The 151st Open Championship – Photo gallery

Stimpmeter · July 18, 2023, 11:45pm

Mizuno’s Emerging Talent takes the baton

Mizuno are represented at the 151st Open Championship by 3 players from its pool of emerging young talent. Kensei Hirata from Japan (22), won the Mizuno Open to qualify in his first full year as a professional. Ben Griffin / US (27), another debutant has excelled in his rookie season on the PGA Tour to make his way to Hoylake. Mizuno’s only player with Open Championship experience, Marco Penge / UK (25), will be playing his 2nd major, having come through final qualifying for the second year running.

Kensei Hirata is Mizuno’s youngest player at The Open – at 22 years old.

The conditions are very different from Japan and tough. I played on Monday and the wind was so difficult. Although the Mizuno Open was played on a links type course, this is much tougher. I played much better in practice on Tuesday and feel more confident. I will have to play a lot of low shots – it’s very different, but i’m enjoying the challenge.

KENSEI HIRATA

PGA Tour rookie Ben Griffin is playing his first Open Championship

The targets are small – so i’m going to play the way i’m comfortable, hitting the shots that i normally hit. The course is playing softer than you would expect, so I don’t think i’ll need to adapt my game too much.

BEN GRIFFIN

The big hitting Marco Penge has battled his way to the Open via final qualifying for a second year. Penge plays the ST-X driver.

I feel a lot more settled this year – it was hard not to get excited playing at St Andrews in 2022. I probably overplayed on the practice days and there wasn’t much left in the tank by Thursday. I don’t regret a thing, but I’ll just play 9 holes on the practice days this year and leave a little more in the tank.

MARCO PENGE

Penge was the first to take the low spinning ST-G fairway onto the course.

Penge plays Mizuno Pro 221 irons and Fli-Hi.

Fist Look: Mizuno ST-G Ti fairway wood, 440cc driver and T24 wedges

Mizuno’s T24 wedges and ST-G metalwoods made an early appearance at Royal Liverpool. Marco Penge was first to take the new ST-G Titanium fairway wood onto the course – looking for a more penetrating, low spinning flight. The ST-G fairway, 440cc driver and T24 wedges are all expected for public release in October.