Although the equipment talk around Rickie Fowler this week centered around his decision to use a driver with a shorter-than-normal length driver shaft, it was Fowler’s putter—a club once earmarked for Tiger Woods—that was the critical club at PGA National’s Champion course.
On a Sunday when things looked shaky several times, Fowler’s flat stick came to the rescue. The first moment was a 30-footer for birdie on the eighth hole that got back some momentum after a double bogey at the sixth. Then came back-to-back birdie putts of 38 and 23 feet at the 12th and 13th to provide a cushion before entering the water-laden “Bear Trap” holes.
The putter Fowler used is a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 GSS prototype that Fowler first put in play at the 2014 Northern Trust Open at Riviera. Fowler—who has used Cameron putters exclusively for 13 years—did considerable testing at Cameron’s putting studio where it was discovered Fowler’s upper and lower body were going in different directions. Cameron and one of his fitters, brought out some putters originally produced for Woods—a Newport 2 style but with a shallower face. The 35-inch putter has “Rickie” stamped on one bumper and “Fowler” on the other. The finish on the club is what Cameron has dubbed "Silver Mist."
In all Fowler converted all 57 of his putts inside seven feet for the week and posted a strokes gained/putting mark on Sunday of nearly 3 strokes, clearly making the putter, not the driver, the equipment story that mattered most.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: Cobra King F7+ (Aldila NV 2K Blue 70X), 8.5 degrees
3-wood: Cobra Fly-Z+, 13 degrees
5-wood: Cobra King F6 Baffler, 18 degrees
Irons (4-PW): Cobra King Forged MB
Wedges: Cobra King V-Grind (52, 56, 60 degrees)
Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 prototype
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