Equipment
Spotted: Mizuno MP-18 Irons
Mizuno’s JPX-900 Tour irons are one of the hottest models on the PGA Tour, but it appears there’s a new iron in the works at Mizuno that’s designed with the best golfers in the world in mind.
Here’s a photo of what looks to be Mizuno’s next muscleback iron, the MP-18. We’re guessing it’s the follow-up to Mizuno’s widely praised MP-4 and MP-5 muscleback irons.
Discussion: See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the MP-18 irons 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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- 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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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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‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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...
Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole4 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole4 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole2 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 week agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Michael Thomas
Jul 30, 2017 at 1:38 pm
ANOTHER FORUM FOR IDIOTS !
John
Apr 4, 2017 at 5:35 pm
the real april fools joke is if they announced they were going to release their top model again in LH. Mizuno is a joke until they stop ignoring 25% of the golf population
Mike
Jul 12, 2017 at 4:20 pm
mate i don’t think that golf has a disproportionate mix of left handers to the general population. Read anywhere its 10% on average.. so for you lefties… learn to play the RIGHT way.
Fred
Jul 26, 2017 at 9:22 pm
Went into my local Golf Galaxy the other day. They had a section full of left-handed clubs. Was told they hardly ever sell any.
Jim H
Apr 4, 2017 at 11:37 am
I’ll stick to my MP-32’s and MX-20’s from the Mizuno brand as part of my rotation which includes Titleist 714 AP1’s.
Dave
Apr 2, 2017 at 10:50 am
Hate ‘matte’ finish on musclebacks. Looks cheap. But to keep the chrome looking good you gotta put covers on them. Which sucks. Also, they had such good lines on the MP-4/5 series, this looks ridiculous.
Golfandpuff
Apr 5, 2017 at 10:37 am
LOL!
1. Looks cheap? Not even close…
2. Covers? I wish I had a dollar for every good player I saw with beat up blades. They are tools…next nice set around the corner.
S Hitter
Apr 1, 2017 at 8:01 pm
I hope it’s April Fools
Jojo
Apr 1, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Titleist 714 knockoffs. Lol
S Hitter
Apr 1, 2017 at 8:00 pm
You said it. Shank! And I was so looking forward to the news of the new blades. I’ll pass. That graphic in the centre is FUGLY. Can’t do it
Craig
Apr 2, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Graphic? Isn’t that just the light??
S Hitter
Apr 3, 2017 at 3:48 am
Naw. It’s that black line graphic with the name of the club on it. Kinda like the T5 wedge with the black band, except on this MP, the name of the club is on it. Kills me. Too much, too busy. Not that I’m looking at the back of the iron to hit the damned thing, I just think it’s unnecessary
sumsum
Apr 3, 2017 at 6:37 am
I’m pretty sure it’s not a graphic, Mizuno never puts ‘graphics’ on their MP lines. Could be a simple polish line being reflected by the light. The picture is pretty obscured.
S Hitter
Apr 3, 2017 at 12:24 pm
The MP-18 writing is in that bar across the middle. I don’t like the cut bar section across the middle, nor the name of the club written there.
Chris
Apr 3, 2017 at 12:50 pm
If you look closely, I think it’s a chrome ‘strip’ against the brushed finish. There is no badge or bar there. Look @ the 6 iron…
NFL sux
Apr 4, 2017 at 3:27 am
By bar he meant that there is a strip. Strip, bar, what difference does it make. It’s a strip-bar-slash-dash-line across the middle. Ugly.
Will
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:29 pm
Looks like the black line similar to the mp25 model. Not a big deal to me they still are not too “busy” though they look similar to the ping iblade imo, though they are at least forged.
joro
Apr 3, 2017 at 11:30 am
New Blades? A blade is a blade whether it is new or 10 yrs old, a blade is a blade and the older ones work just a well and maybe better. It”s all in marketing and staying inbusness. Enjoy whatever you have or want.
S Hitter
Apr 3, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Right, but they’re not going to just reproduce the same MP-14 or 29 every year like they should, so this is what we are left with. And with very few MP numbers left to name these clubs, when they could just continue to make the same models like MP-68 or 69 and call it a day
Bert
Apr 1, 2017 at 5:12 pm
Beautiful but more than I can handle.
Tom
Apr 1, 2017 at 10:08 pm
that makes two of us
Mark Walgren
Apr 30, 2017 at 11:34 pm
Thats what she said.
Philip
Apr 1, 2017 at 4:39 pm
They look like a bag full of wedges (T4s or T5s) turned into a set of clubs – could be nice transition from my 32s
david
Apr 1, 2017 at 1:25 pm
hook line and sinker. got me good.
Tom
Apr 1, 2017 at 1:40 pm
it’ was all in fun…play through my friend
Friedeggsfan
Apr 1, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Whoop whoop!!! #blades
Tom
Apr 1, 2017 at 12:02 pm
lol…Callaway knockoffs!
david
Apr 1, 2017 at 12:43 pm
WHAT!? callaway irons? THESE look nothing like any callaway iron ever.
cash me ou’side
Tom
Apr 1, 2017 at 12:59 pm
david..I thought I’d try out my trollin shoes.