NORTON, Mass. – The blade style TaylorMade putter Tiger Woods used during Thursday’s Dell Technologies Championship pro-am is no quick fix.
Turns out the prototype has been in the works for a long time.
“We’ve been working on this since July, to make one very similar to my Scotty (Cameron) all those years,” Woods told Golfweek. “I’ve been asking for one that looks like it in the shape, but also has the technology with the grooves in it.”
Woods switched to a TaylorMade TP Collection Ardmore 3 mallet for the QuickenLoans National in July, but that was just a temporary placeholder. He talked then about how the ball rolls off the face a bit quicker due to the grooves, which the new prototype also has.
The new TP Collection Black Copper Juno prototype allows him to swing like he always did with the Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter, with the heel-toe weighted blade.
The plan was always to switch to a TaylorMade model produced specifically for Woods, but the process sped up a little bit after Woods struggled on the greens at last week’s Northern Trust.
“I’ve stuck with the (Ardmore) for as long as I can, because obviously it swings and has the technology and the roll,” Woods said. “This one, God, it feels like my old one.”
Woods drained a 12-15 foot birdie putt on the first hole of Thursday’s pro-am at TPC Boston and used the new model exclusively throughout the afternoon. He didn’t say whether or not it’s definitely going into play for his 8:51 a.m. Round 1 tee time with Marc Leishman and Chez Reavie, but it seems likely considering this model has been in the works for months. And he seemed extremely comfortable with the new flat stick on the greens Thursday.
“It felt really good,” Woods said.
Whatever happens Friday, it sounds the new putter will eventually go into the bag for the long haul.
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