Inbee Park’s return to the winner’s circle at the HSBC Women’s Champions was marked by a spectacular display of putting. Lost, perhaps, in the amazement of her work on the greens is the fact Park’s return to the LPGA after an absence for injury also brought significant changes to her equipment. Park is now using the latest version of Srixon’s Z-Star ball, a new XXIO 9 driver and a new set of the latest iteration of XXIO Forged irons (which she used to hit 17 of 18 greens Sunday). Additionally, Park recently signed a multi-year contract extension with Cleveland/Srixon.
Still, it was Park’s magic with her trusty Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball putter that led to victory. Needing just 27 putts (an amazing total when hitting 17 greens), Park went eight under par in a 10-hole stretch from No. 5 through 14 on Sunday. After converting relatively short birdie putts at Nos. 5, 6 and 8, Park began to make lengthy putts look routine. A 22-footer for birdie on No. 9 began a spell in which Park made six birdie putts of approximately 15 feet or longer, capped by a 30-plus-foot bomb on the par-3 17th.
“I was just in that zone today,” Park said. “I think I putted good the first and second round, but nothing like today. … Today was just that day, where I stand over the putt so confident that I can draw a line directly to the hole and it just goes exactly to the hole.” Ball: Srixon Z-Star
Driver: XXIO 9, 10.5 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade RocketBallz Tour, 14.5 degrees
5-wood: TaylorMade M2, 18 degrees
Hybrid: TaylorMade SLDR (22 degrees)
Irons (5-PW): XXIO Forged
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 (46, 50, 58 degrees)
Putter: Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball
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