[PHOTO: Andrew Wevers]
Kurt Kitayama has a penchant for dramatic iron shots when he wins PGA Tour events. When he took the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, it was a flushed 6-iron at the long par-3 17th that came to rest just inside 14 feet and Kitayama ran the putt in centre cut to take the lead. At this week’s 3M Open, it was a 7-iron from 173 metres out of the right fairway bunker at the 14th hole that he staked to two feet to re-open a comfortable lead just as it seemed things might be starting to slip. Kitayama would go on to win by one shot.
The iron Kitayama hit on the 14th was a TaylorMade P•7MC 7-iron. The P•7MCs are forged from 1025 carbon steel and use a five-step forging process that uses two to three times the forging pressure normally used in forged irons. The additional force decreases the grain size to improve the overall properties of the metal. Kitayama ranked first in strokes gained/approach for the week, bettering the field average by almost 10 strokes.
Of course, that’s easy to understand considering Kitayama scorched the front nine in 28 in round three and broke 30 again (29) on the final day. He missed just 12 greens in regulation for the four rounds.
The sturdy Kitayama also motored it out there off the tee, averaging 287.7 metres (314.6 yards), ranked 12th, with his 11-degree Titleist GT3 driver with a Graphite Design Tour AD VF-7 TX shaft. The adjustable hosel is in the D-1 setting which drops the loft to 10.25 degrees.
Kitayama also averaged more than 100 feet of putts made per round and ranked second in putts per green in regulation with his Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Style Newport 2 tour prototype putter with a SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT grip.
The putter was good. However, when you knock it to two feet, it doesn’t have much work to do.
What Kurt Kitayama had in the bag at the 2025 3M Open:
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS Mindset
Driver: Titleist GT3 (Graphite Design Tour AD VF-7 TX), 11 degrees
3-wood: Titleist GT1, 14.5 degrees
7-wood: Titleist GT1, 21 degrees
Irons (4): TaylorMade P•7CB; (5-PW): TaylorMade P•7MC
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM10 (52, 56 degrees); Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks (60 degrees)
Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Style Newport 2 tour prototype
