A talented athlete! That is what best describes Will Zalatoris. However, as he was slowly rising through the ranks of golf, a back injury and resulting surgeries pushed him away from the sport. And now, he is back at it again after recovering from the same, with a whole new equipment to boost his performance even further.

The 27-year-old was spotted using a different support tool of sorts, a new broomstick putter no less, at the 2023 Hero World Challenge. However, the bizarre action and the unconventional equipment have undoubtedly piqued the interest of the community and led to a question arising in their minds- other than the returning golfer, who else has used the same style of golfing gear on the PGA Tour?

The predecessors of Will Zalatoris in broomstick putting

The golfer has a total of two professional wins. Along with exceptional golfing skills, Zalatoris could achieve the two victories through the special tools in his bag, including the Titleist Scotty Cameron, and Circle T Phantom X T-11 Proto putter. However, the ongoing Tiger Woods-hosted event saw the athlete using a different equipment, the L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max. But, was he the only PGA Tour pro to use the same styled gear?

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1. Lucas Glover: The 1X major champ employed the broomstick putter at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic where he managed to clinch his first top-10 finish of the year. Meanwhile, known for his ball-striking ability, the 44-year-old’s putting game was not up to the mark. However, changing to the L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max has brought in a lot of improvement. Moreover, the 2009 U.S. Open champ had even divulged how teaching himself to do something else has worked.

2. Danny Lee: The New Zealand pro had clinched the victory at the LIV Golf event in Tucson using the same styled putter. Scoring 9-under 204, the Kiwi managed an amazing 25-foot birdie during the third playoff using the broomstick-styled tool. However, many of the enthusiasts in the community raised several concerns on the internet accusing him of anchoring his putt, which was banned in 2016. Nevertheless, nothing was proven, and he became part of the list of few golfers who adopted this style of putting.

3. Adam Scott: The Aussie has also been using the LAB Golf Mezz.1 Proto for his putts. Although it looks just like any other tool of the same category, the equipment boasts a better angle balance than most making it more fun. The golfer was able to put up a better performance using the long putter all the while gripping the top with a claw on the right hand and moving the shoulder steadily after a firm left-hand hold on the lower part of the shaft. 

4. Kim Si-woo: Following in Scott’s footsteps is none other than his Australian colleague. The 28-year-old took advice from the 14X PGA Tour champ at the 2022 Presidents Cup and changed to an Odyssey 2-Ball Ten attached to a 5.5-inch split grip. And, he was able to finish 3-1 at the prestigious tournament including emerging victorious against Justin Thomas during the singles. Moreover, he was also able to finish T8 at the 2022 Shriners Children’s Open and win at the 2023 Sony Open while using the same.

5. Akshay Bhatia: The American pro changed his gear from a 39 1/8” armlock shaft to a 44” broomstick shaft on his Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K No. 7 putter, a little while back. The golfer did so during the 2023 Fortinet Championship, the FedEx Cup Fall season’s first event. Although he failed to make the cut at the same, he made the unconventional decision following his experiments to figure out the best style that suited him. Well, hope he figures it out soon.

An athlete knows what he needs best. And, the same was the case for the PGA Tour pros who have adopted the bizarre style of putting. Nevertheless, what matters is how one can exhibit the best of their ability, all the while following the rules of the game.

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