After posting a 15-under-par 201 through 54 holes and making birdie on the second hole of sudden death to outlast Jamie Lovemark and Byeong-Hun An, 33-year-old Brian Stuard won the rain-shortened Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Monday. In just his seventh start on Tour this season, the $1.26 million payday from his first Tour title resulted in a jump from No. 184 to No. 38 in FedEx Cup points, and an invitation to the 2017 Masters.
Part of an incredible run for Callaway Golf staffers of late, Stuard leaned on a blazing-hot Odyssey Works Marxman Fang Tank putter that saw 44 of 44 putts holed inside of 10 feet — one he just put into play recently at the Valero Texas Open — and a full bag of Callaway clubs that led to him being the only player in the field with no bogeys.
Below is the full makeup of Stuard’s bag, including a behind-the-scenes breakdown of his equipment, courtesy of Callaway Golf:
Brian Stuard WITB — Zurich Classic
Great Big Bertha Driver (9.5*) – True Temper Project X-6C Shaft
XR Pro Fairway Wood (14*) – Fuji SPD VC 8.3x TS Shaft
Apex Hybrid (20*) – Aldila Tour Green 85 TX Hybrid Shaft
Apex Hybrid (23*) – Aldila Tour Green 85 TX Hybrid Shaft
New Apex Pro Irons (4-PW) – DG X 100 Tour Shafts
MD3 Milled Wedge (52*, S Grind) – KBS Tour 610 120g X Shaft
MD3 Milled Wedge (58*, W Grind) – KBS Tour 610 120g X Shaft
Odyssey Works Marxman Fang Tank Putter
Behind-the-scenes notes from Callaway Golf
Brian’s driver is cut to 44 7/8 inches with 1 inch of total tipping, and is set to a Draw directional bias and plus-1 Loft adjustability. The Adjustable Perimeter Weight slide on the clubhead is set halfway toward the Draw setting. Through the end of play Sunday, he had hit 75 percent of fairways for the event.
It is the sixth week in a row a new Callaway driver has won on tour, after Lydia Ko’s back-to-back wins on the LPGA with an XR16 Pro Driver, Danny Willett’s win at Augusta with an XR16, Branden Grace’s win at Harbour Town with an XR16 Sub Zero, and Wes Bryan’s Web.com win last week with a Great Big Bertha.
Brian finished No. 1 in Strokes Gained Putting, No. 1 in Putts Per Green In Regulation, 44-for-44 on putts inside of 10 feet and zero bogeys. He first put the new putter in play last week at the Valero Texas Open. According to Odyssey Tour Reps, Brian grabbed the putter from the demo bag and started rolling putts with it. He quickly liked how it performed on the practice green and during practice rounds, and he decided to put it into play. His putter is cut to 35 inches and has counterbalance weighting. In interviews this week, he has mentioned the putter has been the key to his success in New Orleans.
Callaway Tour Reps also worked with Brian on Trackman to dial in distances for his hybrids and 4-iron for the event. They strengthened and flattened his 23-degree hybrid slightly, which bridged the gaps perfectly for his two hybrids and the 4-iron.