YOUTUBE’S GM GOLF PAIR JOIN #TEAMMIZUNO
Mizuno has confirmed that Garrett Clark and Grant Horvat have joined its team of tour players and influencers for 2022. Both Clark and Horvat have previously played Mizuno equipment on their social platforms through 2021.
Garrett Clark
Clark (21) is the founder of the GM Golf YouTube channel and has been attracting fans since he was nine with his elaborate array of trick shots. With a following of over 1.9 million on TikTok, 468k on Instagram and 548k subscribers to his YouTube Channel, Clark is arguably the most influential role model for young golfers worldwide not to play on the major circuits.
Clark initially gravitated to Mizuno having been fitted for a set of Mizuno MP-20 musclebacks at independent US retailer GolfTec, where he had arrived determined to choose whichever brand of irons performed best.
“It’s a very typical Mizuno story,” comments Chris Voshall, Mizuno Product lead. “Garrett navigated himself to a set of Mizuno irons and we got to know each other from there. Once the irons stuck in Garrett’s bag, we started working on the rest. Garrett’s viewers were a little suspicious at first but with Mizuno driver, three wood, wedges and putter, they’ve seen his game dramatically improve over 2021.”
Voshall believes the signing of Clark and Horvat matches the brand’s forward-thinking ambitions.
Grant Horvat
“Mizuno had just got to the end of a three-year plan to re-establish its drivers and fairway woods. We’ve always been known as a great iron brand but established players can get a little lost in that. The brand needed to emerge from its own shadow. To do that, we needed a new figurehead who didn’t care how great we were 20 years ago or how many majors Mizuno irons had won. Garrett fit that bill perfectly. He’s judging purely on performance, and so are his audience,” says Voshall.
While Mizuno was evolving its working relationship with Garrett, he was also building a new one with Grant Horvat (22), a new playing partner from Florida. Grant, a talented college golfer, proved a perfect foil for Garret in their Saturday matches on GM Golf. Whereas Garret is a creative scrambler, Horvat displays a more textbook, timeless approach that has quickly endeared him to Garrett’s fan base.
“Grant has some very different qualities to Garret. They make a perfectly balanced pair for both GM Golf and Mizuno. Garrett showcases Mizuno’s products brilliantly out on the course, but Grant is more controlled and interested in technology and custom fitting. They both have a role to play with us,” says Chris Voshall.
Garrett and Grant line up alongside UK influencers Matt Fryer (Matt Fryer Golf) and Liam Harrison (Golf Mates) in representing Mizuno on social platforms, showing a fresher side to what has historically been a very traditional brand. Alongside a tour staff with an ever-younger edge for 2022.
Mizuno believes its reputation as a developer of young talent is about to grow wings.
“When you look at the type of players Mizuno are now signing, it’s all about developing young talent,” says Chris Voshall. “Much as it would be fun to sign a ready-made world #1 or major winner, we get a lot more satisfaction out of helping players get there. We’ve recently introduced Greyson Sigg to the PGA Tour and have serious talents like Olivia Cowan, OJ Farrell, Joe Long and Stephen Fisk in the wings. Now both Grant and Garrett will become part of our new scouting network to find the next major Mizuno talent. ”
Garrett Clark and Grant Horvat will both play 14 Mizuno clubs over 2022.
For further information on Mizuno’s current range of golf equipment, visit: MizunoGolf.com.
