Equipment
Tiger Woods signs multi-year golf ball deal with Bridgestone
It’s official. Tiger Woods has signed a multi-year deal to play Bridgestone golf balls… more specifically the Tour B330S with the “Tour B” logo that’s available exclusively on Bridgestone’s website.
“After extensive testing I chose the best golf ball for my game,” Woods said in a Bridgestone Golf press release. “This golf ball is reacting identical with how I want to play.”
In 2000, Woods switched from a Titleist golf ball to a Nike Tour Accuracy, and he has used a Nike golf ball ever since. He won 13 of his 14 career majors with a golf ball that had a Swoosh on it, but when Nike announced that it was exiting the hard goods business in August, speculation swirled about what golf clubs and golf balls Woods might play next.
“The night immediately following [the news of Nike exiting the hard goods industry], we received request from Tiger’s camp for samples,” said Elliot Mellow, Marketing Manager of Fitting at Bridgestone. “We sent him both the B330 and B330S golf balls, and he took awhile to evaluate both those golf balls, and balls from other companies… Between the two golf balls [B330 and B330S], the S has the softer cover, allowing Tiger to play the short game shots he’s used to.”
After more than a year off from competitive golf due to injuries and doubts about his game, Woods returned at the 2016 Hero World Challenge on December 1 where he used a Bridgestone Tour B330S golf ball.
Woods has confirmed that he will tee it up on the PGA Tour at the Genesis Open February 16-19 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.
The terms of Woods’ contract with Bridgestone Golf were not disclosed.
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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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ND Hickman
Dec 26, 2016 at 5:02 am
He only won one major with Titleist balls?
Chunkie Buck
Dec 16, 2016 at 6:22 pm
Someone hold back my keyboard courage!!! Jamie, you’r an idiot! It was code speak to skirt the site mods. Read the words backward you krod!!
Dat
Dec 15, 2016 at 5:52 pm
So, you must play the tour F?
dAVE fROM aCCOUNTING
Dec 15, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Normally a big fan of your sardonic humor, but this was a little lame. Gotta bust the chops of the chop buster once in a while. Keep you on your toes.
dAVE fROM aCCOUNTING
Dec 15, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Plus, if frosted flakes hasn’t come knocking yet, no one will. Bridgestone B330s…Tiger Woods says, “They’re Grrrreeeeaaat!” Now that’s a marketing dream team.
dAVE fROM aCCOUNTING
Dec 15, 2016 at 6:29 pm
Heck, there’s always FUBU.
-The other Dave
Chunkie Buck
Dec 15, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Next thing you know he’ll be doing argaiV adds talking about how he’s “6 regnol.
Jamie
Dec 16, 2016 at 4:52 pm
english much?
McPickens
Dec 15, 2016 at 2:25 pm
bridgestone has been the best ball for years, they just aren’t willing to pay every tour player to play them like Titty
ooffa
Dec 15, 2016 at 1:25 pm
They should have signed a multi week contract. He will be lucky if he can get through a month without a WD
Woof
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:46 am
Is this the new style now, with the hat looks like it was washed in the machine? I guess that’s what happens when he doesn’t have a nice wife to do the washing for him lmao
Rich
Dec 15, 2016 at 9:46 pm
As if he washes his hats!
Brad
Dec 15, 2016 at 10:23 am
Guess he’s not buying TMAG….
cgasucks
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:20 am
Guess not..if he was still in the TMAG buying mix with that Bridgestone contract in force…that would be a huge conflict of interest as TMAG makes balls too (obviously).
Jared Bouchey
Dec 15, 2016 at 10:05 am
Bridgestone was making the Nike ball anyway so it’s basically the same
cgasucks
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:22 am
Yeah…for all I know Tiger is still playing a Nike Ball with a Bridgestone logo slapped on it..
ksb
Dec 15, 2016 at 6:12 pm
I was told by someone in the know that he was always playing the B’stone B330 with a Nike logo slapped on it.
1badbadger
Dec 16, 2016 at 2:28 am
Bridgestone manufactured the balls, but Nike designed them. The ball Tiger played previously was a Nike designed ball and was not the B330 or B330-S with a swoosh stamped on it.
jim
Dec 15, 2016 at 9:44 am
cant believe he didn’t go with the K-sig
DJ
Dec 15, 2016 at 8:11 am
More evidence that titleist isn’t the only ball out there. Good for Bridgestone
The Dude
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:36 am
Whack!