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NEWS FROM THE TOUR VANS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOLF PRIDE, THE #1 GRIP ON TOUR
Hideki Matsuyama rarely divulges details about his equipment, but one aspect of the Masters champion’s gear – his putter and its relationship to Tiger Woods – needs no interpretation.
For starters, Matsuyama usually putts with a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS, the same model Woods has used for the majority of his career. When Matsuyama has deviated from the putter he calls the “ace,” he has employed other Newport-style putters with nearly identical shaping to Woods’ gamer, including one with a Teryllium insert in the head. That style of insert is what Woods used to win the 1997 Masters as he wielded a Scotty Cameron Newport Tel3 putter.
Six months ago, Woods dropped his familiar Ping PP58 grip in favor of a Lamkin Deep-Etched cord model. So when Matsuyama recently swapped his “ace” for a 2012 Newport 2 Prototype with the same specs, he also changed grips. Starting at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play he went from a traditional Cameron pistol grip to a Lamkin Deep-Etched grip that matches the one used by the 15-time major champion.
That new putter played a key role in winning the Masters for the 29-year-old from Japan, especially on Saturday as he took a commanding four-stroke lead with a stretch of red-hot putting. It is safe to assume Woods’ influence played a small role in Matsuyama switching grips and finding comfort at Augusta National.
Will Zalatoris, the 24-year-old who finished runner-up to Matsuyama, now has reached the top 30 in the world despite still not having full status on the PGA Tour. His bag is made up entirely of Titleist clubs with the exception of his Odyssey White Hot Pro #7 Long putter.
However, the gear story that had golf fans in stitches during the Masters had little to do with the specs of his equipment. Zalatoris has drawn comparisons to actor Jared Van Snellenberg, who played one of Happy Gilmore’s caddies in the 1996 movie that starred Adam Sandler, and it is a connection Zalatoris has taken in stride. On his Titleist Vokey Prototype 60-degree wedge, the quote, “Mr. Gilmore I’m your caddy,” is stamped on the back of the clubhead.
Zalatoris marks his Pro V1 golf ball with the number 99, and that amount of guesses would never get you close to figuring out why. The answer is that Zalatoris has a particular talent for a football-throwing game at the restaurant Dave & Buster’s where he commonly registers that score.
Starting in 2003, Adam Scott mostly has used a set of Titleist 680 Forged irons. Now it looks like that set will be gone for good as he has opted for a set of 620 MB irons that feature a muscleback blade with more heel-toe forgiveness. He made the cut at Augusta with the new sticks, hitting 61 percent of his greens in the process.
Sean Fairholm