Titleist Ambassador Nick Watney Joins 2007 PGA TOUR Winners’ Circle; Jay Haas Captures Champions Tour Title in Playoff
Joining the latest generation of victorious Titleist ambassadors, 25-year old Nick Watney captured his first career crown at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Watney follows fellow full-line Titleist loyalists Zach Johnson (The Masters), Adam Scott (Shell Houston Open) and Charley Hoffman (Bob Hope Chrysler Classic) into the 2007 PGA Tour winners’ circle. While Watney was relying upon the New Pro V1x golf ball and 14 Titleist clubs for his success, veteran Jay Haas was successfully defending his Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf title in a playoff. It marked the second victory of the year and the eighth of Haas’ Champions Tour career. Haas, who plays the New Pro V1 golf ball and a full complement of Titleist golf clubs, has also won nine times on the PGA TOUR.
WHAT’S IN NICK WATNEY’S BAG?:
New Pro V1x golf ball
Pro Titanium 905R driver (11.5)
PT 906F2 fairway metal (15.0)
PT 585.H utility metal (21.0)
695MB irons (5-P)
704.CB irons (3-4)
Vokey Design Spin Milled sand (56) and lob (60) wedges
Scotty Cameron Newport Tour 350
WHAT’S IN JAY HAAS’ BAG?:
New Pro V1 golf ball
Pro Titanium 905R (9.5)
PT 904F fairway metals (15.0 and 19.0)
PT 585.H (21.0)
755 irons (4-P)
Vokey Design sand (54) and lob (60) wedges
Scotty Cameron putter
PGA TOUR NOTES: Watney closed with a 3-under 69 to finish the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with a 15-under 273 total, three strokes clear of New Pro V1 player Ken Duke. Inclusive of Watney (New Pro V1x) and Duke (New Pro V1), 7 of the top 10 finishers relied on Titleist golf balls, including:
John Mallinger (T3/Pro V1x)
Bubba Watson (T5/Pro V1x)
Chris Stroud (T5/New Pro V1x)
Mark Calcavecchia (T5/New Pro V1)
Bob Estes (T8/New Pro V1x)
Watney’s victory marks the third in four weeks for Titleist full-line ambassadors on the PGA Tour following Zach Johnson (Masters) and Adam Scott (Shell Houston Open). Fellow full-line Staff player Charley Hoffman won his first career victory earlier this year at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Watney’s win is also the 11th this season for Titleist golf ball players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 2, and more than all other balls combined.
Titleist was the golf ball of choice at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with 118 (76%) players relying upon the Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than nine times the nearest competitor with 13.
Titleist also was the overwhelming choice of more players in the iron (43), sand, lob and approach wedge (142) and putter (49) categories at the Zurich Classic. Titleist was second in the driver (43) and fairway metal (47) categories.
CHAMPIONS: Jay Haas parred the first playoff hole to edge Tom Kite in an all-New Pro V1 playoff at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Both players finished regulation at 9-under 207. Haas, who held the overnight lead, closed with a final round 2-under 70. Mark James (New Pro V1x) and Wayne Levi (New Pro V1) were two of three players who tied for third at 8-under, as 4 of the top 5 finishers trusted Titleist.
Titleist golf ball players accounted for more than half of the field at the limited-field event with 29 (58%) players, compared to 15 for the nearest competitor.
The win is the 7th by Titleist golf ball players through the first 9 events on the 2007 Champions Tour, more than three times the nearest competitor with 2.
NATIONWIDE: Martin Laird (Pro V1x) shot a final round 3-under 69 to become the Nationwide Tour’s first wire-to-wire winner this season at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic. Laird birdied the final hole to finish the tournament at 16-under 272, one shot clear of runners-up Jeremy Anderson (New Pro V1x) and Justin Bolli (New Pro V1), who watched from the practice range preparing for a potential playoff. Michael Letzig (New Pro V1x) finished solo fourth another shot back, as Titleist players occupied the top four positions on the leaderboard.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 116 (74%) players, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 15. Titleist was also trusted by more players than any other brand in the iron (46), wedge (149) and putter (60) categories.
Titleist golf ball players have won 6 of the first 7 events on the 2007 Nationwide Tour.
CANADA: Canadian Wes Heffernan won his second career Canadian Tour title with a one-shot triumph at the Northern California Classic over fellow New Pro V1x players John Ellis and Joseph Lanza. All three players fired final round 5-under 67s. Heffernan finished at 20-under 268 overall. It marked the second consecutive victory in the first two weeks for Titleist golf ball players on the Canadian PGA Tour.
WORLDWIDE WINS: With for more golf ball wins this week, Titleist players have accumulated 48 victories across the 2007 worldwide professional tours, more than six times the nearest competitor with 7, and more than all other golf balls combined.
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from the Zurich Classic, including champion Nick Watney, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at: http://titleist.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
Contact:
