Johnson Wagner Earns First Career PGA Tour Victory, Invitation to Masters, Trusting Titleist
Fairhaven, MA (April 7, 2008) – Johnson Wagner realized a life long dream when he secured his first PGA Tour victory with a wire-to-wire win at the Shell Houston Open. Trusting his Titleist equipment from tee-to-green, Wagner opened with a course-record 9-under par 63 and never looked back. The win came at the perfect time, earning him his first invitation to this week’s Masters. The 28-year old Texas native closed with a 1-under 71 to finish at 16-under 272, two shots clear of two players, including Geoff Ogilvy (Pro V1, Vokey Design pitching and sand wedges, Spin Milled lob wedge, Scotty Cameron putter).
Titleist ambassador Billy Mayfair (Pro V1x, 907D1 driver, 804OS irons, Vokey Design sand wedge, Spin Milled lob wedge) was among two players three shots back. Another Titleist ambassador, Charley Hoffman (Pro V1, 905R driver, 680 Forged irons, Vokey Design pitching, sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport Fastback prototype putter), was tied with Pro V1 player Bob Estes, four shots behind Wagner’s winning score.
What’s in Johnson Wagner’s Bag?:
Pro V1x golf ball
Titleist 905R (8.5) driver
Titleist 904F (13.0) fairway metal
Titleist ZB Forged (3-9) irons
Vokey Design pitching (47), sand (54) and Spin Milled lob (60) wedges
Scotty Cameron by Titleist prototype putter
Record Numbers: Wagner and fellow Titleist ambassador Adam Scott (Pro V1, 905R driver, 906F4 fairway metals, AP2 irons, Vokey Design pitching wedge, Spin Milled sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron prototype putter) opened with course-record 9-under par 63’s on Thursday. Scott withdrew due to illness following the second round.
Having a Ball: Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Shell Houston Open with 99 players, compared to 21 for the nearest competitor. In fact, Wagner became the ninth player to win on the 2008 PGA TOUR with a Titleist golf ball, more than all other competitors combined.
More than Just the #1 Ball in Golf: In addition to being the most played golf ball at the Shell Houston Open, Titleist was the most played iron set (42 vs. 32 nearest competitor), wedge (145 vs. 37 nearest competitor) and putter (55 vs. 37 nearest competitor). The new AP2 was the most played individual iron model at the event with 15 players.
Statistically Speaking: Titleist golf ball loyalists topped every major statistical category at the Shell Houston Open, including:
Greens in Regulation: Billy Mayfair (81.94/Pro V1x)
Driving Distance: Bubba Watson (321 yards/Pro V1x)
Driving Accuracy: Bart Bryant (82.14/Pro V1x)
Scrambling: Kevin Sutherland (85.71/Pro V1x)
Putts Per Round: Steve Stricker (26.25/Pro V1)
Note: Johnson Wagner finished T4 in Greens in Regulation at 77.8%, and 10th in Putts Per GIR.
PGA EUROPEAN TOUR: Titleist ambassador Grégory Bourdy rallied to shoot a final round 1-under 70 and then edged out Pro V1x player David Howell with a par on the third playoff hole of the Estoril Open de Portugal. Bourdy posted four birdies on the back nine to finish with an 18-under 266 total. Howell fired a 7-under final round 64 to reach the playoff.
What’s in Bourdy’s Bag?: Pro V1 golf ball, 907D2 driver, 906F2 fairway metal, 585.H utility metal, 670 Forged irons, Vokey Design approach wedge, Spin Milled lob wedge, Scotty Cameron Circa 62 putter.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Estoril Open de Portugal with 109 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 21. The win is the ninth by a Titleist player on the 2008 PGA European Tour, three times the nearest competitor with 3.
LPGA TOUR: At the year’s first major, Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Kraft Nabisco Championship with 83 players, compared to 17 for the nearest competitor.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Pro V1 loyalist Mark Wiebe shot a final-round 5-under 67 en route to a wire-to-wire victory at the inaugural Cap Cana Championship, the first professional golf event held in the Dominican Republic. Wiebe finished at 14-under 202, four strokes ahead of fellow Pro V1 player Vicente Fernandez. Fernandez posted a final round 7-under 65, matching the course record.
Titleist ambassador Jay Haas (Pro V1, 905R driver, 904F fairway metal, 585.H utility metals, AP2 irons, Vokey Design sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Studio Design putter) tied for third at 9-under 207.
Wiebe, who started the final round with a three shot lead, was the only player to post three consecutive rounds in the 60s. The win was Wiebe’s second on the Champions Tour in 12 career starts.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Cap Cana Championship with 49 players compared 12 for the nearest competitor. The victory was the seventh by Titleist golf ball players through the first eight events on the 2008 Champions Tour.
NATIONWIDE TOUR: Aron Price (Pro V1x, 907D4 prototype driver, 906F2 fairway metal, 695CB irons, Vokey Design pitching, sand and lob wedges) earned his first career Nationwide Tour title in a playoff at the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship. Price won with a par on the second playoff hole. Both playoff participants finished regulation at 5-under 283. Pro V1 loyalist Joe Daley finished solo third, one shot out of the playoff. Price led the field in Greens in Regulation with a 77.8 percentage for the week.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Livermore Wine Country Championship with 100 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 17. In addition to being the most played ball, Titleist was the most played irons (44), wedges (131) and putters (57). Titleist golf ball players have won each of the first six events on the 2008 Nationwide Tour.
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players 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 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)
