Nico Echvarria made an under-the-radar but crucial gear change ahead of his third PGA Tour win at the Cognizant Classic.
During his post-tournament press conference, Echavarria revealed that he just switched THE Srixon’s Z-Star Diamond golf ball from the strongest Z-Star XV.
“I changed to a different pattern because the greens were tight, so I think that helped a lot with the control of the approach to the green,” he said. “I went from the XV to the diamond, which is a little softer and more nimble.”
As it turns out, this was a change Echavarria had been considering for some time. He signed with Srixon last offseason and first tested both of the company’s top Tour balls, the Z-Star XV and Z-Star Diamond. Before joining the Srixon team, Echavarria played Pro V1x stronger, but stronger.
That decision was prompted by his intentions with his move last year, Srixon director of tour operations Michael Jolly told GOLF.
“At times last season, he was a lot more slanted and created a lot of spin,” Jolly said. “With both balls, he’s seeing less spin and more stability in the wind, which were ultimately key factors in his decision to make the switch to Srixon overall.”
With the extra torque it was generating, this made the XV the most optimal fit at the time.
He tested at various points last season, but never seriously considered making the move to Diamond until this offseason, when he began testing again with the Srixon team.
To start the season, he was still relied on in the XV for every start, apart from the WM Phoenix Open, where in dry and strong conditions, he decided to give the Diamond a first try. Playing Diamond in Phoenix was also crucial because the ball doesn’t roll as much there. So having a more spinning top can be ideal.
But that’s also why testing golf balls for the early part of the season can be challenging, Jolly said.
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“We know that spin numbers in Phoenix are typically low, San Diego can be a little unpredictable, and different grasses from week to week often produce different launch and spin profiles,” he said. “All of this makes it difficult for a player to not only change golf balls, but to fully trust the data they’re looking at.
“That’s why Cognizant felt like such a great test. It gave him a chance to put the ball in play during the race, in weather and course conditions where he trusted what he was seeing and validated the decision under real pressure.”
