This Srixon driver isn’t even out yet and already has a major title
Ryan Fox captured The Open Championship with an unreleased Srixon ZXi RKT LS+ driver in his bag. This prototype performance marks a massive validation for Srixon's upcoming club line.
- Ryan Fox’s victory at The Open Championship came with a piece of equipment at the top of his bag that Srixon hasn’t even released to the public yet.
- Facing the pressure of the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale—statistically the second-most difficult hole on the course—Fox needed a par to tie or a birdie to win outright.
- He stepped up and delivered a 330-yard drive down the right side of the fairway, setting up the decisive walk-off birdie that secured the Claret Jug.
- The ZXi RKT family of drivers first surfaced on the PGA Tour at the Travelers Championship last month, where Fox opted to put the LS+ model into play.
Ryan Fox’s victory at The Open Championship came with a piece of equipment at the top of his bag that Srixon hasn’t even released to the public yet. Despite the lack of a retail debut, the club has already received the ultimate validation: a major championship title.
The most critical component in his bag was the ZXi RKT (pronounced “Rocket”) LS+ driver. Facing the pressure of the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale—statistically the second-most difficult hole on the course—Fox needed a par to tie or a birdie to win outright. He stepped up and delivered a 330-yard drive down the right side of the fairway, setting up the decisive walk-off birdie that secured the Claret Jug.
The ZXi RKT family of drivers first surfaced on the PGA Tour at the Travelers Championship last month, where Fox opted to put the LS+ model into play. While Srixon has remained tight-lipped regarding the technical specifications of the new line, expecting a full reveal only closer to the official retail launch, initial observations from industry insiders like GOLF’s Jake Morrow provide some clarity. The design appears to feature significantly more carbon fiber than previous iterations, with a heavy emphasis on sound profile, as evidenced by “Acousticore” branding on the sole of the clubs. Notably, the LS+ model that Fox utilized is a continuation of the ZXi line that never reached retail stores previously, making this a long-awaited success.
Beyond the clubhead, Fox made a significant change to his setup at the Scottish Open by switching to the new Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6-X shaft featuring VeloCore+ technology. The shaft, which debuted in March, is already enjoying a stellar run with two PGA Tour victories, including Viktor Hovland’s win at the Travelers Championship. Furthermore, Fox added the ZXi RKT 3-wood to his bag, which also made its debut at the Scottish Open.
The performance data from Royal Birkdale validates the move. Over the four rounds, Fox ranked 10th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, gaining more than three strokes on the field. This prototype equipment clearly provided the precision and distance required to navigate one of the toughest tests in professional golf.
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