How A Four-Time Tour Winner Ended Up Using A Major Champion's Set Of Irons At The Omega European Masters

Given the amount of travel professional golf involves, there will be times when airlines get it wrong and clubs don't arrive at the required destination.

There have been many stories involving professionals and equipment not turning up, and that's exactly what happened to Rafa Cabrera-Bello at the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour.

Taking place at the stunning Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, the Spaniard made the trip to Switzerland via Birmingham Airport, where his clubs remained prior to the first round on Thursday.

Without his equipment, which was still stuck in Birmingham, Cabrera-Bello was forced to scramble around to find other clubs to use during his first round, with the 42-year-old eventually finding a set inspired by a Major winner.

First reported by Inside Tour Golf, Cabrera-Bello had to use a set of Masters winner Adam Scott's irons, specifically Titleist 681.AS.

A forged blade design, the 681.AS was inspired by the Titleist 680 irons, a model Scott had used for a decade.

The reason why they were created was due to the fact that the brand ran out of original sets in 2005, meaning Scott had a set created that mimicked his original gamers.

Although the Australian doesn't use them anymore, they are still being put to good use, as they ended up in the hands of Cabrera-Bello, who carded a four-under 66, ranking second in Strokes Gained for approach play.

Following that round, it turned out the 681.AS irons were provided from the on-site Tour truck, along with the remaining clubs belonging to a member at Crans-sur-Sierre.

Usually, the four-time DP World Tour winner uses Titleist T100 irons and we he is now back with his original set-up, as he carded a five-under second round on Friday.

Speaking after his first round, though, Cabrera-Bello stated at the time: "I have a big dilemma, I really don’t know what to do!" in response to whether he would keep with the Scott set-up.

"I will probably play with mine tomorrow, but it’s been funny playing with Adam’s. It made me want to go back to blades again, who knows.

"I try not to be superstitious, but you know, the way I think about it is 'if I play bad with someone else’s clubs, that’s fine'.

"I am playing good with someone else’s clubs (at the moment), but there’s no guarantee I will play good with someone else’s clubs tomorrow.

"If I don’t play good tomorrow, I will always have the question of 'what if I would have played with my clubs?' Again, you can say the inverse, but I think it makes sense to use my clubs."

Going into the weekend, Cabrera-Bello is four back of defending champion Thriston Lawrence, with the South African carding rounds of 64 and 63 to sit 13-under.

Searching for a third victory at the Omega European Masters, Lawrence would match the great Seve Ballesteros if he were to wrap up a hattrick of wins in Switzerland on Sunday.