Goydos Captures Sony Open in Hawaii Playing New Pro V1 Prototype Golf Ball
Titleist golf ball loyalists made it a perfect 2 for 2 in Hawaii to begin the 2007 PGA Tour season. Paul Goydos, relying upon the new Pro V1 prototype for the first time in competition, birdied three of the last four holes, edging fellow Titleist player Luke Donald by one shot to win the Sony Open, the first full-field event of the year. Donald, who tied for second, was one of only two players to shoot four rounds in the 60’s.
Goydos’ performance comes on the heels of Vijay Singh’s victory with the new Pro V1x prototype at last week’s winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship, continuing Titleist’s fast start.
Two weeks, two wins, two new golf balls.
It marked the second career PGA Tour title for Goydos who closed with a 3-under 67 to finish at 14-under 266. He birdied the last hole when his 25-foot chip hit the pin and settled within tap-in range.
Titleist led the golf ball count with 101 players, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 14. Titleist was also the most played brand of irons (36/25%), wedges (120/40%) and putters (52/36%).
Titleist was second in the driver count with 38 players, but finished 1-2 on the leaderboard as the winner relied upon a Pro Titanium 905S model and Luke Donald finished T2 playing a new Titleist 907D2 prototype. In fact,
11 players put a new 907D2 driver in play, while Jason Dufner opted for the
907D1 prototype en route to a T13 finish.
PGA EUROPEAN TOUR: Argentina’s Ariel Canete captured his first career PGA European Tour title in impressive fashion, closing with three birdies over the final four holes to become the inaugural winner of the Joburg Open.
Canete, who fired a final round 67 for his fourth consecutive round in the 60’s, finished with a 19-under 266 total, two strokes clear of fellow Pro V1x player Andrew McLardy.
Titleist was the most played golf ball among the 204-player Joburg Open field with 166 players (81%), more than nine times the nearest competitor with 17.
Titleist players have won 6 of the first 7 events on the 2007 PGA European Tour.
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from the Sony Open in Hawaii, including champion Paul Goydos and runner-up Luke Donald, as well as every PGA Tour event this season, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at:
http://titleist.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
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