Winner's bag: Putter switch helps Joe Highsmith earn first TOUR win at Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches

A lick of paint usually does the trick. At least for newly minted PGA TOUR winner Joe Highsmith, he believes that's the case.

With a freshly painted putter, Highsmith earned his first win on the TOUR, coming from behind on the weekend at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches after just making the cut on the number. Highsmith shot back-to-back 7-under 64s to finish 19-under, two shots ahead of Jacob Bridgeman and J.J. Spaun.

Highsmith tamed "The Bear Trap" at the PGA National Resort (The Champion Course) en route to his maiden victory, thanks to a recent putter switch. The Pepperdine University alum changed to a newer, custom painted and stamped Scotty Cameron 009M Tour Prototype putter prior to the WM Phoenix Open and ended the week at the Cognizant Classic ranked seventh in Strokes Gained: Putting (first on a pivotal Moving Day), earning almost six shots on the field on the greens.

Highsmith had spent time working with Paul Vizanko, director of Putter Fitting and Play Development, creating the custom flatstick in February.

"I was at the studio a few months ago and I was with Paul Vizanko there, and I told him I wanted a little bit of a change," Highsmith said after winning the Cognizant Classic. "It's like the exact same putter but a cooler paint job and a different finish.

"I don't know what it is about this thing, but it feels way better than any of the other because – I have like four of the same shape putter, all with different finishes and metals or whatever. But this one has a special feeling to it, and I guess now it's the one I'm definitely going to stick with."

The putter sealed the deal for Highsmith on the penultimate hole where he holed a 20-footer for birdie and some breathing room for the walk down the 18th.

Check out the clubs he used to capture his maiden victory below.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 60 6.5

3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Yellow 70 6.5 TX

Irons: Titleist T200 (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80 HY 6.5 (2), Project X LS 6.5 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 50-12F, 54-14F, 58-04T)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White S400 (46-54), S300 (58)

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: 2025 Titleist Pro V1