Kraft Trusts Titleist From Tee-To-Green For First PGA Tour Win.
Fairhaven, MA (March 24, 2008): It took an extra day, but Pro V1 golf ball loyalist Geoff Ogilvy outlasted a world-class field to capture the WGC-CA Championship with a steady final round of 1-under 71 for a 17-under 271 total. Ogilvy finished one shot clear of three players, including Pro V1x player Vijay Singh. Ogilvy becomes just the third player to win multiple WGC events, having captured the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2006.
Ogilvy topped a leaderboard that included seven Titleist golf ball players among the top 10 finishers, including full-line Titleist ambassadors Steve Stricker (T6/Pro V1, 905T driver, 906F2 fairway metal, 585.H utility metal, AP2 irons, Vokey Design pitching, sand and lob wedges), Zach Johnson (T9/Pro V1x, 905R driver, 906F4 fairway metals, 695CB irons, 735.CM irons, Vokey Design pitching, sand and Spin Milled lob wedges) and Adam Scott (T9/Pro V1, 905R driver, 906F4 fairway metal, AP2 irons, Vokey Design pitching and Spin Milled sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron putter). Pro V1x players Nick O’Hern and Graeme Storm tied for sixth.
– In addition to relying upon the Pro V1 golf ball, the champion also plays Vokey Design pitching (50) and sand (55) wedges and a Spin Milled lob (60) wedge, as well as a Scotty Cameron by Titleist prototype putter.
– For the second consecutive event, Steve Stricker fired the best final round of the day. Stricker put the new AP2 irons in the bag for the first time for the final round of the PODS Championship and shot a 65, the best final round of the day. This week, playing the AP2 irons for the entire tournament for the first time, fired a final round-best 9-under 63 to finish T6. (Note: He did not play at Bay Hill last week).
– Titleist was the most played golf ball at the WGC – CA Championship with 43 players, compared to 11 for the nearest competitor. Titleist also led the field in wedges (55).
PGA TOUR: Relying upon the Pro V1x golf ball and 13 Titleist golf clubs, Greg Kraft earned his first "official" PGA TOUR title with a victory at the inaugural Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular. Playing a set of new ZB Forged irons for the first time in competition, Kraft fired a 14-under 274 to edge two players, including Jerry Kelly (Pro V1x) by one shot.
– Although Kraft won the Deposit Guaranty Classic in Mississippi 15 years ago, it took place the same weekend as the Masters and did not count as an "official" TOUR win. Kraft, who began the day one shot behind the overnight leader, shot a final round 2-under 70, and went 29 straight holes without a bogey on the weekend until the 72nd hole.
– What’s in Greg Kraft’s Winning Titleist Bag?: Pro V1x golf ball, 907D2 driver (8.5), 906F4 fairway metal (15.0), new ZB Forged irons (3-P), Vokey Design Spin Milled sand (54) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2 putter.
– Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Puerto Rico Open with 90 players, more than four times the nearest competitor with 19. In addition to being the most played ball, Titleist was the most played iron set (41 vs. 27 nearest competitor), wedge (133 vs. 37 nearest competitor) and putter (52 vs. 27 nearest competitor). Titleist was a close second in drivers (38).
ASIAN TOUR: Lin Wen-Tang fired a final round 8-under 64 to win the inaugural Asian Tour International by five shots over fellow Pro V1x player and overnight leader Noh Seung-yul. The victory was Lin’s third in as many years on the Asian Tour. Lin, who fired four consecutive rounds in the 60s, overcame a two-stroke deficit entering the final round and finished with a 23-under 265 total. For the 16-year old Noh, it marked his second runner-up finish in the only two events he has played this year.
Lin topped a leaderboard that included 10 Titleist golf ball loyalists among the 12 players who finished in the Top 10 and ties. Titleist was the most played golf ball at the event with 117 players (75%), over 100 more than the nearest competitor with 16.
WORLDWIDE GOLF BALL WINS: With three more golf ball wins across the worldwide professional tours this week, Titleist’s 2008 victory total advanced to 31, more than four times the nearest competitor with 7.
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from every PGA TOUR event, including the WGC-CA Championship winner Geoff Ogilvy, 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 and on tours across the world, and ask questions of our Titleist Tour Leadership staff by visiting 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 throughout the year, visit the Titleist Golf Club leaderboard at: http://titleist.com/leaderboard/default.asp
Contact:
Joe Gomes, Director of Communications, Acushnet Company (508.979.3211).
