Tony Finau, currently positioned 64th in the FedExCup standings, faces a critical moment as he competes in the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship. To secure a spot inside the top 50 and advance to the BMW Championship, Finau has made notable changes to his golf equipment, including his golf ball and putter, aiming to boost his performance during the crucial playoff phase.
Driver Shaft and Ball Changes Target Improved Spin Control
In recent months, Finau observed an increase in the spin rate of his driver shots, a factor that can compromise distance and accuracy, especially for a player who generates high clubhead speeds. About a month ago, he upgraded to a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft in his Ping G440 9-degree driver to help reduce the excessive spin.
This week, Finau enhanced his setup further by adopting a new Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot prototype golf ball, a model recently revealed by Cameron Young during his victory at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Finau confirmed that this ball offers a higher launch combined with lower spin, a combination that fits his game perfectly at this stage.
“I did try the Double Dot, it’s incredible, and it’s going into play right away,” Finau said. “It had a little bit of higher launch and lower spin for me, which is a perfect combo. Especially for me at the moment, I seemed to, over the last couple months, just to be spinning my driver a little more than I would like, and I made a shaft change about a month ago and that’s helped, but the spin numbers are still a little high. I switched to this ball, and it’s a couple hundred rpms lower, so without changing equipment, that’s a great thing.” —Tony Finau, Professional Golfer
Testing New Putting Options to Find the Perfect Fit
Alongside his ball and driver shaft changes, Finau has also experimented with different putters. For several years, he relied on a Ping PLD Anser 2D prototype blade putter. However, at the recent Wyndham Championship, he briefly returned to an older blade-style putter discovered in his garage. Finding the feel too soft and the distance control inconsistent, he decided to explore further options with Ping fitters at TPC Southwind.
Working closely with Ping putter representative Dylan Goodwin, Finau tried approximately ten different mallet-style putters featuring various hosels, inserts, and face designs. Finau’s previous putters had some toe hang, which suited his stroke, so the team focused on mallets that offered similar characteristics but provided better auditory feedback and feel.
“Tony Finau has used the Anser 2D for a long time, had multiple wins with that putter,” Goodwin explained. “He wanted a little bit of a change last week, where he went back to an old putter that he’s had in the garage from probably 4 or 5 years ago, and then this week he kind of came to us and said, ‘Hey, what kind of mallet can I get into to switch things up?’ So we brought about 10 different options out with different hosels. He’s used something with a little bit of toe hang in the past, and that’s worked quite well for him, so we brought some different options, some different necks, some different inserts and face options, as well. He was using a putter last week that was quite soft and soft-sounding. He didn’t quite like that, he felt he had some distance control issues, just not being able to hear the impact experience. So, we gave a couple firmer options for him this week, and then where we ended was an Ally Blue Onset. He was experimenting with it and was like, ‘What’s the benefit to this?’ For us we feel like we’re able to have an onset option with some toe hang, so now it matches what his stroke type is. So he’s able to have the alignment benefits from the onset, now with something that matches his stroke. So he rolled quite a few with it and loved it. He felt like the long line on the Ally Blue 4 that goes all the way to the face he felt like was really, really easy to line up, and then all he had to do really was trace the shaft down that line and he felt like he was making good solid strokes. Making it simple for him, and having some added technology.” —Dylan Goodwin, Ping Putter Representative
Finau’s Perspective on the Putter Switch
Reflecting on the change, Finau acknowledged how rare it is for him to modify his equipment, especially after several years using the same blade putter. He expressed optimism about experimenting with mallet-style designs to enhance his game moving forward.
“It’s still a PLD putter. I’ve been using a blade for over 5 years straight…just thought it was time for a change. Wanted to go and look into a mallet, and the Ping (reps) helped me get into this one.” —Tony Finau, Professional Golfer
Outlook for Finau’s FedExCup Playoffs Campaign
As Tony Finau strives to secure a top-50 position in the FedExCup standings, these strategic equipment adjustments represent a key part of his plan to gain an edge at the St. Jude Championship. The combination of lower spin driver setup, a new prototype golf ball, and a putter refined for his stroke style could boost his consistency under pressure.
Finau’s willingness to embrace change midway through the season demonstrates his determination to contend strongly in the playoffs as he pushes toward the BMW Championship. Fans and analysts alike will be monitoring the effects of his gear switches closely over the coming events.