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The Bag Room: Equipment news from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play - Final Day

Darren Carroll

Hideto Tanihara had a hole-in-one during his consolation match with Bill Haas at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, but it was a move back to his “Ace” putter that served Tanihara well all week at Austin Country Club. After using a Scotty Cameron by Titleist GSS blade at the WGC-Mexico Championship, Tanihara used a center-shafted Cameron GoLo Tour mallet in Austin. “The center shaft putter has been my ace putter for the last six years,” Tanihara said. “When I stroke it, it feels really good. Depending on the green, I would change into a different putter, which is the crank shaft. But the center shaft is the ace putter.” … Tanihara wasn’t the only player with a new putter. Brandt Snedeker was in the market for one after the head on his trusty Odyssey Rossie 2 came loose on the practice green as he readied for his opening match against Will McGirt. Using an Odyssey O-Works 2-Ball as a replacement, Snedeker lost his match and although he knew Odyssey was sending him some replacements for his next match, Snedeker took matters into his own hands, going to a local Golf Galaxy and purchasing a used Rossie 2, noting on Twitter, “Thanks for all the help!!! Found a new old Rossie 2!!! With a beaten up grip, it’s perfect!!!” Unfortunately for Snedeker, he couldn’t duplicate the effort of Jim Furyk, who won the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship and would go on to capture the FedEx Cup after purchasing a used putter from Joe & Leigh’s Discount Golf Pro Shop in South Easton, Mass., as Snedeker failed to advance past group play. … When it comes to golf equipment Russell Knox is anything but a tinkerer, preferring to find something he likes then stick with it. That could bode well for the new Srixon Z 565 driver Knox put in the bag at the WGC-Match Play. “I like to get my stuff down while at home, test it out during the off-season and be done with it,” Knox told Golf World earlier this year. “When I get to a tournament I’m there to compete, not search for the latest and greatest stuff.” Unfortunately for Knox, a cracked driver meant he needed to do just that, as he worked primarily with TaylorMade’s 2017 version of its M2 as well as a brief fling with a Titleist 917D2. During a recent off week, however, Knox had time to work with the Srixon driver, which features an 11-gram back weight and an Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 TX shaft. Knox also has the hosel on the 10.5-degree club adjusted to be 2 degrees open for the look he prefers. The driver, which is a tour-only prototype, has a black face that the retail model does not.