His First PGA European Tour Triumph Brings Nike Golf’s Global Victories to 10
BEAVERTON, Ore. (May 8, 2006) – Nike Golf Tour Staff member Francesco Molinari brought pride back to his home country of Italy by becoming the first native to win the Telecom Italian Open since 1980. His victory highlighted another winning weekend for Nike Golf, which also featured Michelle Wie making her first cut in a men’s event at the SK Telecom Open in South Korea.
Molinari’s victory comes just a week after fellow Nike Golf athletes Chris Couch and Shingo Katayama won on the PGA Tour and Japan Tour, respectively. His seven-under-par final round of 65 gave him a 23-under tournament total for a four-stroke victory and his first PGA European Tour win in only his second season on tour. Molinari’s home country triumph brings to 10 Nike Golf’s number of global wins in 2006. It also brought the number of worldwide wins for Nike Golf’s SasQuatch Driver to 15 since it launched last November, 10 of which have been produced in 2006.
Another one of Nike Golf’s success stories is its One Platinum ball of which Molinari also used en route to his first PGA European Tour win. Since the Nike One Platinum ball hit stores in April of 2005, it has enjoyed incredible global success among the professional tours with a total of 32 victories. In 2006, the Nike One Platinum already has won 10 times worldwide.
Molinari, the 26-year-old from Turin, Italy, went into the final round with a share of the lead. He made his statement for the day by eagling the par-5 first. After that, he never relinquished the lead and went on to post five birdies, including his icing on the cake birdie at the 18th. Completing Molinari’s winning arsenal are his Nike Pro Combo irons, Nike SV wedges and the Nike Oz Black T100 putter. He also wore Nike Golf apparel, SP 6 footwear and the Nike Dri-Fit Tour glove. The Molinari name is no stranger to the U.S. golf scene, since Molinari’s younger brother Eduorado won the U.S. Amateur Championship last year.
For Wie’s performance at the SK Telecom Open, she used Nike’s SasQuatch Driver, SasQuatch Fairway Woods, Nike Forged Blade irons, 56 and 60 degree Nike Forged wedges, the Nike Oz Black T130 putter and the Nike One Platinum ball. Wie also wore Nike Golf apparel and footwear. Wie became the second woman in history to have made a cut in a men’s South Korean event behind Se Ri Pak, who accomplished that feat in 2003. Wie said of her making the cut in a men’s event, "I was really, really happy I’ve passed the first stage," Wie said. "Now I want to make the next step."
Located in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to honoring and respecting the traditions and heritage of the game, and to providing committed golfers with the absolute best equipment in the game. In 2006, Nike Golf’s PGA Tour Staff has accumulated six PGA Tour victories and 25 top-10 finishes. For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com. Editors and journalists in the U.S. seeking editorial information and downloadable images, visit www.nikegolf.com/presscenter. For international journalists, please contact Nike Golf’s public relations representative in respective countries for information.
Contact:
Beth Gast – Nike Golf
(503) 532-8852
Beth.Gast@nike.com
