Equipment
Why Jason Dufner used a new driver at the Zurich Classic
The Zurich Classic offered some different and unique elements to a PGA Tour event as pros paired together in the four-ball and foursomes formats, including the walk-up music and element of conferring on strategy, a nice change from the singular approach we see every other week on tour. Though the event gave off a looser vibe, players were still playing plenty of attention to the task at hand as well as their equipment. Here’s a look at four players whose choice of clubs we found just as interesting as the event itself.
Chris Graythen
It hasn’t been a great year so far off the tee for Jason Dufner, who ranks outside the top 100 in both distance and accuracy on the PGA Tour. Duf’s issues off the tee may have prompted a switch at the Zurich Classic to a 10.5-degree Ping G400 Max driver, one designed for max forgiveness. The G400 Max has a moment of inertia of more than 5,400 grams/centimeters-squared in the heel-toe direction, making it the highest MOI driver on the market. A 15-gram tungsten weight (double that in the standard G400) is placed back to assist forgiveness.
Rob Carr
David Duval made his way from the broadcast booth to the course for just the second time in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Open Championship, partnering with Jim Furyk at the Zurich Classic. Duval and Furyk narrowly missed the cut, but played well in shooting an opening 65. Duval used a number of clubs from Cobra, including his King Forged CB irons.
Chris Graythen
Sidelined since the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January with a partially torn tendon in his left wrist, Brooks Koepka made sure that he had a familiar feel on the greens at the Zurich Classic. Koepka wielded a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 SLT 10 putter—the same putter he used when he won the U.S. Open last year at Erin Hills.
Chris Graythen
In December PXG added three prototype drivers to the USGA conforming list, the ZZ, XX and XXF. Billy Horschel had the latter in play at the Zurich Classic. From appearances, the 9-degree club is likely designed to be somewhat fade-biased as it boasts three weight screws each on the front, back and toe portion of the sole, but none on the heel.
Click on the following links to shop the above clubs at Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.