If you’re a Bridgestone Golf player or just a die-hard gear enthusiast, buckle up—there’s a whole lot of excitement coming from the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf.
Bridgestone Golf has announced a wave of contract extensions, fresh signings, and a growing shift toward the brand’s innovative MindSet technology, signalling a bold new chapter for its Tour staff.
Long-standing Bridgestone icons Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, Fred Couples, and Boo Weekley—as well as relative newcomer Chris Gotterup—have all renewed their contracts.
Woods continues with the TOUR B golf ball that has served him so well over the years, while Gotterup is adding Bridgestone’s 221 CB irons to his bag. As Woods put it:
“I have played a ball manufactured by Bridgestone since my memorable 2000 season.
Since the beginning, Bridgestone has continued to innovate and lead the golf ball category in terms of technology, performance, and consistency,” said Tiger Woods.
“They are great at what they do, and I look forward to continuing to work with their R&D team to design industry-leading golf balls.”
Gotterup, who signed with Bridgestone in 2023 and nabbed his first PGA Tour win at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic, is equally enthusiastic about renewing:
“I’ve been playing the TOUR B X since I turned pro, and I know it’s the best fit for my game.
Bridgestone’s golf ball fitting really opened my eyes to the kind of performance I can gain from playing the right ball,” said Chris Gotterup.
“And after working with the Bridgestone team I’ve also decided to utilise Mindset technology in ’25. I think it could potentially be a game changer for my mental focus moving forward.”
The roster has also been bolstered by new recruits Kurt Kitayama and Harry Hall, along with existing Bridgestone staffer Takumi Kanaya, who is joining the PGA TOUR as a rookie for the 2025 season.
Dan Murphy, President of Bridgestone Golf, sees both science and instinct at play when building a winning Tour team:
“Building a tour team is part art and part science. We crunch the data and study trends for each player but sometimes it comes down to instinct and judgment on who to recruit to ‘Team Bridgestone.’
We believe we have the perfect mix of generational icons, proven winners, and up-and-comers,” said Dan Murphy, President of Bridgestone Golf.
“The sponsorship game has changed dramatically over the past few years as performance is more important than ever.
There is a lot at stake each week for these guys and having the most optimised equipment has never been so important.
That trend really plays into our favour and is one of the reasons for our current expansion.”
Englishman Harry Hall, who joined the PGA Tour in 2022 and grabbed a victory at the 2024 ISCO Championship, tested the TOUR B X under actual tournament conditions before officially signing on:
“For me, the final test for any new equipment is in tournament conditions. The Bridgestone team fit me into the TOUR B X, but I really wanted on-course validation before formally joining the staff,” said Hall.
“After these past two weeks in Hawaii at Sentry and Sony, I knew I had found the right ball for my game.
The ball speed is there, along with control around the green, and stability and consistency in the wind.”
Meanwhile, Kitayama—a winner of the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational—has opted for the TOUR B XS MindSet:
“When you are playing well, the idea of making an equipment change can be a bit scary.
The Bridgestone team flew out to Vegas and took me through the entire ball-fitting process.
Very quickly I realised that putting the TOUR B XS in play was going to be a no-brainer for me,” said Kurt Kitayama.
“The performance of the XS is superior and the spin control with this ball is next level.
The bonus of switching to this ball is the MindSet technology, which I think will be a significant help to my pre-shot routine and overall mental game.”
The MindSet marking—pioneered by Jason Day in 2024—serves as a visual cue to heighten mental focus.
Several Bridgestone staffers are now adopting it for the 2025 season, including Fred Couples and Boo Weekley on the Champions Tour.
Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager at Bridgestone Golf, believes the mental game may be the next evolutionary leap:
“The concept of putting a visual cue on a ball that helps the mental game was a very forward-thinking idea last year when we launched MindSet,” said Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager, Bridgestone Golf.
“Fast forward a year and not only do we have more of Team Bridgestone playing MindSet, but we also have new guys coming into the fold in part due to MindSet.
On the PGA Tour there have been movements in the past that had a significant effect on scoring – the explosion of metalwood technology was huge, and so was the fitness craze brought on by Tiger Woods and others.
Now it looks like the mental game is coming to the forefront and MindSet is the only golf ball technology that can deliver a meaningful advantage for both pros as well as amateurs.”
BRIDGESTONE STAFF WITB 2025
- Tiger Woods: TOUR B X
- Jason Day: TOUR B X MindSet
- Kurt Kitayama: TOUR B XS MindSet
- Harry Hall: TOUR B X
- Fred Couples: TOUR B RX MindSet
- Matt Kuchar: TOUR B X
- Chris Gotterup: TOUR B X MindSet, 221 CB irons
- Boo Weekley: TOUR B XS MindSet
- Takumi Kanaya: TOUR B X
For everyday golfers looking to find their best match, Bridgestone’s Golf Ball Selection Guide is a great place to start.
And if you’re curious about boosting your own mental focus on the course, head to bridgestonegolf.com to learn more about MindSet.
After all, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a weekend warrior, a sharper mind might just be the edge you need.
