Nico Echavarria became the first winner on the PGA Tour with the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x and he had a fellow pro to partly thank for the victory.
The Colombian, who claimed his maiden victory at the Puerto Rico Open in 2023, was playing a social round with Tyson Alexander and, by a stroke of luck, he hadn’t brought enough ammunition so he tried the new prototype ball – and then liked what he saw.
“I was actually playing 18 holes with Tyson in Jacksonville back home,” said Echavarria at the Shriners where the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x were officially launched.
“It was in between Napa and Sanderson Farms, and I was actually low on balls. I didn’t grab balls from my house, and he had some extra and they were the new ones, and I just tried it out.
“The (25 Pro V1x) was maybe just the hair faster and something a touch spinnier around the greens is what I felt. It worked very well last week [at the Black Desert Championship] with altitude. I’ve struggled hitting my numbers in altitude and this was very good how the numbers were.”
Moments like this >>>
Behind the scenes after @Nicolas_Ech's second TOUR win @ZOZOCHAMP. pic.twitter.com/qUJ89ciYty
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 28, 2024
The 30-year-old would miss the cut at the Sanderson Farms and the Shriners but, sandwiched in between, there was an 11th-place finish at the Black Desert in Utah and now he is a winner of the Zozo Championship after holding off Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas.
He was over 10 shots better than the field from tee to green which ranked him second in the field at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. He also ranked second in birdies (24).
He added that his testing process was all done on the course rather than hitting a load of balls using a launch monitor.
“One of the only things we have in control is the ball and for me it’s more playing and seeing it while I’m playing than on the range because when I’m hitting balls, I don’t go to where it landed.
“I prefer trying them out in the course, seeing if the numbers that I felt were the right ones, where it landed on the green, how it reacted on the green, how it flew with the wind, what I thought, maybe it pitched short of what I thought, maybe it pitched long and then you adjust and see if you like it or not.”
Twenty-eight players were playing the new balls in Japan, from a total of 48 Titleist users, which was more than five times the nearest competitor (9).
READ MORE: 2025 Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x make PGA Tour debut at Shriners Children’s Open
The post PGA Tour winner borrowed new Pro V1x balls – and then won in Japan appeared first on Golf365.
Article Link: PGA Tour winner borrowed new Pro V1x balls – and then won in Japan - Golf365