has made.
“I mean, I’ve been driving the ball nice. Got a new Titleist driver in the bag. Iron play today was exceptional I would say. Hit a pure wedge shot on 17, I thought it was absolutely dynamite there,” MacIntyre said.
The numbers tell the same story. With more than a round left, he is leading in Strokes Gained: Approach to Green and Strokes Gained: Total.
Robert MacIntyre’s performance at TPC San Antonio highlights how a well-judged change can elevate a reliable setup into a winning formula. Although it was a simple change, it helped shift the momentum. While the new driver has clearly unlocked another level in his game, the real test will be whether this newfound momentum can carry him through the final round and, more importantly, into the Masters.
