The stats and gear behind Koepka's domination
It’s PGA Championship week, and major weeks means subtle scripting and gear themed on something from the host venue. In this case, it’s the famous warning sign on the 1st tee at Bethpage Black.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, where have you been? Anyway, here are my colleagues Steve Carroll and Alex Perry standing in front of it:
In this major edition of All the Gear, I will keep you up to date with all things golf equipment at the second major.
Brooks Koepka takes a seven shot lead into the final round of the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. In Major Championship history no one has ever lost a seven shot lead after 54 holes.
We take a look at how Koepka is being so dominant at Bethpage Black this week.
PGA Championship equipment: Brooks continues to dominate
Koepka has dominated across all scoring categories this week at Bethpage.
Through 54 holes, he leads the field in the Strokes Gained categories of Tee to Green, Around the Green, Proximity to the Hole, Scrambling, and Putting on GIR.
His average proximity to the hole is 24 feet. That’s nearly three feet better than anyone else in the field.
Notable statistics @BKoepka leads the field in this week:
Strokes gained tee to green
Strokes gained approach
Greens in regulation
Approach shot proximity
Proximity from fairway
Proximity from outside 200 yards
Scrambling— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 18, 2019
Another key factor helping Koepka’s low scoring is his distance off the tee, long drives mean that even when he misses the fairway he has a short club in his hand making it much easier for him to control the ball out of the rough.
Koepka currently has the TaylorMade M5 driver in the bag.
Koepka predominately hits a fade meaning he has a steeper swing plane than someone with a more neutral or draw biased ball flight. This allows him to hit down into the back of the ball more effectively when he finds the rough.
“I’m not even sure with his strength he can get it out of this lie.”
Think again. ? #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/Qvkq32fCml
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 18, 2019
The story behind Koepka’s irons is pretty interesting, too.
PGA Championship equipment: Spieth’s back
We have all seen Spieth struggle on the greens this season but it appears he has some form back with the flagstick.
Spieth was +7.3 Strokes Gained: Putting over the first two rounds at Bethpage.
HERE COMES SPIETH!
Jordan Spieth sinks the long-range birdie and now sits alone in 2nd. #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/erfX3rXGF2
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 17, 2019
Spieth still has the same Titleist Scotty Cameron Circle T 009 he has had in the bag for all his victories on the PGA Tour.
PGA Championship equipment: Are those Nike shoes, Justin?
While Justin Rose’s choice of clothing has been somewhat questionable this week (and year), we almost missed the fact he’s switched to Nike kicks.
Up until the PGA Championship Rose had continued wearing Adidas footwear despite his contract finishing at the end of last year.
So at least he looks all right from the ankles down…
PGA Championship equipment: Adam Scott with ANOTHER new putter?!
Adam Scott had been playing with a Directed Force putter by a company called LAB Golf for the last few months but he has taken it out of the bag this week.
Instead he is choosing to game a Titleist Scotty Cameron Futura 6M Putter at the PGA Championship. I know this is a great putter as I also have it in my golf bag, albeit in a much shorter version.
The new putter helped him shoot a second-round 64 to get within seven of the lead and finish on 5-under after 36 holes at Bethpage Black. Scott holed 165 feet of putts on Friday to move himself up 39 places on the leaderboard.
Putting on a putting clinic.
Adam Scott has drained 106 feet of putts through only 5 holes.pic.twitter.com/vNBstm3LJT
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 17, 2019
PGA Championship equipment: New flatstick for DJ too
Dustin Johnson has put a new putter in the bag for the PGA Championship.
DJ has been playing with the TaylorMade Spider Tour putter for the last few year but has replaced it this week with the Copper Spider X. So far it seems to be working he’s in the top 5 heading into the weekend at Bethpage.
Three birdies in five holes. @DJohnsonPGA is locked in. ?
He’s T2 at 3-under. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Iy1uqLfli0
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 17, 2019
PGA Championship equipment: List looking to Rose for inspiration on the greens
Luke List has followed Justin Rose’s lead and put an Axis 1 putter in the bag for the PGA Championship this week.
He is playing the same model Rose has in his bag and it has helped him climb to T4 on the leaderboard as we head into the weekend at Bethpage.
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He certainly looked to be rolling the new putter well, especially when he holed this putt for eagle on the par-5 4th hole.
Quietly climbing the leaderboard is Luke List with this EAGLE! ?#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/cKH0sSP2JF
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 17, 2019
PGA Championship equipment: Brooks upgrades his hat game
After the horror show of hats at the Masters I’m glad to see Koepka has put a much more stylish hat in play for the PGA Championship – indeed all the Nike staffers were wearing it.
In fact I loved the whole outfit Koepka put in play on Thursday at the PGA Championship, a strong contender for best dressed.
PGA Championship equipment: FootJoy warning sign
I love these items from FootJoy’s all-black limited edition “Blackout” products.
The styling is really bold but simple with the warning sign featured on the Flex shoes and bold text on the Pro SLs.
There is a chance to win some of these products on our Instagram page…
PGA Championship equipment: UA are at it too
Under Armour are also paying homage to the sign with their Spieth 3 shoes.
The shoe also features an outline of Long Island, which is hosting a major for the second consecutive year, and an overall colour scheme tying back to the course’s primary logo colours of black, red and white.
And if scripting is your thing, here’s what Jordan is wearing this week:
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PGA Championship equipment: Adidazzlers
Well, not quite. The Adidas big guns have a typically muted colour palette with a mixture of grey and blue outfits over the week at Bethpage to be paired with the Tour 360 shoes.
Here is what World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele are wearing:
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PGA Championship equipment: BOOM, BA… Oh
Not exactly the kind of impact Pat Perez was hoping to make with his driver this week.
Just watch…
That was… interesting.
(?- @golflifetv/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/O2xZpBTRlk
— SwingU (@swinguapp) May 15, 2019
Oops.
PGA Championship equipment: PRG release exclusive accessories for Bethpage
And finally, I really liked these accessories from PRG, who have worked alongside the PGA of America to design and create a unique range.
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Keep up to date with all the action from Bethpage with NCG’s dedicated PGA Championship website as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
More from the PGA Championship
