CARLSBAD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 8, 2006–Both the winner and runner-up in two professional Tour events on each side of the Atlantic yesterday used putters from Odyssey, a brand of the Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY). At the Wachovia Championship on the PGA Tour, the champion used the Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter, the #1-selling putter ever, and the runner-up ended a season-long putting drought by one-putting seven times with his the new White Steel(R) 2-Ball SRT(TM) Putter with Saturn Ring Technology.
At the European Tour’s Telecom Italia Open, where five of the top seven finishers chose Odyssey putters, the winner used a center-shafted Odyssey White Hot XG #7 and the co-runner-up used a White Hot 2-Ball Blade model–the same model used by yesterday’s Champions Tour winner. The Japan LPGA winner used a vintage Odyssey putter, and on the Japan Golf Tour, which was idle last week, Odyssey is the #1 putter with 63 percent in 2006.
The winner of the Wachovia Championship saved par on the 72nd hole at Quail Hollow Club to post a final-round 71 and finish at 12-under-par 276, then sunk a testy 5-foot putt on the first hole of a two-man, sudden-death playoff to capture his 11th PGA Tour title.
The two golfers tied for third in Putts per Round with 28, and the victor was 12th in Putts per Greens in Regulation at 1.70. The runner-up was third in Putts per GIR with 1.64, despite entering the tournament ranked outside the top 100 on Tour.
"Downhill left to right is a tough putt, but I felt good with the putter today and felt like I could knock it in," said the winner of the clinching putt. "I felt really calm with the putter in my hand today, especially from the 15th hole in."
The European Tour winner was the first Italian to capture his country’s Open championship in more than a quarter century. He recorded an eagle and five birdies, including the final hole, to fire a closing 65 and finish at 23-under 265 and win his first European Tour championship.
The winner of the Champions Tour’s Regions Charity Classic closed eagle-birdie-par to finish at 8-under-par 264 on Sunday. His three-day total of 17-under-par 199 gave him a two-stroke victory, his second of 2006.
Tour results are through the week ending 05/07/06 and reflect data from the PGA, Champions, JLPGA, Japan Golf and European PGA Tours. Sources: Darrell Survey and Sports Marketing Survey, Ltd. Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, Callaway Golf creates products and services designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories, under the Callaway Golf(R), Top-Flite(R), Odyssey(R) and Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information visit www.callawaygolf.com.
Contact:
Callaway Golf Company
Larry Dorman
760-931-1771
