Moves to Top of FedEx Cup Standings with Come-from-Behind Win
Fairhaven, MA (August 27, 2007) – Demonstrating confidence in himself and his equipment, Titleist ambassador Steve Stricker birdied four of the final five holes to earn an emotional victory at The Barclays. It marked the fourth career PGA Tour title for Stricker, who turned a one-shot deficit into a dramatic two-stroke win, vaulting him to the top of the FedEx Cup Standings with three events remaining. Stricker closed with 2-under 69 to finish at 16-under 268. He was T4 in greens in regulation and T8 in driving accuracy trusting his Titleist equipment.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at The Barclays with 99 (72%) players relying upon the Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than nine times the nearest competitor with 10. Titleist was also the most played wedge (119) and putter (50). The win was the 20th for Titleist players on the 2007 PGA Tour, more than all other golf balls combined.
WHAT’S IN STEVE STRICKER’S BAG?: New Pro V1 golf ball, Pro Titanium 905T driver (8.5), 906F2 fairway metal (13.0), 585.H utility metal (17.0), 755 irons (3-P), Vokey Design sand (54) and lob (60) wedges.
PGA EUROPEAN: Another Titleist ambassador, Ross Fisher, birdied the final hole for a closing 3-under 67 and a 12-under-par 268 total, capturing The KLM Open by one stroke over 21-year old Joost Luiten (New Pro V1). Fisher became the PGA European Tour’s 16th first-time-winner of the season. Bernhard Langer (New Pro V1), Thomas Levet (New Pro V1x) and Alex Noren (New Pro V1x) were among five players who shared third place at 8-under, four shots behind Fisher.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the KLM Open with 111 players (71%), more than five times the nearest competitor with 20. The win was the 24th for Titleist players on the 2007 PGA European Tour, six times the nearest competitor with 4.
WHAT’S IN ROSS FISHER’S BAG?: Pro V1x golf ball, 905R driver (9.5), 695MB irons (2-9), Vokey Design pitching (48) and sand (54) wedges, Spin Milled lob (60) wedge, Scotty Cameron prototype putter.
CHAMPIONS: Denis Watson (New Pro V1x) eagled the second hole of what started as a Champions Tour record seven-way playoff to capture the Boeing Classic for his second win of the year. The seven players finished regulation at 9-under 207. Watson, and R.W. Eaks (New Pro V1x) were among three players who birdied the first playoff hole, eliminating four players, including David Eger (New Pro V1), Gil Morgan (New Pro V1x) and Dana Quigley (New Pro V1x). Watson, who won the Senior PGA Championship for his first career major, chipped in for birdie on the first playoff hole to remain in the playoff.
Titleist was the golf ball of choice at the Boeing Classic with 55 players (71%), more than four times the nearest competitor with 12. The win was the 16th for Titleist players on the 2007 Champions Tour, more than five times the nearest competitor with 3.
NATIONWIDE: Jimmy Walker (New Pro V1, 907D4 prototype driver, 970 3-wood, 755 irons, Vokey Design pitching, sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter) fired a 5-under 67 to erase a seven-shot overnight deficit and win the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic. It marked the third career Nationwide Tour win for Walker, who completed the event at 15-under-par 273, one shot clear of Justin Hicks (New Pro V1x, 906F4 3-wood, 695CB irons, Vokey Design pitching wedge, Spin Milled sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter) and Matthew Jones (New Pro V1x, 907D2 driver, 904F 3-wood, 695MB irons, Vokey Design lob wedge, Scotty Cameron prototype putter).
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic with 118 players (76%), more than 10 times the nearest competitor with 11. Titleist was also trusted by more players than any other brand in the iron (49), wedge (150) and putter (55) categories. The win was the 16th for Titleist golf ball players on the 2007 Nationwide Tour, more than five times the nearest competitor with 3.
CANADIAN: Byron Smith (New Pro V1x) fired a final round 7-under 63 to win the inaugural Jane Rogers Championship of Mississauga by one shot over Derek Gillespie (New Pro V1x). Smith, who also fired a final round 63 last week but lost in a playoff, birdied holes 14 through 17 to finish with a 16-under 264 total and claim his second career victory on the Canadian Tour.
ASIA: Artemio Murakami (New Pro V1x) won the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia for his maiden victory on the Asian Tour. The 24-year old, winner of the 1999 Philippine Amateur Championship, shot a final round 3-under par 68, to win the first event of the second half of the Asian Tour season. Murakami’s 5-under total of 279 was one stroke better than Simon Yates (Pro V1x) and Tony Lascuna (New Pro V1x). In fact, each of the top seven finishers and 13 of the 15 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success. Titleist was the most played golf ball at the event with 123 players (79%), more than six times the nearest competitor with 19.
WORLDWIDE GOLF BALL WINS: With six more golf ball wins across the worldwide professional tours this week, Titleist’s 2007 victory total advanced to 129, more than six times the nearest competitor with 20.
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from The Barclays, including winner Steve Stricker, and from every PGA TOUR event, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at: http://titleist.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
TITLEIST TOUR BLOG: Find out what’s going on inside the ropes at every PGA TOUR event, or if you would like to pose questions to the Titleist Tour Leadership staff, please visit the Titleist Tour Blog at: http://www.titleisttourblog.com/
TITLEIST GOLF CLUB LEADERBOARD: To learn about Titleist’s golf club success on the PGA Tour, the PGA Professional National Championship and at major amateur events, including last week’s U.S. Amateur, visit the Titleist Golf Club leaderboard at: http://titleist.com/leaderboard/default.asp
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