Equipment

Report: Lydia Ko to sign equipment deal with PXG

Published

7 years ago

Nov 21, 2016

Lydia Ko is going to be playing PXG golf clubs in 2017, according to a report by Jaime Diaz in Golf World. PXG is said to be “offering a sweeter financial deal” than Ko’s current equipment sponsor, Callaway.

PXG, an upscale golf equipment manufacturer founded in September 2014 by GoDaddy Founder and billionaire Bob Parsons, was able to quickly established a presence on the PGA Tour by signing endorsement deals with a slew of PGA Tour winners (James Hahn, Billy Horschel, Charles Howell III, Chris Kirk, Ryan Moore and Rocco Mediate), as well as major champions Zach Johnson and Charl Scwartzel. PXG has also signed LPGA Tour players Chritie Kerr, Alison Lee, Gerina Piller and Beatriz Recari to endorsement deals, but none of them have the resume or potential of Ko.

Ko, 19, is the No. 1-ranked golfer in the Official Rolex Golf Rankings. She’s won two major championships and 12 other LPGA Tour events since her first LPGA Tour win at the age of 14, when she become the youngest-ever to win a professional tour event. There’s a consensus among golf experts that she could become one of the all-time great on the LPGA Tour.

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37 Comments

mark mckeown

Nov 24, 2016 at 8:50 pm

looks like celeb friends George Lopez and Don Cheadle got into her head about them, or maybe they let her hit their clubs and she liked ’em, but anycase, they love their clubs, and may have told her about them in some way… maybe.

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Deadeye

Nov 24, 2016 at 3:28 pm

Some thoughts: Lydia can play well with any club. But not necessarily better. You can’t buy a game is true at any level.
Leadbetter bashers: his A swing is a game saver if you are like me; getting older and struggling with shots you used to hit easily.
It seems odd at first but after some practice it all comes together. It is a huge positive for golf. But then, you still have to putt.

Reply Report comment
moneypowerrespect

Nov 23, 2016 at 3:13 pm

Why do people care so much about price? I feel like golfwrx is overrun by people on a budget. where my country club peeps at? seriously – the 500k initiation fee and the +10k I probably spend on annual dues and that’s just for 1 club.
how can something be overrated if you never had it? It’s like saying a bentley is overrated.
don’t hate just cause you can’t afford
aspire

Reply Report comment
- Lester Diamond
  
  Nov 24, 2016 at 5:44 am
  
  Good grief. At least Smizzle is amusing most of the time. The whole “I am awesome because I am rich” schtick was tiresome in the 80’s, and even more so today. Get some new material.
  
  Reply Report comment
Chris Washington

Nov 23, 2016 at 2:50 pm

I like this move! For PXG, signing the #1 woman in the world (who happens to be Korean) will help them grow in Asia. Asian markets love LPGA/KLPGA/JLPGA. For Lydia Ko, she gets the best clubs in the game (my opinion) and signs with a smaller company that can give her more time and attention.

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Alfredo Smith

Nov 22, 2016 at 10:57 pm

Here come the haters, hahaha. Is it the arrow or the Indian, that’s a debate that people who don’t game PXG will have to answer.

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- Bob Chepeska
  
  Nov 23, 2016 at 6:06 am
  
  Absolutely.
  People who have dropped 3K on a set of PXG’s know for certain that it is indeed the Indian.
  
  Reply Report comment
Clay

Nov 22, 2016 at 9:28 pm

Sorry to see her leave Callaway. If she picks up some yardage, daunting! If not, so what. It’s all about the “money.”!!

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Sometimes a smizzle

Nov 22, 2016 at 8:44 pm

I hope part of the contract is that she kick leadbetter out the door so he can’t ruin her anymore.

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Alfredo Smith

Nov 22, 2016 at 7:34 pm

Here comes the PXG hate club hahaha. Are they expensive, hell yeah! Do they live up to the hype, darn tuttin! Is it the arrow or the Indian (lmao) who the ‘F’ cares. Personally since I started bagging the 0311’s my GIR is up, and my handicap has gone down. So phooey to the haters and good luck to L. Ko 😉

Reply Report comment
- Chris Washington
  
  Nov 23, 2016 at 2:38 pm
  
  The “indian or arrow” comments are strange to me. Clubs are more like the bow in that scenario. For those of us who are into archery (bow hunting), we know the bow is incredibly important.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tom

Nov 22, 2016 at 1:18 pm

Lydia wouldn’t make the move if she felt/saw that it will benefit her career. PXG isn’t employing any new technique to woo players that haven’t already existed.

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Dat

Nov 22, 2016 at 1:15 pm

Kinda surprised she didn’t go with Honma. But it is all the same when it comes to uber high end clubs. They perform no differently other than how much they lighten your wallet.

Reply Report comment
- Mat
  
  Nov 23, 2016 at 4:12 am
  
  +1.
  
  The Parsons / HoDaddy money must be off the charts.
  
  Reply Report comment
moses

Nov 22, 2016 at 11:12 am

IMO PXG is the US version of Honma (Japanese super high end). There is no money to be made selling drivers and irons alongside Taylormade, Titleist, Ping etc price points.

