Welcome to Wall-to-Wall Equipment, the Monday morning gear wrap-up in which GOLF equipment editor Jonathan Wall takes you through the latest trends, rumors and breaking news. This week’s notes are highlighted by putter changes for Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Charles Howell III at the John Deere Classic.

Finish strong

With Viktor Hovland chasing PGA Tour status for the 2019-20 season, Ping was content to hang in the background and let the Oklahoma State standout secure his card before proceeding with further equipment testing.

Up until last week at the John Deere Classic, Hovland appeared to be content with his gear setup, including a TaylorMade TP Black Copper Mullen putter dating back to his time in college.

Then things changed during the third round.

After losing more than two strokes to the field with the putter over the first 36 holes, Hovland shook things up, replacing the Mullen 2 with a Ping PLD prototype mallet. Hovland and Tony Serrano, a senior design engineer at Ping, had been working on the flatstick since the Norwegian came on board — he conducted on-course testing with the mallet a few days before the first round — but there was no indication a change was imminent.

Then again, Hovland isn’t exactly the kind of guy who makes pre-planned equipment changes. During the U.S. Open, he added a new Ping G410 driver and a split set of iBlade/i200 irons in the eleventh hour.

Viktor Hovland switched things up with the putter after two rounds. Currently using 360g @PingTour PLD (face balanced) with patina finish. Sight line on top rail and flange. pic.twitter.com/bEr3l28b2y — Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) July 14, 2019

“I’m always open to change stuff if I feel like there’s room for improvement,” Hovland said.

Hovland’s 360-gram prototype mallet is made from 100-percent milled carbon steel and features a patina finish that was introduced during the U.S. Open. The finish accelerates the rusting process, giving the putter head a well-worn look Hovland took to during testing.

The putter gamble paid off for Hovland, who closed with 64 (T16) to move one step closer to earning his Tour card for next season. During the final round, Hovland gained nearly a stroke on the field with the putter alone. Not bad for a mid-tournament change.