By Tim Cronin of Global Golf Post

PGA TOUR

Tony Finau is the latest Ping signee, with a multi-year endorsement deal requiring he play at least 11 Ping clubs, the company announced last week.

“He’s one of the most athletic players on Tour who uses his strength to generate a lot of power,” Ping president John K. Solheim said. “We believe it’s a great fit for both of us.”

Finau put the Ping G400 Max driver in play at the recent Sony Open to go with a G400 3-wood and iBlade irons, which he also used at last week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. So far, he’s sticking with a set of Titleist Vokey wedges and a Piretti putter, which he used last year after his Nike contract expired.

Wesley Bryan took endorsements to a new level in Scottsdale when he used a Callaway Chrome Soft Truvis ball upon which Taco Bell logos were sprinkled.

 

Gary Woodland’s victory Sunday at Phoenix made it five wins in as many weeks across the tours for the TaylorMade M3 and M4 drivers, including Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day on the PGA Tour. Billy Horschel moved to PXG’s 0311T Gen2 irons at Torrey Pines and capitalized with a first-round 66 at TPC Scottsdale.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Danny Willett’s search for consistency continues. He switched to Callaway’s X Forged Utility iron at the Maybank Championship in place of the Apex wood he’d been using. Henrik Stenson moved to the Callaway Rogue Sub Zero utility wood with a 16.5-degree loft from the Rogue 4-wood.

Shiv Kapur added a TaylorMade Milled Grind lob wedge to his bag. Lee Westwood went to Ping’s Sigma G Tyne putter in place of the Sigma G Anser he used in Dubai. After his second-round 62 in Malaysia, it may stay there. Marc Warren switched to a third Callaway X Forged Utility iron, replacing a Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero wood, but sticking with 18-, 21- and 24-degree lofts for the utility clubs.

Maybank Championship halfway co-leader Nino Bertasio went with Callaway Chrome Soft X ball rather than the standard Soft, joining fellow 36-hole pacesetter Phachara Khongwatmai. Callaway Rogue has quickly become the most popular fairway wood, employed by 23 players, with another eight using the Rogue Sub Zero. Titleist’s 917 F2 and TaylorMade M2 share second with 19 players each.

Republished with permission from Global Golf Post.