Last year Tony Finau shot a final-round 66 to beat Jon Rahm by three shots at the Mexico Open, and this year he is not only returning as the defending champion but also as the player mostly likely to win again this week at Vidante.
That in mind, this is an opportune time to size up what club changes Finau has made in the last year.
2023 winning clubs vs. 2024 clubs
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Finau won last year with a Ping G425 LST driver (Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70TX shaft), but has since moved into the new Ping G430 LST with the same shaft. Since moving to the new driver and gaining yet more speed in the offseason, he has adjusted the actual loft from 7 degrees down to 6.25 to help with controlling launch and spin.
Ping G430 LST Custom Driver
$579.99
The PING G430 LST Driver features an exclusive Low Spin Technology (LST) Carbonfly Wrap, a lightweight composite that covers the crown and wraps into the heel/toe sections of the skirt to save weight and lower the CG for more ball speed, less spin and higher MOI. The 8-layer, one-piece composite saves four grams and weighs 11.5g fully installed. A moveable 22-gram, high-density tungsten backweight influences shot shape ±7 yards between the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings. At 440cc, the smaller tour-style LST is available in 9° and 10.5° lofts (adjustable +/-1.5° and lie up to 3° flat from standard) and best fits faster swing speeds.
THE DISTANCE DIFFERENCE. MORE BALL SPEED.
A shallower, variable-thickness face is thinner to create more face deflection for generating faster ball speed for our biggest distance gains to date.
THE SOUND SOLUTION
A new integral rib structure and increased curvature of the crown, skirt and sole fine tunes clubhead frequencies to produce a desirable sound and impact experience.
SPINSISTENCY
A variable roll radius, with less loft low on the face, enhances spin consistency and carry distance.
CARBONFLY WRAP
Lightweight composite crown wraps into the heel and toe of the skirt to save weight and lower the CG for more ball speed with higher MOI.
MOVEABLE BACK WEIGHT
A 25-gram, high-density tungsten moveable backweight influences shot shape +/-10 yards between the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings.
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For his 3-wood in 2023, Finau played a Callaway Rogue ST (Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80TX shaft), but he has since switched to the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond with the same Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80TX shaft. The funny thing about this change is the Triple Diamond Paradym fairway woods were originally designed for Jon Rahm, so Finau switched into a fairway wood designed for one of his most skilled opponents.
Finau’s commitment to his Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3-iron; Graphite Design Tour AD-DI Hybrid 105X shaft) is as strong as ever, and we’ve heard he still has at least a couple backups — just in case.
Ryan Barath
For several years, Finau had stuck to his Ping Blueprint Forged (4-PW; Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 120TX shafts) blades, but with the release of the new Blueprint forged iron series, he has gone to the cavity back Blueprint S irons in the same 4-PW configuration with the same shafts.
Goes to show that even some of the best players in the world will take a little extra help if they can find it.
PING Blueprint S Custom Irons
$212.5
Developed following extensive testing with PING’s top tour pros to meet their “must haves” — control and precision — Blueprint S delivers the score-lowering performance demanded by the best players in the world.
COMPACT SHAPE
The compact shape fits the discerning eye with a thin top line and minimal offset. The 8620 carbon steel head boasts a clean cavity design, distinguished by an eye-catching forged textured pattern and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish.
PRECISION POCKET FORGING
This patented forging technique allows PING to forge a pocket into the cavity of the 3, 4 and 5 irons. The pocket saves 10 grams of weight, which is re-allocated to increase the MOI and optimize the center of gravity position for more distance and trajectory control.
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With the release of the new Ping S159 wedges, Finau has adjusted his wedge setup from using Ping’s Glide 4.0 (50 and 56 degrees; Nippon N.S. Tour Only WV 125S shaft), Titleist WedgeWorks Proto 2022 (60T) to a Ping S159 (50 degrees), Ping Glide 4.0 (56 degrees), and a Gabe Golf’s 6109 Milled (61 degrees).
This seems to be the part of the bag Finau changes up the most, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him switch into a full setup S159 wedges heading into the major season.
PING s159 Custom Wedge
$179.99
With the addition of two grinds and new lofts, the tour-style s159 wedges are available in 25 loft/grind combinations to match a wedge to your playing conditions and technique while ensuring a properly gapped set. Extensive testing with top PING tour players helped create wedges that will appeal to golfers of all abilities. The new WebFit Wedge app provides a quick and easy way to determine the s159 grinds that best fit your game.
Tour-Proven Design
The tour-inspired 8620 carbon steel head features a soft feel and clean shape with a straighter lead edge for improved results on full shots. Two performance-enhancing finishes (Hybropearl 2.0 Chrome and Midnight) are available in all loft/grind combinations.
More Grooves. More Spin.
Wheel-cut grooves are precision-milled to varying dimensions, depending on loft. The 46-to-52-degree wedges are milled to maximize groove volume for greater control on full shots. The 54-to-62-degree options feature more tightly spaced MicroMax grooves to impart more spin, especially around the greens.
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As for Finau’s putter, it remains the same Ping PLD Anser 2D Prototype (37 inches; Garsen Golf Ultimate grip). Same goes for his choice of ball, Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot, and Custom Lamkin UTx midsized grips.
PING 2024 PLD Milled Anser 2D Custom Putter
$449.99
The Anser 2D model gained notoriety with Tony Finau’s success winning multiple times on tour. The slightly deeper, perimeter-weighted design features clean heel-toe ballasts to aid in alignment.
Quality and precision
A solid block of forged, 303 stainless steel requires more than four hours of milling time; precisely shaping every surface and radius to achieve the high quality and premium look expected in a precision-milled putter.
Control and consistency
A precision-milled face pattern, known as deep AMP (Aggressive Milling Pattern), is inspired by tour player feedback and provides the feel and speed control you need to deliver score-lowering consistency on the green.
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Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
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