VS Black Prototype of the New TOUR B X Earns Victory One Day Before Official Launch
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Bridgestone Golf staffer Chris Gotterup secured victory using the VS Black with MindSet prototype ball on Sunday at the Sony Open in Hawaii with a final round of 64 and 16-under-par total. Like last year’s win at the Genesis Scottish Open, Sunday’s victory was marked by powerful ball flight that pierced through the wind with big-time distance.
“I am so proud of my performance this weekend and I couldn’t have done it without Bridgestone and the VS Proto Black with MindSet” said the New Jersey native. “The VS Black helped me control my ball flight and trajectory in tricky conditions today, and I was absolutely sending it off the tee. This ball, now the new TOUR B X, will be my secret weapon for the foreseeable future. I can’t wait for it to become available for everyone to play.”
Gotterup’s performance was highlighted by solid ball-striking and creativity around the greens, including Thursday’s 56-foot bunker shot for birdie on the second hole and Sunday’s 203-yard approach to 21 feet on the ninth hole. Despite tricky crosswinds and challenging greens, Gotterup relied on his prodigious power and trajectory control, pairing his Bridgestone golf ball with his Bridgestone 220 MB irons to tame Waialae Country Club with relative ease.
“Chris’s win today underscores years of investment by Bridgestone Golf in a new material discovery that we are excited to reveal at the PGA Show this week,” said Dan Murphy, president of Bridgestone Golf. “We’re excited to have Chris on our team and thrilled to see him succeed with the VS Black prototype, which we will unveil tomorrow as the new 2026 TOUR B X.”
What began as one of the most ambitious R&D undertakings in Bridgestone Golf’s history evolved into a multi-year engineering effort. Four years ago, Bridgestone’s R&D engineers began developing an all-new material, exploring more than 20 different material formulations, while producing more than 240 prototypes across multiple distinct model variations. With the new material discovery, Bridgestone Golf’s VS prototype lineup pushes the limits of what is possible in golf ball construction and performance.
Look for the launch of the new TOUR B family on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the PGA Show Demo Day in Orlando, Fla.
About Bridgestone Golf
Based in Covington, GA, Bridgestone Golf USA manufactures premium golf balls, clubs and accessories under the Bridgestone and Precept brands. The company started making golf balls in 1935 and today has more golf ball design patents than any other company. Beginning in 2006, Bridgestone revolutionized golf ball selection with its custom ball-fitting program, identifying a golfer’s ideal golf ball based on personal swing characteristics. Today, as the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, Bridgestone has conducted over four million fittings via a combination of live-fitting, online selection, OTTO Autonomous Ball Fitting, and its V-FIT video ball fitting. The consumer data gathered from ball-fitting continues to inspire Bridgestone’s innovative new golf ball designs, yielding industry-leading performance products for the entire range of players, from recreational golfers to the best in the world. Bridgestone Golf is proudly represented on international professional tours by Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar, Jason Day, Kurt Kitayama, Boo Weekley, and Chris Gotterup. Bridgestone Golf USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Sports Co. Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo. More information: bridgestonegolf.com.
Media Contact: Emily Scott, JDPR, emilys@jdpr.com
