Equipment Roundup: CIMB Classic
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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - OCTOBER 12: Keith Mitchell of the United States plays his shot on the fifth tee during round two of the CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur on October 12, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
Mizuno has made a name for itself on the PGA TOUR in the iron department, but when it comes to metalwoods, the equipment manufacturer has seen very little usage in recent years.
But that could be changing with the TOUR launch of Mizuno's ST190 and ST190G drivers. Keith Mitchell became the first TOUR player to put the ST190 (Project X HZRDUS T1100 shaft) in play at the CIMB Classic, while Marcus Fraser did the same over in Europe.
Very little is known about ST190 at this point. The driver Mitchell is using has fewer adjustable features than the GT version, which likely indicates it could offer more forgiveness and ball speed in a high-launch, low-spin package (note the weight positioned in the back of the sole).
The rib-like design on the sole is reminiscent of its predecessor, the ST180, but has been reimagined with a look that was tweaked slightly. With the previous version, the ribs positioned mass low in the head, further lowering the club's center of gravity.
With a traditional black crown, ST190 shifts away from the recognizable blue paint that made the previous ST line stand out from others in the marketplace.
Before switching to ST190, Mitchell had been playing TaylorMade's M1 '17 driver.
Callaway prototypes in the pipeline: Maverick McNealy and the rest of Callaway's staff are in the process of working their way into the 2019 equipment lineup, including a new driver and ball that caught the attention of the former Stanford University product.
Last season, McNealy averaged 304.2 yards (total) in 18 starts on the Web.com Tour. It's only one drive on TrackMan, but we can see why McNealy would be excited about the new driver and ball combo, considering it's 11 yards longer than his current setup — and that's just when you factor in total carry.
Day, McIlroy test TaylorMade P760: TaylorMade's P760 irons are out in the open. Before they were unveiled for public consumption on Monday, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day gave followers on Instagram a peek at the irons during brief testing sessions in-between shots for TaylorMade's new ad campaign.
Neither player tipped their hand regarding whether they would put P760 in play next year. With the Fall portion of the season in full swing, chances are good that Day, McIlroy and other members of TaylorMade's staff will test the irons extensively before rebooting in January.