Brooks Koepka is heading into the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club with a fresh look on the greens—and it's not by choice.
After a promising T11 finish at last week's Myrtle Beach Classic—his best result since returning to the PGA Tour in January—the three-time PGA Championship winner found himself facing an unexpected equipment dilemma. On Sunday, Koepka broke his putter during a final-round 70, a round that saw him lose more than 2.5 strokes to the field with the flat stick. The mishap forced him into a Monday afternoon testing session at Aronimink, searching for a replacement before the season's second major.
For years, the answer would have been simple: a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 with a Teryllium insert. That blade helped Koepka capture five major titles. But with his putting ranking 149th in Strokes Gained: Putting this season, change was already on the horizon. At this year's WM Phoenix Open, he surprised fans by swapping to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet, signaling a shift away from his longtime blade comfort zone.
"I feel like I've been hitting the ball great for a long time," Koepka said in Myrtle Beach. "I just haven't holed any putts."
His ball-striking has been tour-caliber since his return, but the short game—where majors are truly decided—has lagged behind. Now, with his putter broken and a major title on the line, the hunt for a new wand is on.
During a nearly hour-long session on the practice green, Koepka tested a range of mallets from both TaylorMade and Scotty Cameron. One standout was a custom Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5R prototype, the same model Cameron Young made famous and Justin Thomas recently adopted. It features a milled Teryllium insert designed to replicate the feel of his old Newport 2s—a thoughtful nod from Cameron, signaling "we know what made you great."
Koepka also spent significant time with a TaylorMade Spider Tour V featuring a plumber's neck, draining several mid-length putts during the session. The shape differs slightly from the traditional Spider profile he'd been using, offering a fresh feel for a player looking to rediscover his putting magic.
Which putter will be in the bag come Thursday? That remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: a gear mishap has opened the door to a new chapter for one of golf's most fearsome major competitors—and the equipment choice could define his week at Aronimink.