Good for Lydia. She will be another great addition to the brand building that’s going on at PXG.

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Weekend Duffer

Nov 22, 2016 at 10:59 am

Guess that means she is losing the Odyssey 2-ball too. Love seeing pros still using those things.

Reply Report comment
- new stuff!!
  
  Nov 22, 2016 at 1:02 pm
  
  does not mean that – the majority of the pxg players don’t use pxg putters – in fact I do not think any LPGA pxg players use pxg putters. In fact many pxg players don’t even use pxg drivers –
  
  Reply Report comment
surewin73

Nov 22, 2016 at 10:35 am

Doesn’t have the resume of Ko or go down as one of the greats on the LPGA? Christie Kerr doesn’t meet these standards. Please! Who writes this stuff?

PXG is way overpriced in my opinion. The law of diminishing returns. But if it floats your boat, go ahead and put down the money. I just think they are PING clubs with an inflated price.

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Brandon

Nov 22, 2016 at 10:08 am

Who?

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Chris

Nov 22, 2016 at 9:57 am

Good for her! I think it’ll do not only her but PXG a lot of good in the Pacific market. Between her popularity here in the US as well as in NZ and Asia, I think she’ll really get PXG a sweet portion of the market.

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PC

Nov 22, 2016 at 4:22 am

Poor Callaway. Couldn’t figure out a way to hang on to her. Parsons got too much cash floating around

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Ronald Montesano

Nov 21, 2016 at 11:05 pm

I hope that Lydia continues to play her game, continues to grow up as calmly as world fame allows, and doesn’t make drastic changes in lifestyle or golf swing. This past week, she seemed to have the CME in her grasp after 62, then closed poorly to lose the tournament and a few other baubles. Those losses are part of tour life. Perfection ain’t nothing but a noun.

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Gopher

Nov 21, 2016 at 9:03 pm

Overrated!!! Not her, PXG!!!

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Feel the Bern

Nov 21, 2016 at 7:52 pm

Epic!

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Jake

Nov 21, 2016 at 5:59 pm

Would have loved to see her stay with Callaway. I think PXG is overrated…not many players winning with the clubs and they are way too expensive.

Reply Report comment
- Don Quiote
  
  Nov 22, 2016 at 10:51 am
  
  I do not think PXG is overrated. I think most people know they are good golf clubs. Are they changing the game? No but people in the US pay up charges for things with a fancier name all the time. That is just how it works. They are trying out the boutique market of the golf industry. Why wouldn’t she change to PXG? They offered more money. People argue that they are inflated priced Ping clubs and they are not winning on tour…yet those same people argue its not the club its the player. People just want to argue for no reason. PXG is making good golf clubs. They are not winning a whole lot on the PGA tour because in reality they do not have the HUGE names signed. Is the price high? Yes. Do they care that you think the price is high? No. The market they are going for is not all of us that think the price is too high. Congrats to Lydia. She will be as good as ever and then all of you can come back and argue about how the clubs are still awful but she is so good the makes them look good or some garbage like that.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - bogeypro
    
    Dec 7, 2016 at 10:16 am
    
    Nobody is saying they aren’t good clubs. We are saying that they aren’t worth the $350 per iron or $800 driver. That’s a heck of a lot more than an upgrade. That is snake oil and it is bad for golf.
    
    Reply Report comment
Ron

Nov 21, 2016 at 3:52 pm

It isn’t the club, but the person swinging the club. I really hope this doesn’t adversely affect her game. Ledbetter has done enough of that!

Reply Report comment
- Don Quiote
  
  Nov 22, 2016 at 10:44 am
  
  If it isn’t the club but the person swinging the club then the clubs will not hurt her game… Pick one and stick with it. Club either does or doesn’t have an affect.
  
  Reply Report comment
Mike Honcho

Nov 21, 2016 at 3:10 pm

And we wondered who was going to take up Nike’s ‘slack’. Looks like PXG is taking up slack, market share and names!

Reply Report comment
RHowl

Nov 21, 2016 at 3:03 pm

From the Million Dollar mans entrance theme……

Money Money Money Money Moneyyyyyy.

Reply Report comment
B Hock

Nov 21, 2016 at 2:54 pm

There must be a lot of money being passed around to get a world #1 player to switch…

Reply Report comment
new stuff!!

Nov 21, 2016 at 2:54 pm

actually think this is a good move for Lydia – I hope she goes for the 0311 (not t) she’s always looking for distance and can use the jack up lofts with her slowish swing speed – As much as people hate on PXG – anyone who plays PXG knows that it is a great conversation starter.

Reply Report comment
setter02

Nov 21, 2016 at 2:50 pm

Lol, desperate for more validation. Aren’t they suppose to be the best performing clubs in the world? Now they have to throw more money at people.

Reply Report comment
- Gmatt
  
  Nov 21, 2016 at 3:16 pm
  
  Well they sure haven’t set the world on fire winning with “superior” clubs
  
  Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  Nov 21, 2016 at 4:33 pm
  
  Oh, relax, Ken.
  
  Reply Report comment
HOP

Nov 21, 2016 at 2:34 pm

fat

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

7 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

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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