Collin Morikawa just reminded us that sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from the most unexpected places - like borrowing a buddy’s putter during a casual round. Fast forward a week, and that borrowed club helped him lift the trophy at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
For a player whose game has long been defined by elite iron play and a preference for a traditional blade putter, this was a notable shift. But it paid off in a big way.
Morikawa closed with rounds of 62 and 67, leading the field in Strokes Gained: Approach and hitting an eye-popping 60 of 72 greens. His irons were dialed in, as usual.
But the real story? It was what he was rolling on the greens - and how it got there.
The putter in question? A TaylorMade Spider Tour X.
Not a new model fresh from the tour truck, but one that had originally been built for fellow pro Kurt Kitayama. Morikawa first tried it during a casual match with Min Woo Lee, Kitayama, and Kurt’s brother, Daniel, just before the WM Phoenix Open.
At the time, Morikawa had been experimenting with a wider blade-style putter similar to the one Nelly Korda had success with. But it wasn’t clicking.
Then came the moment. Daniel was using the Spider Tour X, which featured a flow neck and a “Back T” alignment aid. Morikawa gave it a roll and immediately felt something different - something better.
“Felt great,” he said. “I jokingly said I might have to take this.” Turns out, he wasn’t joking for long.
By the end of the round, the putter was in his hands for good. He took it back to the hotel and spent the next two days doing nothing but putting - no range sessions, no swing tweaks. Just putts, over and over again, in his hotel room.
“That’s all I was doing,” he said. “Putting, putting, putting.”
He put it in play at TPC Scottsdale the following week. While the results didn’t jump off the page in Phoenix, the foundation had been laid. At Pebble Beach, it all came together.
On Sunday, Morikawa gained 1.616 strokes putting - a solid mark that helped him fend off a stacked leaderboard that included Sam Burns, Min Woo Lee, and a surging Scottie Scheffler, who fired a 63. Morikawa held on to win by a shot, and the Spider Tour X played a quiet but crucial role.
This isn’t Morikawa’s first dance with a Spider putter - he’s used one before - but this version brought a few subtle differences that made a big impact. Unlike the standard Spider Tour, the Tour X shifts the weight slightly more forward.
Instead of large rear weights, the mass is tucked into the heel and toe blocks on the sole. That changes the center of gravity and lowers the MOI (moment of inertia) just enough to give the putter a bit more feel and responsiveness, while still offering the stability mallets are known for.
The flow neck design adds toe hang, which helps Morikawa feel the putter head release through impact - something he didn’t always get with other mallet-style putters. That’s a big deal for a player who wants the face to rotate naturally but not overly so. It’s a subtle balance, and this setup seems to hit that sweet spot.
The Spider Tour X also brings some serious tech to the table. Its steel and aluminum construction pushes weight outward to resist twisting, while a Hybrar Echo Damper softens vibration for a smoother feel and better sound.
The Pure Roll insert - with its 45-degree grooves - promotes forward roll and reduces skid, helping the ball start on line. And the True Path alignment system?
It frames the ball cleanly, simplifying the aiming process.
For a player who admitted he’d been overthinking things and trying to make golf “too perfect,” that kind of visual and mechanical simplicity can be a game-changer.
Morikawa said this win was about rediscovering the “art” of the game. And there’s a bit of irony in the fact that he did it with one of the most high-tech mallet putters on Tour.
But sometimes, that’s how it goes. Not every equipment change is the result of lab testing and months of prototypes.
Sometimes, it happens on the 13th hole of a friendly match - and ends with a trophy on the 18th green at Pebble Beach.
One thing’s for sure: that Spider Tour X probably isn’t making its way back to Kitayama’s locker anytime soon.