Equipment
Casey to use Nike Vapor Fly driver at Tour Championship
Paul Casey will use Nike’s new Vapor Fly driver this week at the Tour Championship, the golfer told GolfWRX.
Casey first tested the driver, which was added to the USGA’s List of Conforming Drivers this week, on Tuesday at East Lake, site of the Tour Championship. Casey said he did not expect to put the new driver in play this week, but changed his mind after his Tuesday’s practice round. Our photos show him practicing with the driver at East Lake on Wednesday, and he will be the first golfer to use the new club in competition.
Casey told GolfWRX that he likes the Vapor Fly because it launches higher than the Nike Vapor Speed driver he used throughout the 2015 season, and has a flatter trajectory at the apex of his ball flight that creates more carry distance and roll out.
Related: See all the clubs Casey has in the bag.
Casey will play the Vapor Fly at the same 10.5-degree loft and neutral as his previous driver, with the same Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana White Board 73X shaft. He also has a new putter in the bag this week.
Casey’s chances this week
At No. 22 in the FedExCup Standings, Casey has a slim chance of winning the PGA Tour’s FedExCup. To claim the $10 million bonus, the golfer would need the following seven things to happen, according to PGATour.com:
- Win the TOUR Championship
- No. 1 must finish in a 3-way tie for 13th or worse
- No. 2 must finish T5 or worse
- No. 3 must finish in a 3-way tie for third or worse
- No. 4 must finish T3 or worse
- No. 5 must finish in a 3-way tie for second or worse
- No. 6 must finish T2 or worse
See what GolfWRX Members are saying about Nike’s Vapor Fly driver in our forum.
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Equipment
A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic
Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.
Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.
We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.
Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).
See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here
Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge
Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.
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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.
See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here
Turning Back the clock
Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.
But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.
For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.
Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.
The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.
The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.
Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter
Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.
Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.
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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.
If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.
Brilliant.
See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here
Stricker’s unrecognizable putter
Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.
Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.
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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates
Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.
Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.
It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.
Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines
Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.
Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.
FitzMagic teams back up
Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.
See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here
And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.
We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!
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Whats in the Bag
Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)
- Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX
Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100
Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron
Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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James G
Nov 6, 2015 at 12:29 pm
McIlroy was just gaming one that was painted the same as this but not sure if it is the same model.
pj
Sep 30, 2015 at 9:32 am
The color was a great choice for recognition and sales. Taylormade had a surge in driver sales once everyone on tv saw that non-staffers were playing their white headed drivers. Nike is doing the same thing with their choices of color schemes. The majority of the golfing public doesn’t view this site to see what the pros are playing. All there is for the majority of the golfing public is seeing: colorful drivers; names on bags and headcovers; and close-ups of putters.
Devin Debay
Sep 25, 2015 at 2:42 pm
I love the look of this new driver!! I’m a Nike staffer myself, and I love everything Nike does, such an innovative company!! Wow what nice colours too!
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Golfraven
Sep 25, 2015 at 8:52 am
lets be honest Casey will not win the pot with this new driver or putter..
Golfraven
Sep 25, 2015 at 8:50 am
Make it black & white and you may have couple of buyers. But hey boys on the tour like it although they don’t have to pay for it and in return receive big bugs $. Happy buying gents.
Sodapoppin
Sep 24, 2015 at 2:43 am
WTF? Stupid ugly colors.
Yeah
Sep 24, 2015 at 3:44 am
Yeah, I agree so much :/
Jon
Sep 24, 2015 at 12:37 pm
So why couldn’t a guy, or a gal for that matter, paint it a different color?
Joe
Sep 23, 2015 at 10:55 pm
LOVE.THIS.COLOR.COMBO. Glad the face is silver and the bottom has chrome
mo
Sep 23, 2015 at 7:46 pm
Just not a fan of pastel colored drivers. I like the tech behind it but wow that color is hideous.
Cb
Sep 23, 2015 at 5:16 pm
No Nike not blue!!! I was so happy when they went back to the classic black but I should have known they were going to go back to color again
billm311
Sep 23, 2015 at 4:30 pm
Looks like it may have some weight saving material in the crown, lower the CG a bit from the Vapor line…
Gorden
Sep 23, 2015 at 3:31 pm
Casey is a pro, with fitting experts working with him and every little twist and adjustment available to him it is a safe bet they can fit any driver to him….the only real veritable is between his ears as with any new equipment the mind will make the final decision if it is the right club or not.
Point
Sep 23, 2015 at 5:01 pm
And your point is……? lol
slimeone
Sep 24, 2015 at 1:55 am
It always comes down to the veritables!
Joe
Sep 24, 2015 at 1:25 pm
It would seem that Gorden is a veritable genius.