Pro breaks 2 clubs and still wins. Getting replacements was an adventure

A brand new one Mizuno Pro S-3 6-iron arrived for Marco Money in Spain on Thursday.

The issue? The Open de España, where Penge was playing, ended last Sunday. He was long gone.

However, Penge had another, brand new one Mizuno Pro S-3 6-iron in the bag on Sunday as he knocked off Daniel Brown in a playoff for him won his third DP World Tour title this season and punched his tickets to the 2026 Masters and Open Championship.

How and why Penge needed a new 6-iron wedge – and later pitching wedge – can be told by Mizuno DP World Tour Senior Tour Representative Joe Beck.

How Marco Penge’s 6-iron was damaged

After a disappointing week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he finished tied for 91st, Penge and his caddy, Max Bill, arrived in Spain for the next event when they realized that Penge’s 6-iron had been damaged to the point of non-compliance after hitting a rock with one swing at Dunhill.

Beck and the Mizuno DP World Tour team only found out on Tuesday and their truck was not at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid for logistical reasons. So Beck built a replacement 6 iron for Penge and shipped it that day from England, hoping for delivery by Thursday morning.

Problem solved? No, this was the club that finally gave up this week.

“It’s a little more difficult for us now,” Beck told GOLF. “Trying to ship to Europe with Brexit and shipping regulations, the timeline is taking a lot longer than it should be to get things to the players.”

As Beck continued to track the package, he soon realized that the replacement club would not go to Penge.

Another victim

But the 27-year-old Englishman went ahead with a replacement Titleist 620 CB 6-iron, as reported by SMS on Tour’s John Whyte. With a third-round 64, Penge took a four-shot lead on Sunday.

And that was while playing most of that round down another one the club.

On the second hole, Penge pulled his ball left and saw it lodge inside a tree. Basically, standing by the stump to try and advance the ball, he took a swing with his batting wedge, trying to stop his swing before it hit the tree, but it was of little use.

The shaft hit the wood of the fairway and snapped instantly as the ball sailed further left of the green, still 71 yards from the pin.

Amazingly, Penge had no such problems with his third tree and played his next shot to 14 feet before bending the putt for an impossible par. At the time, Penge’s one-stroke lead was preserved before he caught fire later in the round, birdieing eight of the 10 holes from Nos. 7 to 16.

“How to find a bag of gold,” said an on-air announcer.

By Saturday, Beck saw the replacement 6-iron tracking moving further away from Madrid. As Penge now needed two replacement clubs, the executive decision was for Beck to take a 6am flight from Gatwick to Madrid on Sunday and deliver the clubs to Penge and Bill.

Despite being on holiday that weekend, Beck was approved to go as he was closer to where Mizuno’s tour truck was stationed outside of London.

He built a new replacement S-3 for Penge, 2 degrees straight and 2 degrees hard with KBS V10 130 X axles to match the rest of his group around 8pm on Saturday and then took off at 2.30am to head to the airport. (Fun vacation!)

Custom Mizuno Pro S-3 Grips

The Mizuno Pro S-3 irons embody refined craftsmanship and elite performance, combining Mizuno’s renowned forging expertise with the precision and versatility demanded by today’s players. With a sleek, compact profile and exceptional feel, the Pro S-3 is the ultimate choice for players looking for precision and control on every shot. Iconic Mizuno Pro Feel The Mizuno Pro S-3 delivers the signature feel that has cemented Mizuno’s reputation. This exceptional feel is derived from the advanced Grain Flow Forged HD process, carried out exclusively at Mizuno’s Hiroshima plant, and is enhanced by premium materials: 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon Steel: Provides a soft and responsive touch that players love. Copper substrate: Subtly enhances vibration patterns, providing a smoother, more connected feel with every stroke.

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ALSO ALSO IN: PGA Tour Superstore, Mizuno

EasyJet flight 8017 departed LGW at 6.02am local Sunday and arrived at MAD at 9.21am that morning and Beck was relieved to see the box on the baggage claim conveyor as he entered Spanish passport control. But as if his journey needed another hiccup, the box was gone when he cleared customs.

“So there’s a little panic,” said Beck, who has been on Tour with the company for four years. “I went up to the tailgate to see if it had fallen off the belt. Maybe it had come and gone.”

As if Beck had just flown all the way to another country to deliver replacement clubs to one of the best players in the world, only to have the clubs mishandled at the airport, or worse, stolen?

Fortunately, the panic was short-lived. About 30 minutes passed before Beck returned to the trunk and eventually found the box undamaged.

Within an hour Beck was on the course and handed Bill the fresh 6-iron and wedge, much to Penge’s surprise.

“I’ve been in contact with Max more than Marco, but yes, Marco was obviously very grateful and very, very relieved to have 14 clubs,” he said.

Penge shot a one-over 72 on Sunday, but that put him in a playoff, which he won with a birdie on the first extra hole for his third DP World Tour win in 16 starts, but ensuring you’ll see him on the PGA Tour next year.