Nike Golf Staff Members Hold Number One Positions in the U.S., Europe and Japan
BEAVERTON, Ore. (September 18, 2006) – Nike Golf’s Paul Casey gave a burst of confidence to his fellow European Ryder Cup teammates this week by romping to a 10 & 8 victory over Shaun Micheel in the 36-hole final of the HSBC World Match Play Championship over the weekend. His resounding victory marked his third 2006 PGA European Tour victory, and the seventh of his career.
By recording the 10th international and 23rd global victory by Nike Staff members this season, Casey took over the number one spot on the PGA European Tour Order of Merit. Simultaneously, world number one Tiger Woods holds the number one position on the PGA Tour Money List, and Nike Golf’s Shingo Katayama is first on the Japan Golf Tour’s money list. With 33% of this season’s PGA Tour’s events being won by Nike Golf athletes, the results speak loudly to the remarkable 2006 Tour dominance by Nike Golf.
Casey’s arsenal of Nike Golf equipment (SasQuatch Driver, 15-degree SasQuatch Fairway Wood, Nike Forged Blades, 52 and 59-degree Nike Wedges, Nike One Platinum ball, Retro Unitized putter) apparel, footwear and putter helped him turn to sizzling form over Wentworth’s West Course in Casey’s home country of England. In particular, the new Nike Golf Retro Unitized putter, which will be available in stores on November 1, helped Casey to five birdies in his opening nine holes against Micheel. He repeated his five-birdie front nine in the second round of the 36-hole final to resoundingly close out his match.
This week, Casey will take his smoking hot Retro Unitized putter to Ireland for the Ryder Cup, where he will join European teammates to face off against fellow Nike Golf athletes Tiger Woods, Chad Campbell and Stewart Cink, representing the U.S. team. Each Nike Golf player will be sporting another new Nike Golf product hitting stores this fall – footwear featuring the new groundbreaking Nike Power Platform technology. Woods will don the new SP-8 TW Tour, available November 1, and Casey, Campbell and Cink will be fashioning the new SP-6, available October 1. Each Nike player’s shoe will be personalized with their name etched on them as well as the Ryder Cup logo.
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 13 PGA tour victories and 60 top-10 finishes, as well as one victory on the Nationwide Tour and 10 additional international wins. 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