Both Players Win Fast after Switching Ball Brands
CARLSBAD, Calif. (date) – Retief Goosen and Fred Funk, who both switched to the TaylorMade TP golf ball this month, each won tour events yesterday. Trailing by two shots with two holes to play, Goosen stormed home with a dramatic birdie-eagle finish to capture the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, his 14th European Tour victory. Funk’s win was equally impressive, though for a vastly different reason: rather than come from behind, he cruised to an 11-shot, wire-to-wire win at the Turtle Bay Championship. The margin of victory is a new Champions Tour record for a 54-hole event.
The TaylorMade TP golf ball is available in two models, TaylorMade TP Blackâ?¢ and TaylorMade TP Redâ?¢. Each feature an ionomer mantle positioned between a thermoset urethane cover and super-fast NdV4 core to promote ultra-fast ball speed and tour-level spin control. Plus, the PDP dimple design helps extend the back-half of the ball’s flight for increased carry. The TP Red ball promotes a slightly lower launch angle for control and softer feel; the TP Black ball promotes a higher launch angle for increased carry and a slightly firmer feel. (Further information on the TP Red and TP Black.)
Both Goosen and Funk won while using the TaylorMade TP Red. Other notable players who switched ball brands recently and are now playing the TaylorMade TP golf ball include Darren Clarke, Sean O’Hair and Natalie Gulbis.
Goosen began his late-round charge by nearly holing a 9-iron on the par-three 17th before sinking a nine-foot birdie putt. On the par-five 18th he followed a driver in the short grass with a 3-wood to 30 feet, then drained the eagle putt.
"It’s a great feeling to have a European Tour win under the belt again," said Goosen afterward. "It’s been a while since I last had a win. Having won this early, I’m now looking forward to the year." His last European Tour victory was the South African Airways Open in 2005. Last week he finished T5 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship; currently he ranks 2nd on the European Tour’s Order of Merit.
After testing both the TaylorMade TP Red ball and TP Black balls late last year, Goosen said: "I’m extremely impressed by the tee to green performance of both balls. The TP Red is six to seven yards longer off my driver and very controllable with my irons. I found that the TP Red and TP Black spin slightly differently. I’ll use the TP Black when I need more spin on firmer greens and the TP Red for softer greens."
Funk shot rounds of 64-64-65 en route to capturing his second Champions Tour title. It was the second consecutive week that the TaylorMade TP was used to win on the Champions Tour. Hale Irwin used the TaylorMade TP Red to capture last week’s MasterCard Championship at Hualalai.
Funk tested both the TaylorMade TP Red and TP Black balls intensively before switching brands. After making his decision, he noted "The TP Red is as long as any ball I’ve had success with, yet feels nice and soft around the greens. It gives me a lot of confidence to know that the new ball I’m now playing is made by the same great company as the TaylorMade metalwoods and irons that I’ve trusted for years."
Besides playing the TaylorMade TP Red ball, both Goosen and Funk also played TaylorMade equipment and wore adidas Golf brand footwear:
In Goosen’s bag In Funk’s bag
TaylorMade r7® 425 driver TaylorMade r7 425
TaylorMade r7 3-wood TaylorMade 3-wood
TaylorMade Rescue® TP hybrid TaylorMade Rescue hybrid racâ?¢ TP
TaylorMade TP irons TaylorMade rac CGB 3-iron
TaylorMade Rossa® Monza Corza putter TaylorMade r7 TP irons
TaylorMade TP Red ball TaylorMade TP Red ball
adidas Golf footwear adidas Golf footwear
About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
Taylor Made Golf Company has led the golf industry’s technological revolution since the company was founded in 1979. TaylorMade metalwoods, irons and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. In 1998, TaylorMade became a wholly owned subsidiary of the adidas Group. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (800) 888-CLUB or www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.maxfli.com and www.tmag.com.
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders in the sporting goods industry offering a wide range of products around the three core segments adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has approximately 25,000 employees worldwide and generates sales of about â?å 9.5 billion (2005).
Contact:
John Steinbach
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
john.steinbach@tmag.com
760-918-6330
